Definition of driving conviction for British car insurance

Hi

I just moved to the Outer Hebrides in Scotland to do research for my PhD. While I thought I could do without a car, I've now figured out I should buy one...of course that means I have to buy car insurance as well.

What is the definition of a driving conviction for car insurance purposes? I got a ticket last year for "disobeying a traffic control device" -it was an accident, I swear!  - and I was wondering if that counts for the insurance here.

Thanks for yuor help!
Ness

Hi

I just moved to the Outer Hebrides in Scotland to do research for my PhD. While I thought I could do without a car, I've now figured out I should buy one...of course that means I have to buy car insurance as well.

What is the definition of a driving conviction for car insurance purposes? I got a ticket last year for "disobeying a traffic control device" -it was an accident, I swear!  - and I was wondering if that counts for the insurance here.

Thanks for yuor help!
Ness

Oh my ! Where in the Outer Hebridies ? Lewis ? Harris ?

Anyway, I think you will have to declare your conviction, especially if it resulted in damage or injury.

<hi jack>
Can I just say that I am extremely envious of you to be living in the Outer Hebrides.  It has some of the most beautiful scenery and friendliest people who don't mind speaking Gaelic with you, even if it's horribly mangled.
</hi jack>

My father's family were from the Outer Hebridies.

Yes, I'm on Lewis, and it is beautiful up here and I love it (and sometimes hate it). My Gaelic is terribly mangled as well.

Not the place to be without a car, though.

Really, I just went straight when I should have turned right. No one got hurt. And the traffic signage was a bit confusing, I have to say. The cop was just in a bad mood that day and gave me a ticket...

What was the conviction ?
Driving without due care and attention ?
Anyway, you need to declare it.

Ness, can we clarify, was the conviction in the US or the UK?  If it was the US, I'd really have to wonder if you need to declare it.  You can't claim your 'no-claims' years from the US, nor do they seem to look at stellar driving records.  I would think (but I'm no expert) if they can't take into consideration the good things, then they can't take the bad either.

Just a thought.

Sorry for not responding sooner (sketchy internet access up here) and not being clearer...the ticket was in the US and it was for going straight at an intersection at which i was only supposed to turn right. nobody got hurt (except my checkbook). i didn't have car insurance in the US (was driving my firend's car -i didn't own one) and so there was no record with any insurance.

i thought that this probably wouldn't matter for insurance here since i doubt they'll check the court records in michigan, but i wanted to double-check...

thanks for your help!

Sorry for not responding sooner (sketchy internet access up here) and not being clearer...the ticket was in the US

Then strike out my previous comment.
You are probably safe not to declare it.

I wouldn't declare anything that happened in the US.