Yes; Once Your Licence Is Fully Reinstated
If your driving ban for a drink-driving offence has ended, you can get insured again; including for a campervan. The catch is that you’ll need to go through insurers or brokers who specialise in covering convicted drivers. Many mainstream companies decline drink-driving cases outright, but the specialist market exists precisely for this reason. It might take a few phone calls, but it’s absolutely possible to get cover and get back on the road legally.
Just make sure your licence has been officially reinstated by the DVLA. If it’s still suspended or under review, no insurer can offer cover until that process is complete.
How a Drink-Driving Ban Affects Campervan Insurance
Insurers treat a drink-driving conviction (the DR10 category) as serious because it shows a clear safety risk. For most drivers, it stays on the record for eleven years and affects premiums for around five. A campervan is no exception; in fact, insurers sometimes view it as a higher-risk vehicle due to its size, value, and potential for long-distance travel. Add a conviction, and the underwriting becomes even tighter.
That doesn’t mean you’re uninsurable. It just means you’re now in a smaller pool of accepted applicants, where the focus is on proving you’re a lower risk than the statistics suggest. Each year of safe, sober, claim-free driving helps restore that trust.
Choosing the Right Kind of Policy
Start with a broker who handles both campervan and convicted driver insurance. The combination matters. Campervans have unique requirements; contents cover, foreign travel, and overnight use; which standard car policies don’t include. A specialist will know which underwriters are flexible enough to accept your conviction while still offering the protection you need for touring or leisure use.
It’s worth mentioning if you’ve completed a drink-drive rehabilitation course. It demonstrates responsibility and may even reduce your premium slightly. The insurer will still apply a higher rate at first, but completing such a course shows genuine effort to change behaviour, which carries weight over time.
Reducing Your Premium After a Ban
While the initial quotes might sting, there are a few ways to make your policy more manageable:
- Limit mileage. Many campervan policies already assume low annual usage. Keeping mileage realistic lowers the risk rating.
- Improve security. Alarms, immobilisers, and secure storage all help reduce premiums.
- Be open about your driving history. Transparency avoids cancellations later, which are far worse for your record than high premiums.
- Pay annually if you can. Monthly payment plans often carry interest, and insurers prefer the security of a lump-sum payment.
- Consider telematics or monitored driving. Some brokers now offer discounts to convicted drivers who prove good habits through tracking technology.
Every small sign of responsibility helps insurers rebuild confidence in you as a policyholder.
Can You Drive Abroad in a Campervan After a Ban?
Once your ban has ended and your licence is valid again, you can usually drive abroad as normal. Just make sure your policy includes European cover, as not all do. Some insurers restrict international travel for convicted drivers or ask for additional paperwork. If in doubt, tell your broker about your travel plans when arranging cover; it’s much easier to clarify upfront than argue over exclusions later.
Looking Ahead
Yes, you can insure a campervan after a drink-driving ban; it just takes patience, honesty, and a specialist who understands your situation. The first year may feel expensive, but it’s the start of a rebuild. Keep your record clean, drive carefully, and each renewal should get a little easier. Before long, the conviction will fade into background paperwork, and you’ll be free to focus on what campervans are really for; heading out on the open road and enjoying the journey again.