What Information Do I Need for a Car Insurance Quote UK

Last reviewed: 26 April 2026

Driver information required for a quote

The largest section of a UK motor insurance quotation form collects information about the driver or drivers who will be covered. This section drives the majority of the actuarial premium calculation.

Full legal name and date of birth: Exactly as shown on the driving licence. Any discrepancy between the name on the insurance policy and the name on the licence may create issues at claims stage.

Driving licence number and type: For UK licence holders, the 16-character photocard licence number. The licence type, full UK, provisional, EU/EEA, or foreign, affects the underwriting terms available.

Occupation: The specific occupation code as described in the policyholder's actual job role. Occupation affects the actuarial premium calculation directly, see the batch 20 occupation article for the occupational risk categorisation.

Home address and overnight parking location: The primary residence address and, where different, the address at which the vehicle is kept overnight. Both are rating factors; they may be the same address or different (for example, where the vehicle is kept in a garage at a different location from the home).

Claims history, past five years: All motor insurance claims notified to UK insurers in the past five years must be declared, including claims where no settlement was paid and incidents that were notified but not progressed. The Claims and Underwriting Exchange (CUE) database is cross-referenced by all UK motor insurers; undeclared claims will be visible.

Motoring convictions, past five years: All unspent motoring convictions and fixed penalty notice endorsements must be declared within the insurer's specified declaration window, typically five years.

Vehicle information required for a quote

Vehicle registration number: Where known. The insurer uses the registration to verify the vehicle's make, model, engine size, and specification against the DVLA vehicle register. Where the vehicle is not yet registered (new vehicle on order), the make, model, and specification are declared manually.

Modifications from standard specification: All aftermarket modifications, performance, cosmetic, or security, must be declared. Factory-fitted options are not modifications and do not require separate declaration.

Estimated current market value: Required for Comprehensive agreed-value quotes, and for some standard Comprehensive quotations to establish total-loss settlement reference.

Overnight storage type: Garaged, private driveway, allocated bay, on-street. Affects theft-risk loading in the premium calculation.

Use class, mileage, and cover selection

Use class declaration: SDP, SDP plus commuting, or Business Use Class 1/2/3. The use class must reflect the actual use pattern at the time of application and throughout the policy year. CIDRA 2012 requires this to be accurate.

Estimated annual mileage: The expected total mileage over the coming policy year. Declare a realistic upper estimate, under-declaring is a material non-disclosure risk; modest over-declaring is harmless.

Cover tier: Third Party Only, Third Party Fire and Theft, or Comprehensive. For most drivers, Comprehensive is the appropriate tier as detailed in batch 19's minimum cover article.

Voluntary excess: The additional excess amount the policyholder chooses above the compulsory excess. Higher voluntary excess reduces the premium but increases out-of-pocket exposure at claim time.

CIDRA 2012 and the consequences of inaccurate declarations

The Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 (CIDRA) categorises inaccurate declarations into four types, each with different consequences:

Innocent non-disclosure: The policyholder provided inaccurate information without fault, they genuinely did not know the accurate answer. The insurer is expected to avoid the policy only if they would not have provided cover at all on accurate information.

Careless non-disclosure: The policyholder failed to take reasonable care in answering a question, they should have known the correct answer but did not check. The insurer applies a proportionate remedy: if accurate information would have produced a higher premium, the claim is reduced proportionately; if accurate information would have led to a policy decline, the insurer may avoid the policy.

Deliberate non-disclosure: The policyholder knowingly provided false information. The insurer may void the policy from inception and retain all premiums paid.

Reckless non-disclosure: The policyholder provided information without caring whether it was accurate. Treated similarly to deliberate non-disclosure.

Preparing information before starting a quote

Having all required information to hand before starting the quotation process produces two benefits: it ensures accuracy (reducing the risk of CIDRA non-disclosure); and it allows comparison of quotes on consistent declared terms.

A pre-quote information checklist: driving licence number and address; current vehicle registration; five-year claims history (obtain from current insurer or the CUE self-service request); five-year conviction history (DVLA licence check at gov.uk); occupation description; estimated annual mileage for the coming year; and desired cover tier and voluntary excess.

Key Figures

Named driver information required

Where additional named drivers are to be added to the policy at inception, the same categories of information are required for each named driver: full legal name and date of birth; driving licence number and type; occupation; number of years' driving experience; claims history within the declaration window; and motoring convictions within the declaration window.

Named driver declarations are subject to the same CIDRA 2012 accuracy obligations as main driver declarations. A named driver's undeclared conviction or undisclosed claim history is a material non-disclosure on the same terms as the main driver's. Confirm all named driver details are accurate and complete before submitting the application.

Where named drivers' details are not available at quotation time, obtain a quote for the main driver only and add named drivers as a mid-term adjustment after inception. The mid-term addition typically carries a £25 to £50 administration fee plus a pro-rata premium adjustment, but ensures the named driver declaration is accurate based on the information available at the time of addition. BIBA-registered specialist brokers (biba.org.uk/find-insurance/) can assist with complex multi-driver policy structures where named driver profiles require specialist underwriting consideration.

Frequently Asked Questions

What information do I need for a car insurance quote?

Driver details (name, DOB, licence, occupation, address, claims history, convictions), vehicle details (registration, modifications, parking), use class and annual mileage, and cover requirements (tier, voluntary excess, named drivers).

Why does my occupation affect my car insurance quote?

Occupation correlates with driving patterns and claim frequency, some occupations involve high mileage, irregular hours, or risk-associated driving environments. Insurers use approximately 3,500 occupation codes as actuarial rating factors.

What happens if I give wrong information on a quote?

Under CIDRA 2012: careless inaccuracies may reduce claim settlements proportionately; deliberate misrepresentation voids the policy from inception. Always declare accurately based on actual circumstances.

Do I need to declare minor claims?

Yes, all claims notified to UK insurers appear on the CUE database and must be declared within the specified window (typically five years). This includes claims where no payment was made. Undeclared CUE entries are visible to all UK insurers at underwriting.

Where do I find my claims history?

Request a claims history from your current insurer directly, or submit a Subject Access Request to the Motor Insurance Anti-Fraud and Theft Register for your CUE record. DVLA provides your conviction history via the gov.uk/view-driving-licence service.

Sources & Verification

• Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/6
• ABI Motor Insurance data: https://www.abi.org.uk
• DVLA, View driving licence: https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence
• Motor Insurers' Bureau, CUE: https://www.mib.org.uk
• Road Traffic Act 1988, section 143: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52
• HMRC Insurance Premium Tax: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/insurance-premium-tax
• BIBA, Find a specialist broker: https://www.biba.org.uk/find-insurance/

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always verify rates with official sources before making any financial decision.