I think they can ask for motoring offences. However. if they ask you that question for general insurance policies, regardless of how it is phrased, under ROA you can answer "No" (but first check it is truly spent).

Insurance and convictions - A simple guide

(2nd attempt. Without attaching previous text. Got an error using the [Reply] button)

Hi,

Spoke with Morethan yesterday, one of the questions they asked was "if I have been convicted of an offence in the last 5 years"

If the answer is yes then they will refuse to insure.

I asked what happens if the offence has been spent within that 5 years. THe answer is that they would still decline to insure.