“Do the insurance companies financially penalise these drivers in the same way that they do drunks?”
Not in the same way at all, bhg. A conviction for DD will certainly see premiums loaded considerably for some years. Employers usually will not take on drivers with a DD conviction less than five years old (mainly because their insurers will not insure them or, if they do, will impose hefty loadings).
A single mobile phone offence, like a single speeding offence will attract very little in the way of loading.
We’ve done the “lifetime ban” bit before as I recall, Andy. As I think I said them, it would almost certainly fall foul of the “reasonable and proportionate” test and it would not leave any room for manoeuvre when it comes to far more serious offences. I appreciate that using a phone whilst driving can lead to death or serious injury. Charges are available where such tragedy results as they are for when speeding has the same results. However I do agree that the current penalties are not working. It is not entirely due to lack of enforcement. As with DD there will always be people who will break the law regardless of the consequences. But the mandatory ban that DD attracts does seem to have some deterrent effect. For most people 3 points on their licence is no big deal.