Car insurance groups - complete guide
Insurance groups are ratings from 1-50 that categorise cars by their risk and repair costs. Higher group numbers typically mean higher premiums, with Group 1 being the cheapest to insure and Group 50 the most expensive.
Do everything even faster in our app.
What are insurance groups?
Insurance groups are a standardised rating system that helps insurers calculate car insurance premiums across the UK. Every car model receives a group rating between 1 and 50, based on factors like repair costs, security features, and performance.
The system is managed by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and helps create consistency across the insurance industry. When you're looking for cover, whether it's annual insurance or temporary car insurance, your car's group rating plays a major role in determining your premium.
Group 1 cars are the cheapest to insure, while Group 50 vehicles come with the highest premiums.
How insurance groups are calculated
Several key factors determine which insurance group a car falls into. The Group Rating Panel, made up of members from the ABI and Lloyd's Market Association, assesses each new car model using specific criteria.
Damage and parts costs account for roughly 50% of the rating. This includes how expensive parts are and how long repairs typically take. Performance factors like top speed and acceleration make up about 25% of the assessment.
Security features such as alarms, immobilisers, and tracking systems can lower a car's group rating. The final factor is safety ratings from Euro NCAP, which considers how well the car protects occupants in crashes.
What insurance group is my car?
You can check your car's insurance group in several ways. The quickest method is to use an insurance group checker on the ABI website, where you'll need your car's make, model, engine size, and year.
Your V5C logbook also contains this information, listed as the 'insurance group' near the vehicle details section. If you're shopping around for quotes, most comparison sites and individual insurers will show your car's group rating during the quote process.
When buying a car, especially if you need drive away car insurance, checking the insurance group beforehand can help you budget for ongoing costs.
Car insurance groups explained: The rating system
The current system uses groups 1-50, replacing the older 1-20 scale that was phased out in the early 2000s. Each group represents a different level of risk and expected claim costs for insurers.
Groups 1-10 typically include small city cars with basic engines, minimal performance, and good security features. Examples include the Volkswagen Up! and Nissan Micra with smaller engines.
Groups 11-20 cover family hatchbacks and some estate cars. Groups 21-30 include larger family cars and some smaller executive models. Groups 31-40 feature performance cars, luxury vehicles, and larger SUVs.
Groups 41-50 are reserved for high-performance sports cars, luxury SUVs, and supercars with expensive parts and high repair costs.
How insurance groups affect your premiums
Your car's insurance group directly impacts how much you'll pay for cover, but it's not the only factor insurers consider. A Group 1 car will generally cost significantly less to insure than a Group 30 vehicle, all other factors being equal.
However, your age, driving experience, location, and claims history also play crucial roles. A young driver in a Group 5 car might pay more than an experienced driver with a clean record insuring a Group 15 vehicle.
If you need short-term cover, such as daily car insurance to borrow a friend's car, the insurance group will still affect the premium you're quoted.
Group motor insurance vs individual policies
Group motor insurance typically refers to fleet policies covering multiple vehicles for businesses, which works differently from the group rating system for individual cars. Business fleets often get discounted rates based on their overall claims experience and risk management.
For personal use, whether you need hourly car insurance or annual cover, you'll be quoted based on your individual car's insurance group rating along with your personal circumstances.
Some employers offer group personal car insurance schemes, but these still use individual car group ratings to calculate each employee's premium.
Tips for choosing a lower insurance group car
If you're looking to reduce insurance costs, choosing a car from a lower insurance group can make a significant difference to your premiums. Small-engine city cars, basic family hatchbacks, and models with good security features typically sit in lower groups.
Consider cars with standard specifications rather than high-performance variants. A basic Ford Fiesta will sit in a much lower group than the ST performance version. Look for models with five-star Euro NCAP safety ratings and factory-fitted security systems.
Remember that even within the same model range, different engine sizes and trim levels can span several insurance groups.
Insurance group lists and resources
The official insurance group list is maintained by the ABI and regularly updated as new car models are assessed. You can access this through the ABI website or various automotive industry databases.
Many car buying websites also display insurance group information alongside vehicle specifications. When researching cars, especially if you're planning to use weekend car insurance for occasional driving, checking group ratings should be part of your decision process.
Motor trade publications and consumer guides often publish annual lists of the cheapest cars to insure, organised by insurance group ratings.
Frequently asked questions
What's the cheapest insurance group?
Group 1 is the cheapest insurance group, typically featuring small city cars with basic engines and good security features. Examples include entry-level models like the Volkswagen Up! and some versions of the Ford Ka+.
Do insurance groups change over time?
Insurance groups are set when a car model is first assessed and generally don't change for that specific model. However, newer versions or facelifts of the same car may receive different group ratings based on updated specifications.
Can modifications change my car's insurance group?
Yes, modifications can effectively change your car's risk profile and premiums, even if the official group rating stays the same. Performance modifications typically increase costs, while approved security upgrades might reduce them.
Why do similar cars have different insurance groups?
Even similar-looking cars can have different groups due to variations in parts costs, repair complexity, security features, and performance. Different manufacturers may use more expensive components or have varying repair network costs.
Do electric cars have different insurance groups?
Electric cars are assessed using the same group rating system, but they often sit in higher groups due to expensive battery technology and specialist repair requirements. However, some insurers offer specific discounts for electric vehicles.
Temporary insurance quote
Get a price in under 60 seconds!