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Car insurance groups explained

Sara Newell
Written by  Sara Newell
5 min read
Updated: 30 Apr 2024

Understanding car insurance groups and how they affect your premium can help you save money on your car insurance.

Key Takeaways

  • All cars in the UK are categorised into groups from 1 to 50

  • The lower the insurance group your car is in the cheaper it is to insure

  • Numbers assigned to your car insurance group reflect any additional security features of your car

  • You can find out which car insurance group your car is with our group checker

The car insurance group letters

In the UK, cars are categorised into insurance groups ranging from 1 to 50, with Group 1 being the lowest risk and Group 50 the highest. This system is designed to give insurers a quick and consistent way of estimating the risk and cost of insuring different makes and models of cars.

Insurance groups are not just about numbers; they also include letters that provide additional information about the security features of a car:

  • A for Acceptable

  • D for Doesn't meet requirements, which raises the group rating

  • E for Exceeds requirements, which lowers the group rating

  • P for Provisional, pending an update post-launch

  • U for Unacceptable, though cover may be available with upgraded security

  • G for Grey import, which is assessed at the insurer's discretion

These letters are crucial because they can influence the cost of your insurance. For example, a car with an 'E' rating might be cheaper to insure than one with a 'D' rating, even if they're in the same numerical group.

How to check your car's insurance group

Curious about which insurance group your car falls into? You can find out what insurance group a car is in using our handy car insurance group checker. Knowing your car's group can help you anticipate the cost of insurance and make more informed decisions when purchasing a vehicle.

Or find your car by make and model
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Your car

Your car insurance group

Group 8/50

8
1
50

This car is among the lower insurance groups which should be good news for your premium. Cars in lower groups are typically cheaper to insure.

This car ranks in the middle insurance groups so it isn’t among the cheapest cars to insure, but it won’t be one of the most expensive.

This car is towards the higher end of the scale which means it could be relatively expensive to insure.

Factors influencing car insurance groups

The group rating panel, which includes members of the Association of British Insurers and Lloyds Market Association, assigns each new car model to an insurance group based on several factors:

  • The new car's value

  • The cost of parts and repairs, with 23 common parts compared

  • The time it takes to repair the car

  • The car's performance, including acceleration and top speed

  • Safety features, such as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) systems

  • Bumper compatibility and car security features

These factors are all considered to estimate the risk and potential costs associated with insuring a car.

The cheapest insurance groups

If you're looking for the most wallet-friendly insurance, aim for cars in Group 1. However, the cheapest option isn't always the best. It's essential to choose a car that fits both your needs and your budget. You can explore more about insurance for groups 1-10 through these links:

Electric cars and insurance groups

Electric cars, like their petrol and diesel counterparts, are also categorised into groups 1-50. However, they often fall into higher groups due to the specialist nature of the vehicles, which can make repairs and part replacements more complex and costly.

What else affects your car insurance premium?

Several personal factors also play a role in determining your car insurance premium:

  • Your age: Younger drivers, especially those under 25, typically pay more due to a higher statistical likelihood of accidents.

  • Your driving history: A record of claims or driving convictions can increase your premiums.

  • Your address: Living in an area with higher crime rates can lead to higher insurance costs.

  • Your occupation: Some jobs are considered higher risk, which can affect your insurance rates.

Saving on car insurance, regardless of group

Even if your dream car is in a higher insurance group, there are ways to save. Car security features can lower your car's insurance group, while comparing policies can help you find the best deal. Here are a few saving tips to get you started:

Enhancing your car's security features can reduce the chances of theft, as will keeping your car in a locked garage

One of the simplest ways to reduce your insurance cost is to increase your voluntary excess. Be careful not to increase your excess so much that you can't afford it

Insurers often offer discounts if you pay annually instead of monthly

Insurers may reduce the cost of your policy if you haven't made a previous insurance claim in a while the longer the better

Telematics, or black box insurance, policies allow your insurer to monitor your driving habits, and the better you drive the lower your premiums can be 

Van insurance groups

For those who drive vans, van insurance groups work similarly to car insurance groups. Lower groups mean lower risk and, consequently, lower premiums.

Finding the best car Insurance deal

The key to finding a great car insurance deal is to compare quotes. Comparing car insurance quotes with MoneySuperMarket is straightforward and can lead to significant savings. By providing some basic information about yourself, your vehicle, and your driving history, you can receive a list of competitive deals from a wide range of providers.

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