What is car insurance group 1?

If your car went on sale in the UK from 1 August 2024 and is part of a brand new model range then it will be assessed under a new insurance rating system. ➡️ Find out more.

Key takeaways

• Cars are sorted into insurance groups from 1 to 50, with 1 being the cheapest to insure and 50 the most expensive, based on factors like new car value, engine size, and repair costs

• Young drivers and other drivers who face high premiums can benefit from choosing a car in insurance group 1 to manage and reduce insurance costs

• Group 1 cars include the Hyundai i10, Vauxhall Corsa and Volkswagen Polo

What is car insurance group 1?

Car insurance group 1 is the lowest insurance group out of all 50 meaning cars in this group are the often the cheapest to insure, based on factors like the car’s purchase price, repair costs and safety and security features.

Why are cars in group 1 the cheapest to insure?

Cars that are found in insurance group 1, such as different variants of the Citroën C1, Fiat Panda and Ford Ka Plus, often have small engines, are inexpensive to run and maintain, and have low purchase prices when brand new.

These cars are usually at the lowest risk for being involved in a car accident due to their lower performance specifications. They are also at lower risk of being stolen due to their relatively low resale value, making them a good pick for those facing high insurance costs or looking to minimise their expenses.

Be aware that the trim level of your car and its engine size affect which group your car is in so different versions of the same car model can sit in different groups.

Which cars are in insurance group 1?

To give you a clearer idea of what kind of vehicles are in insurance group 1, here's a list of examples:

• Citroën C1

• Fiat Panda

• Chevrolet Spark

• Ford Ka Plus

• Hyundai i10

• Kia Picanto hatchback

• Kia Rio

• Nissan Micra hatchback

• Seat Mii

• Skoda Citigo

• Skoda Fabia hatchback

• Vauxhall Corsa hatchback

• Vauxhall Corsa Expression Ecoflex

• Volkswagen Polo hatchback

• Volkswagen Fox Urban

But make sure you consider which version of the car you have, or are planning to buy, as different versions can be in different car insurance groups. For example:

• The Volkswagen Up falls into group 1 if you opt for a low specification version with a 1.0-litre engine but the sportier Up GTi is in group 17

• The Citroën C1 is in group 1 if you have a low specification model but if you have a top of the range version it can be in group 7

What are car insurance groups?

Car insurance groups are categories that are used to sort various car makes, models and variants so insurers can better understand their risk profiles and appropriate insurance costs.

Numbering from 1 to 50, those in group 1 are often cheapest to insure owing to their low associated risks and costs, while cars are the opposite end of the scale (group 50) are typically the most expensive to insure as they are often high value or high-performance cars that are desirable to thieves and have more expensive parts.

How important are insurance groups to overall car insurance costs?

While cars in insurance group 1 are often cheaper to insure than cars in other groups, insurers consider a number of details about you before setting premiums.

For example, they’ll look at your:

• Age

• Postcode

• Job title

• Driving history and whether you’ve made any claims on car insurance policies in the past

These factors all contributes to your overall risk profile.

Are cars in insurance group 1 good for young drivers?

Yes, cars in insurance group 1 are a good option for young drivers or new drivers who often face higher than average car insurance premiums as a result of their perceived higher risk to insurance providers. These cars are often affordable to buy and maintain, and this can help bring those insurance premiums down.

Do insurance groups change over time?

No, the group rating system gives each car a score at launch that never changes. However, the new vehicle risk rating system is different as the scores update regularly to reflect changing market conditions.

What insurance group is my car in?

You can quickly find out what insurance group a car is in with our free car insurance group checker.

When you’re buying a new car it’s a good idea to check which insurance group it’s in in case the version you’re interested in falls into a higher group than a lower specification model and could therefore have a higher insurance cost.

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Group 8/50

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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.

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