What is car insurance group 11?

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

• While group 11 cars are on the lower end of the scale and generally cheaper to insure, personal factors will also influence your final premium so it’s good to shop around

• Popular cars in group 11 include models such as the Ford Focus, Kia Sportage, Skoda Octavia, Vauxhall Corsa, and Volkswagen Golf

What is car insurance group 11?

Car insurance group 11 is assigned to your vehicle based on certain factors such as new car value and safety features. This is used by car insurers to help calculate your premiums, along with considering your personal risk factors.

Car insurance groups run from 1 to 50, with group 1 typically being the cheapest to insure as they are usually smaller, lower value cars that are cheaper to repair, and group 50 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.

Is group 11 car insurance high or low?

Car insurance group 11 vehicles are towards the lower end of the scale and cheaper to insure. The higher the group, the more expensive your car insurance is likely to be, with 1 being the cheapest to insure and 50 being the most expensive.

Which cars are in car insurance group 11?

While group 11 is towards the cheaper end of the scale, there are still some much-loved makes in this category from BMW, Volkswagen, and Ford. This category also features a range of models and body types, not just smaller hatchbacks or superminis.

Here are some popular cars in group 11:

How are cars assigned to insurance groups?

The group rating system is run by Thatcham Research, a not-for-profit automotive risk intelligence organisation. It sets the requirements for the groups, tests vehicles, and collects all the data to see which group each car fits into.

Factors that are used to help calculate a car’s insurance group include:

• The car’s value when it’s new

• Cost of parts

• The vehicle’s safety features, and the extent of any damage caused if involved in an accident

• The car’s acceleration and speed

• Any security features to help prevent theft

Find out more in our guide: What are car insurance groups?

💡 Top tip: 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. Use our free car insurance group checker to find out which group your car is in.

How much is group 11 insurance?

The cost of your insurance will vary depending on your individual circumstances and which car you own. Vehicles in group 11 vary widely in terms of age, power, and value, and your own personal details, such as age and driving experience, can impact the price.

If you would like to find out, you can get a quote on our website in minutes to find out how much your car insurance will cost.

Who are group 11 cars suitable for?

Group 11 cars feature good, all-rounder cars for people who want decent fuel economy rather than high performance.

From university students who have just passed their test, to working parents dropping their kids off at school before a morning commute, cars in this insurance category are good, practical options, suitable for most households.

Vehicles in this category also have benefits such as cheap parts and a good safety rating, making them less expensive to fix and helpful in terms of lowering the cost of your premiums.

Is insurance group 11 expensive for a new driver?

Quite the contrary, cars in group 11 are relatively cheap to insure for young drivers compared with higher insurance groups. However, you’ll find cars in groups 1-10 are cheaper still.

Remember that the overall cost of your premium will also depend on factors like your age and profession.

Where you live and park your car, what you use the car for, and your driving history will also affect the cost.

What is insurance group 11E and insurance group 11U?

You might see letters after group numbers. These give a bit more information about the vehicle, usually whether the safety or security of the car is better or worse than usual for that make and model. A group 11E car indicates the vehicle’s security requirement is exceeded (hence the ‘E’), which is good news for the insurer and therefore for your car insurance costs.

At the other end of the scale, a ‘U’ label means the vehicle’s security level is unacceptable, making it more likely to be stolen and a ‘D’ label means the safety requirement hasn’t been met.

How important are insurance groups to overall car insurance costs?

While car insurance groups are important, 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 contribute to your overall risk profile.

Your insurance costs will also depend on the type of cover you take out and the provider you choose - which is why it’s always good to shop around for a car insurance quote.

Which car insurance group will my hybrid or electric car be in?

Hybrid and electric cars are rated in the same way as petrol and diesel models so you’ll find electric and hybrid cars throughout the different groups.

Some small electric cars that are in the lower insurance groups include:

• The Volkswagen E-up is in group 10

• The Smart EQ forfour is in groups 9-11, depending on the version

However, electric cars can be more expensive to repair than petrol and diesel cars, and more likely to be written off if the battery is damaged in an accident, which can push up electric car insurance costs.

See our Electric Car Insurance Index to find out the top 10 cheapest and most expensive electric cars to insure.

📣 Did you know? Electric vehicles are about 25% more expensive to repair than equivalent petrol and diesel models and their repair times can be 14% longer, according to Thatcham Research.

Which group will my classic car be in?

Classic car group ratings can vary hugely depending on the make, model and variant, as different cars will have different values, accident and theft risks and repair costs. You should look into your specific model to understand what insurance costs might look like.

Which group will my modified car be in?

Some modifications can increase the risk of theft or cost of repairs, while others can improve your car’s safety and security and therefore bring down costs. Some insurers might even request that you upgrade a car’s features before they will insure it - these cars, whichever group they’re in, will have a ‘U’ rating alongside their group number.

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.

How do I know which insurance group my car is?

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.

If you would like to quickly find out what group your car belongs to, check out our useful group checker below.

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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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