Car insurance group checker
If you’re buying a new car or looking to renew your car insurance on an existing vehicle, it’s always handy to know what insurance group it’s in. To find out, enter the vehicle details in our car insurance group checker below, and discover how car insurance groups can affect the price of your premiums.
If you’re buying a new car or looking to renew your car insurance on an existing vehicle, it’s always handy to know what insurance group it’s in. To find out, enter the vehicle details in our car insurance group checker below, and discover how car insurance groups can affect the price of your premiums.
What insurance group is my car in?
To check which insurance group your car is in, just enter your vehicle details into our handy car insurance group checker below. Once you’ve found your group, start a quick and easy quote with us to find a great deal on your car insurance.
What are car insurance groups?
Every make and model of car falls into one of 50 car insurance groups, numbered one through 50. Cars are assigned to a car insurance group based on scores they receive across several categories, including:
- Price
- Safety features
- Engine power.
Car insurance providers use the insurance group rating to assess how risky a vehicle is to insure, and how difficult and costly it would be to repair or replace. Along with other details, such as your postcode and profession, they use this information to calculate the cost of your car insurance.
What is the cheapest car insurance group?
The cheapest car insurance group is group 1. Group 50 is the most expensive. The lower the car insurance group, the lower your car insurance premium is likely to be.
If you’re in the market for a new car and you’re concerned about the cost of your car insurance, it makes sense to look for a model in a lower insurance group.
You can get an idea of the types of cars in each group from the table below
Be aware that different versions of the same model may be in different groups.
| Group 1 | Cars in insurance group 1 are usually among the cheapest to insure and include versions of the Fiat Panda, the Vauxhall Corsa and the Chevrolet Spark. |
| Groups 2-5 |
Cars in the lower insurance groups have less powerful engines and can be among the cheapest to repair, with parts widely available. They’re often some of the cheapest to insure too. Cars in insurance groups 2-5 can be a good choice for young drivers, who tend to pay more for car insurance because they’re statistically more likely to make a claim. Cars in insurance groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 include versions of the Ford Ka, the Renault Clio, Skoda Fabia and the Nissan Micra. |
| Groups 6-10 |
While cars in these groups aren’t necessarily the cheapest to insure, they’re more powerful than those in the lowest car insurance groups and still likely to carry a below-average car insurance premium. Many newer models have advanced safety and security features as standard too. Cars in insurance groups 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 include versions of the Seat Ibiza, the Kia Rio, the Volkswagen Golf, the Toyota Yaris and the Hyundai i10. |
| Groups 11-15 |
Cars in these insurance groups tend to offer a good middle ground between cheaper car insurance and performance. They typically have an average engine size but are at the lower end of the price spectrum. Cars in insurance groups 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 include versions of the Mini Hatchback, the BMW 1 Series, the Mazda 2 Hybrid, the Peugeot 5008 and the Toyota Prius. |
| Groups 16-20 |
Cars in these groups lie a little further along the scale between affordability and performance. They may not be the best bet for a young driver’s budget. But with a clean driving record and a few years’ experience under your belt, you could find an affordable quote for cars in these groups. Cars in insurance groups 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 include versions of the Ford Focus, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, the Jeep Wrangler, the Honda Jazz Crosstar and the Land Rover Freelander. |
| Groups 21-30 |
Cars grouped in the middle to higher 20s tend to carry higher-than-average insurance premiums. They’re likely to be more expensive to buy too. In these groups, you’ll find versions of the Nissan Leaf, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta and the Audi A3 Hatchback. |
| Groups 31-40 |
Cars in groups 31-40 typically cost above average to insure. They may be pricier models or have hard-to-source parts. They might also be a more attractive target for thieves or could lack the security and safety features of cars in lower insurance groups. In these groups you can find versions of the Mitsubishi Outlander, the Lexus RX L and the Jaguar XF Prestige. |
| Group 41-50 |
In groups 41 to 50, you’ll find the most expensive cars to insure. The high-end groups typically include high-performance vehicles and prestigious brands. Cars in the highest car insurance groups include versions of the Ford Mustang and the Lotus Evora. |
How are car insurance groups decided?
Car insurance groups are determined by a specialist panel made up of members of the Association of British Insurers (ABI). They assign cars to an insurance group based on vehicle and technical data collected and analysed by Thatcham Research.
Typically, the higher a car’s perceived insurance risk - for example, an expensive car with hard-to-source parts - the higher the insurance group it’s assigned to. If a car is relatively cheap to repair and replace or has added security features, it will likely be placed in a low insurance group.
Vehicles are scored across a range of criteria, including:
- Price - generally, the more expensive the car, the more costly a repair or replacement, which means they’re usually in the higher insurance groups.
- Performance and power - more powerful cars with higher top speeds tend to be in the higher insurance groups.
- Safety and security features - cars fitted with features like autonomous emergency braking systems, immobilisers and alarms typically have a lower insurance group rating.
- Cost of repairs - this factors in an internationally recognised crash impact test to determine the vehicle’s damage resistance, the cost of parts and the cost required to repair it to its previous condition.
Find out more about how Thatcham make their calculations.
What else affects the price of my car insurance?
Your car’s insurance group is certainly a big factor when it comes to the price of your premiums. But other factors that impact your car insurance premium include:
- Your age and experience, with younger and newer drivers typically more expensive to insure
- Your level of cover, so whether you choose third-party, third-party, fire and theft or comprehensive cover
- If you add on any extras, such as European breakdown cover, or add any named drivers
- Where you live
- Your job and how your use your car
- Your annual mileage
- Your driving history and if you have any points on your licence or driving convictions
- How many years' no claims discount you have.
What are the cheapest cars to insure?
The cheapest cars to insure are typically those found in the lowest car insurance groups. This is because they’re normally lower in value, which means they’re likely to be cheaper to repair.
But a car’s safety and security features will also impact its insurance group and, in turn, your insurance premiums.
What insurance group are electric cars in?
The insurance group an electric car is in will depend on the make and model. But electric cars are often put in higher insurance groups than petrol or diesel cars of a similar class and size.
While electric cars are cleaner and relatively cheaper to run, insurance costs may be higher than you’d expect. This is because they are relatively expensive to buy. And, currently, parts can be more expensive to source and fit.
Is there a van insurance group checker?
Compare the Market doesn’t have a van insurance group checker. But like cars, van insurance groups range from 1-50 and are assigned by the ABI. Van makes and models are also assessed on criteria such as engine size, vehicle price, safety and security features, and the cost of repairs.
However, van insurance groups are split in two, based on age. Vans registered before 2016 fall into groups 1-20, whereas vans registered from 2016 onwards are split into groups 21-50.
For vans registered before 2016 in groups 1-20, group 1 tends to have the cheapest van insurance premiums and group 20 the highest. For vans registered after 2016, group 21 is typically the cheapest to insure and group 50 the most expensive.
This can make it a little confusing to check which insurance group your van falls into, as two vans with the same model registered a year apart could be in two separate groups (for example, groups 1 and 21). Also, a van in group 21 could be cheaper to insure than one in group 20.
Although we don’t have a van insurance group checker, we do have some helpful tips on finding cheaper van insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Will my car’s insurance group change over time?
Thatcham rates a vehicle’s risk in relation to other vehicles. That means your car’s insurance group could go up or down as new makes and models are released.
For example, if you own an electric vehicle, you may see your insurance group drop over time as parts and repairs become cheaper and more readily available. On the other hand, as new safety systems are rolled out in newer models, your car could be assessed as less safe and your car insurance group could go up.
Thatcham and the associated Group Rating Panel are constantly reviewing how they assign car groupings, to keep up with a changing world.
Why are the same cars in different car insurance groups?
The group rating system takes into account different versions of the same car model and enhancements or additions that could make them cheaper to insure. A new security system, for example, could tip a car from one insurance group to another.
The Thatcham ratings also factor in the different age ranges of the same model. For example, there are many versions of the VW Golf.
How can I get cheap car insurance if my car is in a high insurance group?
Here are some things you can try to bring down the cost of your premiums:
- Set a higher voluntary excess – but make sure you can afford to pay both the compulsory and voluntary excess if you make a claim.
- Improve your car's security – check with your provider if there are any security improvements you can make to your car, such as adding an immobiliser.
- Reduce your mileage – the less you’re on the road, the less of a risk you’re seen to be by your insurance provider.
- Remove unnecessary cover – don’t include add-ons you don’t need.
Shopping around is one of the best ways to find a cheaper quote. Compare car insurance quotes with Compare the Market and we’ll show you a range of options to suit your needs.
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Julie Daniels - Motor insurance expert
Julie is passionate about delivering a great customer experience and rewarding people for saving on their insurance through our loyalty and rewards programme. She’s spoken to the media, including outlets like Sky News and Capital FM, about car and home insurance, as well as our rewards scheme.
