CoverMapWhat are car insurance groups?
Car insurance groups are a rating scale that tells insurers how risky and costly a particular car model is likely to be to insure. The scale runs from 1 to 50. Group 1 cars are the cheapest to insure and group 50 cars the most expensive.
The scale hasn’t always looked like this. Auto Express says groups ran from 1 to 20 until 2009, before the current 1–50 scale.
The group covers the car only. Insurers combine it with everything else about you, including your age, postcode, driving history and the cover you choose. Our car insurance guide explains those other factors.
Who sets car insurance groups?
Groups are decided by the Group Rating Panel. According to What Car? and Finder, the panel is administered by Thatcham Research, with members drawn from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and the Lloyd’s Market Association.
Quotezone (April 2026) puts it this way: “Every UK car is rated by the Group Rating Panel administered by Thatcham Research on behalf of the Association of British Insurers, and placed into one of 50 insurance groups.” MoneySuperMarket describes Thatcham as “a not-for-profit automotive risk intelligence organisation”.
How are insurance groups calculated?
Quotezone lists five main factors: repair and parts costs, performance, repair time, standard safety and security, and replacement value. What Car? and Auto Express give more detail on how each is measured.
| Factor | What is assessed |
|---|---|
| Value | The price of the car when new, which sets what it would cost to replace |
| Parts and repair costs | Prices of 23 commonly damaged parts |
| Repair time | How long repairs take after low-speed impacts; Auto Express says crash tests are run at 15km/h |
| Performance | 0–62mph acceleration and top speed |
| Safety | Standard safety equipment, including autonomous emergency braking |
| Security | Standard security features |
| Bumper design | Listed by What Car? as part of the assessment |
Source: Quotezone (updated 24 Apr 2026); What Car?; Auto Express. Checked October 2026.
Repair costs carry a lot of weight because they drive what insurers pay out. Insurance Times reported in July 2026 that repair costs are rising as modern vehicles rely more on cameras, sensors and driver assistance systems.
Groups aren’t fixed for life. Quotezone says groups are updated quarterly, so the group for a model can change after it goes on sale.
What the letter after a group number means
Some group listings add a letter showing how the car’s standard security compares with the panel’s expectations. What Car? and Auto Express describe these suffixes:
- E – security exceeds the standard, and the group is lowered (for example 9E instead of 10)
- A – security is acceptable
- D – security is below standard, and the group is raised by one
- U – security is unacceptable
- P – the rating is provisional
- G – a grey import or unrated car
Examples of cars by insurance group
Groups apply to specific versions, not just a model name. A car’s engine, trim and equipment can put different versions of the same model in different groups. These examples are as published by the sources shown.
| Group | Example models | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Group 1 versions of the Fiat Panda, Vauxhall Corsa and Chevrolet Spark | Compare the Market |
| 2 | Hyundai i10 | What Car? |
| 3 | Kia Picanto, Volkswagen Polo | What Car? |
| 50 | Audi Q7, BMW 7 Series, Range Rover, Mercedes S-Class | What Car? |
Source: Compare the Market group 1 checker page; What Car? Groups can change quarterly, so check the exact version. Checked October 2026.
The pattern is what you would expect from the factors above. Small, low-powered city cars with cheap parts sit at the bottom. Large, powerful, expensive luxury cars sit at the top.
How to check a car’s insurance group
- Use a group checker. Comparison and car-buying sites publish group listings. Compare the Market has group checker pages for each group, and What Car? lists groups for individual models.
- Match the exact version. Check the engine and trim, not just the model name, because versions can sit in different groups.
- Look for a security letter. An E or D suffix tells you whether security has moved the group down or up.
- Check whether the car uses Vehicle Risk Rating. Brand-new models launched from 1 August 2024 may not have a group at all (see below).
- Get a real quote before you buy. Quotezone notes that “a static prices table can’t replace a real quote”.
How do insurance groups affect the price?
A lower group generally means a lower premium, because the car is cheaper to repair or replace. The AA (December 2024) says group 1 cars are generally the cheapest to insure, which is why low-group cars are often suggested for new drivers. Our young driver car insurance guide covers other ways new drivers can cut costs.
But the group is only one input. Two drivers with the same car can get very different prices because of age, postcode and claims history, and two insurers can price the same car differently. That is why we don’t publish an average price per group: the most widely quoted tables we found were based on data several years old.
What are the cheapest insurance groups?
Group 1 is the cheapest group by design, and groups at the lower end of the scale generally cost less to insure than those at the top. The examples above show the type of car you will usually find there. If cost is the priority, it is worth checking the group, or the Vehicle Risk Rating, before you choose a car. Our cheap car insurance tips cover other ways to bring the price down.
Looking at an electric model? Our electric car insurance guide covers how EVs are rated and what they cost to insure.
Vehicle Risk Rating: the system replacing groups for new cars
Insurance groups are being phased out for brand-new models. MoneySuperMarket (February 2026) says Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) replaces the group system for brand-new models on sale from 1 August 2024 onwards. Age UK (July 2026) says VRR was introduced in September 2024 for vehicles sold from 1 August 2024.
Instead of one number, VRR gives a car five separate category scores, each from 1 (low risk) to 99 (high risk):
- damage
- repair
- security
- safety
- performance
| Insurance groups | Vehicle Risk Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Scale | One group, 1 to 50 | Five category scores, each 1 to 99 |
| Which cars | Cars launched before 1 August 2024, and new variants of existing ranges | Brand-new models on sale from 1 August 2024 |
| Can you see it? | Yes, through group checker pages | No, drivers can’t access individual scores directly |
Source: MoneySuperMarket – Vehicle Risk Rating (3 Feb 2026); Age UK (8 Jul 2026). Checked October 2026.
MoneySuperMarket reports that more than 1,000 new cars and vans were assessed under VRR in its first 12 months, and around 89% ended up with a different risk profile than they would have had under groups. Age UK adds that a car’s VRR can change over time as repair costs, parts, theft trends and claims data change.
If your car was launched before August 2024, it keeps its insurance group. Sources differ on exactly when the transition to VRR finishes, so if you are buying a newer model, ask the insurer which system applies.
Choosing a car with insurance in mind
- Check the group (or ask about VRR) for the exact version before you buy.
- Performance and value both feed into the group, so a less powerful, lower-value version usually rates lower.
- Factory security matters: an E suffix lowers the group.
- The AA advises young drivers to avoid modifications such as alloy wheels and spoilers, which can raise the price.
- Compare quotes for two or three shortlisted cars, not just one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do car insurance groups mean?
They rate how costly a car model is likely to be to insure, on a scale from 1 (cheapest) to 50 (most expensive). They reflect repair and parts costs, repair time, performance, safety and security, and the car’s value.
Who decides car insurance groups?
The Group Rating Panel, which is administered by Thatcham Research. What Car? says its members come from the ABI and the Lloyd’s Market Association.
How do I find out my car’s insurance group?
Use a group checker such as Compare the Market’s group pages, or model listings on What Car?. Match the exact engine and trim, because versions of the same model can sit in different groups.
What is the cheapest car insurance group?
Group 1. Compare the Market lists group 1 versions of the Fiat Panda, Vauxhall Corsa and Chevrolet Spark. Your own price still depends on your age, postcode and history.
What does E or D after an insurance group mean?
It shows how the car’s security compares with the standard. E means it exceeds the standard and the group is lowered, for example 9E instead of 10. D means it is below standard and the group is raised by one.
What is Vehicle Risk Rating?
A newer system for brand-new models on sale from 1 August 2024. Instead of one group, each car gets five scores from 1 to 99 for damage, repair, security, safety and performance. Drivers can’t see the individual scores.
Can a car’s insurance group change?
Yes. Quotezone says groups are updated quarterly, and Age UK says a Vehicle Risk Rating can also change as repair costs, theft trends and claims data change.
Sources
- What Car? – Car insurance groups and new vehicle risk ratings explained
- Finder – Car insurance groups
- Quotezone – Insurance group prices table (updated 24 Apr 2026)
- Auto Express – UK car insurance groups explained
- MoneySuperMarket – Vehicle Risk Rating (3 Feb 2026)
- Age UK – Vehicle risk ratings explained (8 Jul 2026)
- Compare the Market – Group 1 car insurance group checker
- The AA – Car insurance for young drivers (Dec 2024)
- Insurance Times – Motor payouts hit record £3.2bn (30 Jul 2026)