Insurance Groups

Car insurance groups explained (UK 2026)

Every car sold in the UK is rated in an insurance group — the traditional scale runs 1 to 50 (group 1 is cheapest to insure, 50 the dearest), and cars registered from August 2024 use a new Vehicle Risk Rating of 1 to 99. Choosing a car in groups 1–5 instead of 15–20 can cut a premium by £500–£1,000 a year, especially for new drivers. Here is what sets the group, how to check yours, and the typical cost by band.

Cost by group band → UK cost index

Direct Answer

What is a car insurance group?

An insurance group is a risk rating set by Thatcham Research and the ABI Group Rating Panel. It reflects how much a car is likely to cost an insurer: its value, the price and availability of parts, repair times, performance, safety and security features, and how likely it is to be stolen. A lower group means cheaper cover. Cars registered before August 2024 sit on the familiar 1–50 scale; newer cars use the Vehicle Risk Rating (1–99), which works the same way — lower is cheaper. Your group is only one factor: your age, postcode and history still matter, but the group sets the baseline.

Group band	Typical cars	Relative cost to insure
1–5	City cars — Hyundai i10, Kia Picanto, VW Up, Toyota Aygo	Cheapest
6–10	Superminis — Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa, VW Polo	Low
11–20	Family hatchbacks — Ford Focus, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra	Moderate
21–30	Larger / sportier — Audi A3, BMW 1/3 Series, SUVs	Higher
31–40	Premium & many EVs — Tesla Model 3/Y, performance trims	High
41–50	High performance / luxury — hot hatches, large premium SUVs	Dearest

Sources: Thatcham Research / ABI Group Rating; Confused.com Price Index; Car Insurance Expert cost data. Bands are indicative — see the UK car insurance cost index for current averages. Last updated: 2026-08-27.

How To

How to check your car's insurance group

You can find a car's group from the manufacturer's spec sheet, the Thatcham/ABI group rating lookup, most comparison sites, or by entering the registration on a group-checker tool. Remember that trim and engine matter: the same model can span several groups, so a base 1.0 petrol may be group 8 while the sporty version is group 20+. If you are buying to keep premiums low — especially as a new or young driver — check the exact variant's group before you buy, not just the model.

Find Your Group

Insurance group guides: every group from 1 to 50

Each guide explains what that group means, how much a typical car in it costs to insure in 2026, the models usually rated there and how to pay less. Pick your number:

Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Group 6
Group 7
Group 8
Group 9
Group 10
Group 11
Group 12
Group 13
Group 14
Group 15
Group 16
Group 17
Group 18
Group 19
Group 20
Group 21
Group 22
Group 23
Group 24
Group 25
Group 26
Group 27
Group 28
Group 29
Group 30
Group 31
Group 32
Group 33
Group 34
Group 35
Group 36
Group 37
Group 38
Group 39
Group 40
Group 41
Group 42
Group 43
Group 44
Group 45
Group 46
Group 47
Group 48
Group 49
Group 50

Not sure which group your car is in? Use the car insurance group checker. New or young driver? Start with the cheapest insurance-group cars for new drivers. Driving something taller? See 4x4 and SUV insurance costs and groups.

Group Letters

What the letter after the group number means (13E, 20A, 30D…)

Most cars carry a letter after their insurance group, set by the Thatcham Research / ABI Group Rating Panel. It records how the car’s security compared with what the panel expects for its group, and it can move the number you pay for. Drivers searching for “group 13E” or “group 15E” are looking at exactly this.

Letter	Meaning	Effect on the group
E — Exceeds	Security exceeds the standard expected for the car’s group	Group reduced by one
A — Acceptable	Security meets the expected standard	No change
D — Doesn’t meet	Security falls short of the standard for the group	Group increased by one
P — Provisional	Rating set before full data was available; may be revised	Provisional
U — Unacceptable	Security is unacceptable for the group; insurers may require upgrades	Loaded / may be declined
G — Grey import	Imported model not officially rated for the UK	Specialist insurers

Source: Thatcham Research / ABI Group Rating Panel security-rating letters. A “13E” car is rated like a group 12 car for security purposes; a “13D” like a group 14 car.

Common Questions

Car insurance groups FAQs

What is the cheapest car insurance group?

Group 1 is the cheapest. It is made up of small city cars with low-powered engines, inexpensive parts and good security — the Hyundai i10, Kia Picanto, VW Up and Toyota Aygo are typical group 1–2 cars and are consistently the cheapest to insure, especially for new drivers.

What determines a car's insurance group?

Thatcham Research and the ABI rate each car on the cost and availability of parts, repair time, the car's value and performance, safety features, and security/theft risk. Higher value, faster cars and expensive repairs push the group up.

What is the new 1 to 99 Vehicle Risk Rating?

Cars registered from August 2024 use the Vehicle Risk Rating, a 1–99 scale that replaces the old 1–50 groups for new models. It works the same way — lower is cheaper — but gives insurers a finer split, partly to handle modern tech and EV repair costs. Older cars keep their 1–50 group.

Do electric cars sit in higher insurance groups?

Usually yes. EVs tend to fall in higher groups (often 30+) because of expensive battery packs, specialist repairs and fewer approved repairers, even on compact models. The gap is narrowing as repair networks grow, but in 2026 an EV typically sits a few groups above its petrol equivalent.

How much can choosing a lower group save?

For a new or young driver, moving from a group 15–20 car to a group 1–5 car can cut the premium by £500–£1,000 a year. It is the single biggest factor you fully control, so it is worth checking the group before you buy.

Does the insurance group alone decide my premium?

No — it sets the baseline, but your age, postcode, annual mileage, claims and conviction history and no-claims discount all adjust the final price. A group 1 car still costs a 17-year-old far more than a 40-year-old, but it will always be cheaper than a high-group car for the same driver.

Our sources

Thatcham Research / ABI Group Rating Panel — how groups are set
Confused.com Price Index — premium by car and band
Car Insurance Expert — UK car insurance cost index
Thatcham — insurance group rating

Reviewed by the Car Insurance Expert editorial team

Maintained by the Car Insurance Expert editorial team; group bands and example cars reviewed against Thatcham/ABI ratings.

Last updated: 2026-08-27

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