Car Insurance Group 10: Cars & Cost (UK 2026)
A car in insurance group 10 typically costs a mid-range driver around £500–£650 a year for comprehensive cover in 2026 — a low-cost supermini band that sits comfortably below the UK average premium of roughly £600.
What car insurance group 10 means
Every car sold in the UK is placed in an insurance group from 1 to 50, where group 1 is the cheapest to insure and group 50 the most expensive. Group 10 sits near the top of the low-cost band, in classic supermini and small-hatchback territory — models that are cheap to repair, hold modest value and score well on security, but carry slightly more equipment or performance than the very cheapest group 1–5 cars.
The groups are set by Thatcham Research and the Association of British Insurers (ABI), based on five main factors: the cost of parts, repair time, new-car value, performance (0–62mph and top speed) and security features. A group 10 rating signals a low-risk, affordable-to-repair car, which is why insurers price these premiums well under the market average.
Cars registered from August 2024 are increasingly rated under the newer Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) system, which uses a 1–99 scale and factors in advanced driver-assistance and repair complexity. The traditional 1–50 group still applies to the huge used-car parc that most group 10 buyers shop from.
For the full picture, see our guide to all insurance groups and the UK car insurance cost index.
Indicative group 10 premiums by driver age (2026)
The figures below are indicative annual comprehensive premiums for a typical group 10 car in 2026. Your own age, postcode, mileage, claims history and no-claims discount move the price far more than the group itself — a 19-year-old and a 45-year-old can pay hugely different amounts for the same car.
| Driver age band | Indicative group 10 annual premium | How it compares |
|---|---|---|
| 17–24 | £1,150–£1,700 | Highest — young-driver risk loading dominates |
| 25–34 | £650–£950 | Falls sharply once experience builds |
| 35–64 | £450–£600 | Around or below the UK average |
| 65+ | £400–£520 | Typically the cheapest band |
Sources: indicative ranges derived from Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index (Q1 2026) age data and ABI/Thatcham Research group definitions. Figures are illustrative for a group 10 supermini and not quotes; actual prices vary by insurer, postcode and driver profile.
Cars often rated around group 10
Insurance groups vary by exact trim, engine and model year, so the same nameplate can span several groups. The models below have variants commonly rated in or around group 10 — always check the specific version you are buying:
- Hyundai i20 — mid-spec petrol trims frequently land around group 10; a practical, well-equipped supermini.
- Škoda Fabia — higher-trim 1.0 TSI versions sit near group 10, while entry 1.0 MPI variants fall lower.
- SEAT Arona — the compact crossover has lower-powered petrol trims rated around group 10.
- Vauxhall Corsa — the current-shape Corsa has petrol trims that reach into the low double-digit groups including around group 10.
- Nissan Micra — turbocharged and higher-trim versions climb toward group 10 from a group 1 base.
- Smart ForFour — certain trims of this city car are rated close to group 10.
Want to check a specific model? Use our car insurance by vehicle tool to look up cost by make, model and group. You can also compare the neighbouring bands: group 9 for slightly cheaper options and group 11 for a small step up.
How to pay less in group 10
- Pay annually, not monthly — monthly instalments add interest, often 20–30% APR.
- Build and protect your no-claims discount — the single biggest lever after age.
- Add a named experienced driver — a lower-risk second driver can reduce the price (never "front" the policy).
- Increase your voluntary excess — within reason, to keep the premium down.
- Consider a telematics/black-box policy if you are a younger driver — group 10 cars pair well with these.
- Improve security — a Thatcham-approved alarm, immobiliser or tracker and off-street parking all help.
- Shop around and compare at renewal rather than auto-renewing — loyalty rarely pays.
Group 10 car insurance: common questions
Group 10 is cheap. On a 1–50 scale it sits in the low-cost band (roughly groups 1–10), so premiums are typically below the UK average of about £600. A mid-range driver can expect around £500–£650 a year for comprehensive cover on a group 10 car.
The insurance group is only one input. Your age, postcode, annual mileage, claims and conviction history, no-claims discount, chosen excess and how you pay (annual vs monthly) all move the price — often far more than the group itself. Age is usually the largest single factor.
Check the manufacturer's specification, use a free group checker, or look it up by registration. Because the exact trim and engine change the group, confirm the precise variant. Our insurance by vehicle pages show cost by make, model and group.
Yes. Dropping to group 9 or lower — typically entry-level superminis and city cars in groups 1–5 — will usually shave a little off the premium. The saving between adjacent single-digit groups is modest, so choose the car that fits your needs first.
No. The group gives insurers a baseline for a car's repair cost, value, performance and security, but your personal risk profile is layered on top. Two drivers insuring the same group 10 car can pay very different premiums.
Thatcham Research and the ABI's Group Rating Panel assign the group, weighing parts cost, repair time, new-car value, performance and security. Newer cars registered from August 2024 are increasingly rated under the 1–99 Vehicle Risk Rating system.
Sources & review
- Association of British Insurers (ABI) — car insurance group rating methodology.
- Thatcham Research — Group Rating Panel and vehicle security ratings.
- Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index (Q1 2026) — average premiums by age.
Reviewed by the Car Insurance Expert editorial team.
Last updated: 2026-07-06
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