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Insurance Groups

Car Insurance Group 28: Cars & Cost (UK 2026)

A group 28 car typically costs a mid-range UK driver around £800–£1,100 a year for comprehensive cover in 2026 — a mid-to-upper band covering sportier, larger or premium-badged models.

What car insurance group 28 means

UK cars are rated on an insurance group scale from 1 to 50, where group 1 is the cheapest to insure and group 50 the most expensive. Group 28 sits just above the mid-point of that scale, in the upper-middle band. Cars land here because of a mix of higher performance, pricier parts, longer repair times, higher values or a premium badge — the five main factors assessed by Thatcham Research and the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

As an indicative figure, a group 28 car costs a typical mid-range driver roughly £800–£1,100 per year for comprehensive cover in 2026. That is above the UK average of around £600 (per the ABI and Confused.com premium tracking), but well below the £1,500+ premiums seen for high-performance cars in groups 40–50. Your actual price depends far more on your age, postcode, mileage and claims history than on the group number alone.

Note: cars first registered from August 2024 are increasingly rated on the newer 1–99 Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) system rather than the 1–50 groups, so a brand-new model may not show a classic "group 28" figure. For most cars on UK roads today, the 1–50 group still applies. See all insurance groups for the full scale.

Indicative group 28 premiums in 2026

The single biggest driver of price is age. The table below shows indicative annual comprehensive premiums for a typical group 28 car in 2026, by driver age band. These are illustrative ranges built from published market data — your own quote will vary with postcode, mileage, no-claims discount and the exact model.

Driver age bandIndicative annual premium (comprehensive)Notes
17–24£2,400–£3,400Young/new drivers pay a large premium; a black box policy can cut this sharply
25–34£850–£1,300Falls fast once experience and no-claims years build up
35–64£650–£950Lowest-risk band; close to the group's core £800–£1,100 midpoint
65+£700–£1,050Edges up again with age; mileage is usually low, which helps

Sources: indicative ranges compiled from ABI premium tracking, Thatcham Research group data and Confused.com / market quote samples (2025–2026). Figures are illustrative for a representative group 28 vehicle and are not a quote. Individual premiums depend on personal circumstances.

Cars often rated around group 28

The same model can span many groups depending on engine, trim and options, so a group is tied to a specific variant rather than the whole model line. Cars often rated around group 28 include:

  • Ford Fiesta ST (1.5 EcoBoost) — the hot-hatch Fiesta ST variant sits near the top of the Fiesta range, around group 28, versus single figures for the base 1.0.
  • Vauxhall Corsa-e (higher-spec electric) — upper-trim electric Corsa versions cluster in the mid-to-high 20s, with top specs reaching around group 28.
  • Volkswagen ID.3 — VW's mainstream electric hatchback typically falls in the mid-20s to around group 28 depending on battery and trim.
  • Mid-range premium hatchbacks/saloons — certain Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A-Class variants pass through the high-20s (their ranges span roughly groups 14–41), with some engine/trim combinations landing near group 28.
  • Compact SUVs — some Kia, Peugeot and Skoda compact SUV or estate variants (e.g. certain e-Niro, 3008 and Octavia specs) appear in this band.

Always check the exact variant: two cars of the same model can be a dozen groups apart. Use a reg-based group checker (Confused.com, Compare the Market or Quotezone) to confirm your specific car, or browse by model on our insurance by vehicle pages.

How to pay less in group 28

  • Increase your voluntary excess — a higher excess usually lowers the premium, provided you could afford it after a claim.
  • Add a named experienced driver — a low-risk second driver can reduce the price (never "front" a policy, which is fraud).
  • Pay annually, not monthly — monthly instalments carry interest (APR), so paying in one go is cheaper.
  • Build and protect your no-claims discount — years of no claims are one of the biggest levers on price.
  • Consider telematics (black box) — especially valuable for 17–24 drivers in this group.
  • Shop around at renewal — never auto-renew; compare quotes 3–4 weeks before expiry for the best price.
  • Check a lower-group variant — if buying, a smaller-engine version of the same model can sit several groups lower.

Group 28 car insurance: FAQs

Group 28 is upper-middle on the 1–50 scale — more expensive than economy cars in groups 1–15, but far cheaper than performance and luxury cars in groups 40–50. Indicatively, a mid-range driver pays around £800–£1,100 a year for comprehensive cover on a group 28 car in 2026.
The group is only one factor. Your age, postcode, annual mileage, no-claims discount, claims history, occupation and the level of cover all move the price — often more than the group itself. A 45-year-old with a full no-claims discount can pay a third of what a 19-year-old pays for the identical car.
Enter your registration into a free group checker from Confused.com, Compare the Market or Quotezone, or check the manufacturer's spec sheet. Groups are set by Thatcham Research and the ABI for each specific variant, so confirm the exact engine and trim rather than the model name alone.
Choosing a smaller-engine or lower-trim version of the same model can drop it several groups. Cars in groups 10–20 — such as many standard family hatchbacks — typically cost noticeably less to insure. Compare group 27 for a slightly cheaper band.
No. The group is a starting reference point insurers use, but your personal risk profile — age, location, driving record and mileage — usually has a bigger impact on the final price. Two people insuring the same group 28 car can be quoted very different premiums.
Cars often rated around group 28 include the Ford Fiesta ST (1.5 EcoBoost), higher-spec Vauxhall Corsa-e, the Volkswagen ID.3, and certain mid-range Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A-Class variants. Because ratings are variant-specific, always check your exact car's group by registration. See group 29 for the next band up.

Sources & editorial

Related: all insurance groups · UK car insurance cost index · group 27 · group 29

Reviewed by the Car Insurance Expert editorial team. Last updated: 2026-07-06