Car Insurance Group 38: Cars & Cost (UK 2026)
A group 38 car typically costs a mid-range UK driver about £1,100–£1,600 a year for comprehensive cover in 2026 — indicative only, as age, postcode and history matter more than the group.
What car insurance group 38 means
Every car sold in the UK is placed in one of 50 insurance groups, numbered 1 to 50. Group 1 cars are the cheapest to insure and group 50 the most expensive. Group 38 sits firmly in the higher-cost band — roughly the top fifth of the scale — so it is well above the mainstream. It covers many premium saloons and estates, larger SUVs, hot hatches and a growing number of electric vehicles.
The groups are set by the Group Rating Panel, administered by Thatcham Research on behalf of the Association of British Insurers (ABI). A car’s rating reflects the cost of parts, how long a typical repair takes, engine performance and power, the car’s value, and its safety and security equipment. A group 38 car usually scores high on several of these — expensive parts, longer repair times and strong performance push the number up.
As a guide, insuring a group 38 car costs a typical driver around £1,100–£1,600 a year for comprehensive cover in 2026. That is well over the UK average of roughly £600 (Confused.com / ABI tracking), but far from the most expensive on the road. Cars registered from August 2024 also carry the newer 1–99 Vehicle Risk Rating, which insurers increasingly use alongside the classic 1–50 groups.
Indicative annual premium for a group 38 car
The group is only one input. Your age, where you live, your no-claims history and annual mileage typically move the price far more than the group number alone. The figures below are indicative estimates for a representative group 38 car with comprehensive cover, to show how age reshapes the same rating.
| Driver age band | Indicative annual premium (comprehensive) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 17–24 | £2,600–£4,500 | Young/new drivers pay a large multiplier; a telematics policy often helps most here. |
| 25–34 | £1,400–£2,200 | Premiums fall sharply once experience and no-claims build. |
| 35–64 | £1,100–£1,600 | Typical mid-range band; lowest cost for most group 38 drivers. |
| 65+ | £1,300–£1,900 | Prices edge up again at older ages despite long no-claims records. |
Sources: indicative estimates by the Car Insurance Expert editorial team, drawing on ABI premium tracking, Thatcham Research group-rating methodology and Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index (2026). Figures are illustrative, not quotes; your price depends on your own circumstances.
Cars often rated around group 38
Insurance groups vary by exact trim, engine and model year, so a badge alone does not fix the group. The models below are examples often rated around group 38 for certain versions — always check the specific variant with a group checker before you buy.
- BMW 4 Series (440i) — the more powerful petrol variants of BMW’s coupe/Gran Coupe range often land in the high 30s.
- Mercedes-Benz C-Class / GLC — higher-output diesel and petrol trims of these premium models sit around this band.
- Audi A5 / Q5 — sportier Audi coupes and mid-size SUVs in more powerful specifications commonly rate in the upper 30s.
- Range Rover Evoque / Velar — premium compact and mid-size Land Rover SUVs frequently fall in this region on parts and value.
- Volvo XC60 / XC90 — larger Volvo SUVs, including plug-in hybrid versions, are often rated around here.
- Toyota GR Supra — performance-focused sports models push into the high 30s on power and repair cost.
Many electric vehicles also cluster in the high-30s bands because their purchase price and repair costs run higher than comparable petrol or diesel cars. Use a registration-based checker to confirm any individual car’s group before relying on it.
How to pay less in group 38
- Compare early and widely — quotes for the same group 38 car can vary by hundreds of pounds between insurers; renew about three weeks before your start date.
- Increase your voluntary excess — a higher excess usually cuts the premium, provided you could afford it after a claim.
- Add an experienced named driver — genuinely adding a low-risk driver can reduce the price (never “front”, which is fraud).
- Consider telematics — a black-box or app-based policy can help younger drivers of higher-group cars most.
- Improve security and parking — an approved tracker, alarm and off-road overnight parking can lower the risk score.
- Pay annually if you can — monthly instalments add interest, so paying in one go is usually cheaper.
Group 38 car insurance FAQs
Group 38 is expensive relative to the average car. On the 1–50 scale it sits in the top fifth, so premiums are typically well above the UK average of around £600. It is not the dearest, though — groups 45–50 cost considerably more.
Thatcham Research and the ABI score each car on the cost of parts, repair time after a typical claim, performance and engine power, the car’s value, and its safety and security features. Higher parts costs and stronger performance push a car into higher groups like 38.
Use a registration-based group checker or look up the exact make, model, trim and year. The group is set at variant level, so two versions of the same model can sit in different groups. See our insurance by vehicle guides and the full list of insurance groups.
No. The group is one factor among many. Your age, postcode, claims and driving history, annual mileage, job and cover level usually influence the premium more than the group number itself, which is why the same group 38 car can cost very different amounts for different drivers.
As an indicative guide, a mid-range driver pays roughly £1,100–£1,600 a year for comprehensive cover on a group 38 car in 2026. Young drivers can pay several times more. See our UK car insurance cost index for the latest tracked averages.
Sources & review
Sources: Thatcham Research Group Rating Panel methodology; Association of British Insurers (ABI) premium tracking; Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index (2026). Example car groupings drawn from published insurer and group-checker listings and framed as indicative.
Reviewed by the Car Insurance Expert editorial team.
Last updated: 2026-07-06
More Insurance Groups pages
- Insurance group 12 cars and cost
- Insurance group 16 cars and cost
- Insurance group 13 cars and cost
- Insurance group 15 cars and cost
- Insurance group 11 cars and cost
- Insurance group 50 cars and cost
- Insurance group 49 cars and cost
- Insurance group 47 cars and cost
- Insurance group 48 cars and cost
- Insurance group 45 cars and cost
- Insurance group 44 cars and cost
- Insurance group 46 cars and cost
- Insurance group 43 cars and cost
- Insurance group 42 cars and cost
- Insurance group 41 cars and cost
- Insurance group 39 cars and cost
- Insurance group 40 cars and cost
- Insurance group 37 cars and cost
- Insurance group 36 cars and cost
- Insurance group 34 cars and cost
- Insurance group 33 cars and cost
- Insurance group 35 cars and cost
- Insurance group 32 cars and cost
- Insurance group 30 cars and cost