Car Insurance Group 43: Cars & Cost (UK 2026)
A group 43 car typically costs a mid-range driver around £1,600–£2,500+ a year for comprehensive cover in 2026 — group 43 sits in the priciest performance-and-luxury band on the 1–50 scale.
What car insurance group 43 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 43 sits firmly in the top band (41–50), which is reserved for high-performance, high-value and luxury vehicles. A car in this group is expensive to insure because it usually combines a strong engine, costly parts, longer repair times and a higher replacement value — the exact factors insurers price against.
The groups are set independently by Thatcham Research and the Association of British Insurers (ABI) through the Group Rating Panel. They assess five main things: the cost of parts, repair time, new-car price, performance (top speed and acceleration) and security features such as alarms and immobilisers. Cars registered from August 2024 are also scored under the newer 1–99 Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) system, but the familiar 1–50 group still appears on most quotes.
Group 43 is only one input into your premium. In practice your age, postcode, annual mileage, claims history and no-claims discount move the price far more than the group number alone. The UK average comprehensive premium is roughly £600, so a group 43 car sits well above the typical cost of cover.
Indicative group 43 premiums by driver age
The figures below are indicative annual comprehensive premiums for a typical group 43 car in 2026. They are illustrative estimates only — your own quote depends heavily on postcode, mileage, no-claims discount and claims history. Younger drivers pay dramatically more because performance cars carry the highest risk loading.
| Driver age band | Indicative annual premium | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 17–24 | £3,000–£5,000+ | Many insurers decline young drivers on group 43 cars; a black box helps |
| 25–34 | £1,600–£2,500 | Falls sharply with a few years of no-claims discount |
| 35–64 | £1,100–£1,800 | Lowest band; experience and full no-claims discount apply |
| 65+ | £1,300–£2,200 | Rises modestly again as insurers price age-related risk |
Sources: indicative ranges compiled by the Car Insurance Expert editorial team from published group-43 cost data (Finder UK, Confused.com price index) and ABI premium tracking; figures are illustrative, not quotes.Reviewed by the BestBuilders editorial team on July 2026.
Cars often rated around group 43
Insurance groups vary by exact trim, engine, year and options, so the same nameplate can span several groups. The models below are often rated around group 43 in the UK — always check your specific car’s group by registration before you assume. Cars typically found in or near this band include:
- Audi A8 (later Quattro TDI and TFSI executive variants) — large luxury saloon with high parts and repair costs.
- Audi Q7 (petrol V6/V8 trims) — big performance SUV with a high replacement value.
- BMW 5 Series 545i (V8 M Sport / SE) — powerful executive saloon.
- BMW X5 (higher-powered variants) and BMW Z4 performance roadsters.
- Chrysler 300C 5.7 V8 Hemi — large-engine saloon with strong performance loading.
- Citroën C6 3.0 V6 HDi and comparable executive/luxury models such as the Cadillac SRX V6.
Modern high-performance badges such as BMW M, Audi RS, Mercedes-AMG and many Porsche variants usually sit even higher (groups 45–50), while their standard-engine siblings can drop several groups below 43.
How to pay less in group 43
- Build no-claims discount — the single biggest lever; each claim-free year cuts the premium.
- Consider a telematics (black box) policy — especially valuable for drivers under 25 on high-group cars.
- Increase your voluntary excess sensibly — a higher excess lowers the premium if you can afford it.
- Improve security — a Thatcham-approved alarm, tracker and off-road overnight parking all help.
- Reduce mileage and add a named experienced driver rather than fronting, which is illegal.
- Compare and pay annually — shop around at renewal and avoid monthly-instalment interest where possible.
Group 43 car insurance FAQs
Group 43 is expensive. It sits in the top band (41–50) of the 1–50 scale, so a group 43 car costs well above the UK average premium of around £600, typically £1,600–£2,500+ a year for a mid-range driver in 2026.
Thatcham Research and the ABI set the group using the cost of parts, repair time, new-car price, performance (top speed and acceleration) and security features. Higher values and stronger performance push a car towards group 43 and above.
Use a free group checker such as Confused.com, Compare the Market or Quotezone and enter your registration or exact make, model and trim. The same nameplate can span several groups, so always check your specific variant rather than assuming.
Yes. Choosing a lower-powered engine or trim of the same model can drop it several groups, and switching to a car in groups 1–20 dramatically cuts premiums. Compare group 42 and lower bands to see the difference.
No. The group is only one factor. Your age, postcode, annual mileage, no-claims discount and claims history usually influence the premium more than the group number itself — which is why two drivers in the same group 43 car can pay very different prices.
A suffix such as 43P means the rating is provisional (data was limited at launch and will be updated), while 43G indicates a grey import that Thatcham has not formally tested, so insurers price it individually.
Our sources
Group ratings are set by Thatcham Research and the Association of British Insurers (ABI) via the Group Rating Panel. Indicative costs draw on the Confused.com car insurance price index and published group-level cost data. Compare the full scale on our all insurance groups page and the UK car insurance cost index, browse cover by car on our insurance by vehicle hub, or view the adjacent bands: group 42 and group 44.
Reviewed by the Car Insurance Expert editorial team.
Last updated: 2026-07-06
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