Insurance groups · 1 to 50

What your car's group actually tells you

Q: What are car insurance groups?

A 1 to 50 scale used by UK insurers to rank cars by how costly they are likely to be to insure. Group 1 is cheapest, group 50 most expensive. Ratings are set through the ABI group rating system using Thatcham Research data.

Q: How is a car's insurance group decided?

Thatcham Research assesses around 125 vehicle attributes, including repair costs and times, the price of the car new, performance, security against theft and safety technology such as autonomous emergency braking.

Q: Does a low insurance group guarantee cheap insurance?

No. The group rating is advisory and only one factor. Insurers also use their own data and your age, postcode, driving record, mileage and use of the car.

Q: How do I find my car's insurance group?

Use Thatcham Research's group rating lookup, or ask an insurer when you get a quote. Groups vary by exact model, engine and trim, so check the specific version.

Q: Which insurance group is best for a new driver?

Lower groups, typically 1 to 10, are usually cheapest to insure, but prices depend on the driver as well as the car. Compare quotes on the exact cars you are considering before buying.

Every car sold in the UK gets an insurance group from 1 to 50. It's a guide to how costly the car is to repair, replace and protect, not a price. Slide to see where a group sits and what drives it.

Updated 6 October 2026 · Figures sourced and linked

Check a group →

1–50Insurance group scale, cheapest to most expensiveSource: Thatcham Research, accessed October 2026

125Vehicle attributes Thatcham assessesSource: Thatcham Research, accessed October 2026

£4,900Average motor claim, Q2 2026Source: Association of British Insurers, 29 July 2026

Group checker

Where does your car sit?

Groups are set by the group rating panel using Thatcham Research data before a model goes on sale. Repair cost weighs heavily: vehicle damage was 63% of the £11.9 billion insurers paid on motor claims in 2025 (ABI).

Find your exact model's group with Thatcham's lookup, then use the slider to see the band and what pushes it up or down.

Your car's insurance groupGroup 18

1 · cheapest to insure50 · most expensive

Where it sits

Lower-middle

The group is one input to your price. Insurers can also use their own claims data, and your age, postcode and record matter more.

What Thatcham looks at

Repair cost, method and time
Price of the car new
Performance
Security against theft
Active safety, such as standard autonomous emergency braking

Groups run 1 to 50 and are set through the ABI group rating system using Thatcham Research data, from 125 vehicle attributes. The rating is advisory (Thatcham Research).

Choosing a car

Four ways to land a lower group

Smaller engine, lower trim

The same model can span several groups. Lower power and fewer expensive parts usually mean a lower group.

Standard safety tech

Autonomous emergency braking fitted as standard is one of the factors Thatcham credits (Thatcham).

Security

Security against theft is one of the factors assessed (Thatcham), so factory-fitted security matters.

Quote before you buy

The group is advisory. Get real quotes on the exact registration or model before committing. Check a quote →

Questions

Straight answers

What are car insurance groups?

A 1–50 scale ranking cars by expected insurance cost, from group 1 (cheapest) to 50. Ratings come from the group rating system run with Thatcham Research.

How is a car's insurance group decided?

Thatcham assesses around 125 attributes, including repair cost and time, new price, performance, security and safety technology such as autonomous emergency braking (Thatcham Research).

Does a low insurance group guarantee cheap insurance?

No. The rating is advisory and insurers weigh it against their own data and your age, postcode, record and mileage. A young driver in a group 5 car can still pay more than an experienced driver in group 30.

How do I find my car's insurance group?

Use the Thatcham group rating lookup and check the exact model, engine and trim, since groups differ between versions of the same car.

Which insurance group is best for a new driver?

Lower groups are usually cheapest, but get quotes on the exact cars you're considering before you buy. See also young driver insurance.

Sources

Where the numbers come from

We use primary sources only: the ABI, regulators and government. Figures were checked on 6 October 2026. Spot something out of date? The source link is the fastest way to check.

Thatcham Research. Group rating. accessed October 2026.
Association of British Insurers. Record £3.2 billion paid out to support motor insurance customers in Q2 2026. 29 July 2026.
Association of British Insurers. £11.9 billion paid out in 2025 to support motorists across 2.5 million claims. 11 February 2026.

Keep going

Motor insurance UK →Cover levels, the legal minimum and how to compare quotes properly.Average car insurance cost →ABI premium data by quarter, and what your own quote means.No claims bonus →Work out what your no claims discount is worth, and whether to protect it.Young & learner drivers →Black boxes, named drivers, fronting and learner rules.Temporary car insurance →Short-term cover vs adding a named driver.