When you're shopping around for a car, it pays to know what car insurance group it falls into and how the system works.
Example car insurance groups
Here are some examples of different makes and models across the groups.
|
Car insurance group |
Example cars |
|
Group 1 |
Citreon C1 1.0i Vibe (05 number plates onwards), Fiat Panda 1.1 Active (04-11), Vauxhall Corsa hatchback 1.0i 12V Expression (06 onwards) |
|
Group 3 |
Ford Ka 1.2 Style (09 onwards), Kia Rio 1.1 CRDi 1 EcoDynamic (11 onwards), Toyota Yaris 1.0 VVT-i Edition (11 onwards) |
|
Group 5 |
Hyundai Atoz 1.0 (98-01), Peugeot 206 1.1 Independence (98-09) |
|
Group 10 |
Ford Fiesta 1.4 Style (02-08), Mercedes-Benz A Class A160 CDI Classic (05-12), Seat Ibiza 1.4TDi SX (02-09) |
|
Group 20 |
BMW 1-Series Hatchback 118i (04-11), Ford Focus C-MAX 2.0 Style (03-10), MINI Cooper S 2.0 Cooper (06 onwards) |
|
Group 30 |
Audi A3 1.8 T quattro Sport (96-03), Land Rover Discovery 4.0 V8i ES (98-04), SEAT Ibiza 1.9 TDi Cupra (02-09) |
|
Group 40 |
Honda S2000 2.0i (9-09), Saab 9-3 Convertible 2.8 V6 Aero (03-11) |
|
Group 50 |
BMW 5-Series M5 M Performance Edition (11 onwards), Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT 6.4 V8 SRT-8 (11 onwards) |
Source: Parkers
So you can clearly see that higher-performance, higher specification models fall into a higher grouping. It's worth noting that not all insurers will use the above system to the letter (it's not compulsory) but their own groups are unlikely to be radically different.
To find out which car insurance group a particular make and model falls into, go to the Thatcham website.
The group isn't the only determiner
Bear in mind that the groupings are a rough guideline for insurers to look at when they are considering the cost of a car insurance policy. They will also consider other factors such as your age, your job and the number of claims you’ve made in the past.
However, if you’re torn between two similar-costing cars, and your finances are fairly tight, it’s well worth having a look at their insurance groups as you could potentially save some money in the long run.
Once you've done that, there are loads of ways to potentially lower your premiums. Take a look at 25 ways to cut your car insurance for some top tips.
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