Car Insurance Groups Explained: Groups 1-50, Security Suffixes, and the New VRR System
Last fact-checked: March 2026. Group rating system: Thatcham Research / ABI. VRR system: launched September 2024 for vehicles registered from 1 August 2024.
Key Takeaways
- →Every car sold in the UK is assigned to one of 50 insurance groups by Thatcham Research on behalf of the Association of British Insurers. Group 1 is cheapest to insure, group 50 is the most expensive.
- →Repair cost is the single biggest factor in setting a group, not vehicle value. A £30,000 car with cheap, readily available parts can sit in a lower group than a £20,000 car with expensive specialist components.
- →The letter after your group number (for example 10E or 8D) is the security suffix. “E” means the car exceeds security expectations for its group and is typically cheaper to insure than a car with an “A” or “D” suffix in the same group.
- →From September 2024, Thatcham launched a new Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) system for newly registered cars, scoring each vehicle 1-99 across five separate risk categories. Cars registered before August 2024 keep their existing 1-50 group rating indefinitely.
- →Van insurance groups work differently: groups 1-20 apply to vans registered before 2016, and groups 21-50 apply to vans registered from 2016 onwards. A van in group 21 can be cheaper than one in group 20.
- →Your insurance group is one of many factors. Your age, driving history, postcode, annual mileage, and no-claims discount all influence the final premium. Two drivers insuring the same car can pay very different amounts.
Every car registered in the UK carries an insurance group rating, a number from 1 to 50 that tells insurers how relatively expensive your vehicle is likely to be to repair or replace if you make a claim. It is one of the first things an insurer looks at when pricing your policy. Pick a group 1 car and you are starting from the cheapest possible base. Pick a group 50 car and you are starting from the most expensive, before a single personal factor has been taken into account.
The system is administered by Thatcham Research on behalf of the Association of British Insurers (ABI). A Group Rating Panel meets monthly to assess new models. The system was expanded from 20 groups to 50 in 2009, allowing more precise banding. And from September 2024, a new Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) system was introduced for all newly registered vehicles, adding further detail. Understanding both systems helps you make smarter choices when buying a car.
This guide explains how groups are set, what the security suffix letters mean, where your car sits, how van groups work, and how to check any vehicle’s group before you buy. If you are shopping for cheaper car insurance, choosing the right group is the single most powerful lever you control at the point of purchase.
💬 From the MMC Car Insurance Team
“The most common mistake we see is people assuming the cheapest car to buy will be the cheapest to insure. It is not always true. A second-hand performance car bought for £8,000 can sit in group 35, while a new small hatchback bought for £15,000 might sit in group 8. Always check the group before you buy, not after. The Thatcham tool takes about two minutes and could save you hundreds.”
MMC Car Insurance Specialists, FCA-authorised (reg. 916241)
Key Fact
Repair cost is the dominant factor in group assignment. Thatcham tests every new model at a standardised 15km/h crash impact and calculates parts costs and labour time to return the car to its pre-accident condition.
What Is a Car Insurance Group?
A car insurance group is a number from 1 to 50 assigned to every car sold in the UK by the Group Rating Panel. It is a standardised measure of how expensive that vehicle is likely to be to insure, based on a set of objective criteria assessed by Thatcham Research. Group 1 represents the lowest insurance cost. Group 50 represents the highest.
The group rating is a starting point, not a fixed price. Your insurer takes the group as a baseline and then applies all your personal rating factors on top: your age, your driving history, where you live, how many miles you cover each year, whether you have a no-claims discount, and the level of cover you choose. Two drivers insuring the same group 5 car can receive very different quotes depending on their individual circumstances.
What the group does do reliably is allow you to compare vehicles side by side. If you are choosing between two similar hatchbacks and one is in group 8 while the other is in group 14, the group 8 car will almost certainly produce lower premiums across the board, regardless of who is doing the insuring.
How Car Insurance Groups Are Set: The Thatcham Factors
Thatcham Research evaluates more than 125 data points when assigning a group, but repair cost carries the most weight. This is because the vast majority of claims are for vehicle repairs, not total write-offs. A car that is cheap and quick to repair will nearly always sit in a lower group than one that requires specialist parts and lengthy workshop time.
The Group Rating Panel meets monthly to rate new models. Manufacturers submit data to Thatcham, and Thatcham’s engineers carry out physical testing and analysis. The factors assessed fall into several categories.
| Factor | What It Measures | Effect on Group |
|---|---|---|
| Repair cost and time | Parts cost and labour hours after a 15km/h crash test impact. Industry-standard international test methodology. | Highest weighting |
| New car value | Showroom list price at launch. Affects total loss (write-off) potential payout calculations. | High weighting |
| Parts pricing | Cost of 23 specific parts (from bumpers to headlamps) benchmarked against Thatcham’s parts price index. | High weighting |
| Performance | Top speed and 0-60 acceleration time. Higher performance correlates with higher accident risk and severity. | Medium weighting |
| Security features | Alarms, immobilisers, deadlocks, and anti-theft technology assessed and rated separately. Determines the security suffix letter. | Medium weighting |
| Bumper compatibility | How well the bumper aligns with standard heights in low-speed impacts. Poor alignment causes more damage in minor collisions. | Medium weighting |
| Safety technology | Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and lane-keep assist can reduce collision frequency and lower a group assignment. | Can reduce group |
Note: value alone does not determine group. A £30,000 car with widely available parts and fast repair times can sit in group 14, while a £20,000 specialist performance model can sit in group 28 or higher.
⚠️ Why Repair Cost Dominates
Thatcham’s 15km/h crash test mimics the typical car park or slow-traffic collision that makes up the majority of all claims. A car with complex crumple zones, integrated sensors in the bumper, or LED units that cannot be replaced individually can cost thousands of pounds to repair from a 15km/h impact. A car with simple bodywork, standard bulbs, and easily sourced panel parts costs a few hundred. That difference alone can separate a car by 10 or more insurance groups.
What Do the Letters After a Car Insurance Group Mean? A, D, E, P, and G Explained
Most people see a number like “10E” on a group rating and ignore the letter. They shouldn’t. The letter after the group number is the security suffix, and it tells you how the car’s security features compare to the standard expected for that group. It can make a meaningful difference to your premium.
Thatcham tests every car’s security independently and rates it relative to the expectation for its group. A car that significantly exceeds the security standard is rewarded with a lower effective position within its group. A car that falls short is penalised.
| Suffix | Meaning | Impact on Premiums |
|---|---|---|
| E – Exceeds | The car’s security features exceed the standard expected for its group. Often means strong factory immobiliser, alarm, and tracking systems. | Lower premiums – insurers treat this as a better risk within its group |
| A – Acceptable | The car meets the minimum security requirement for its group. Most commonly seen suffix on mainstream models. | Standard – no penalty or benefit beyond the group number |
| D – Doesn’t meet | The car’s security falls below the standard expected for its group. It has been placed in a higher group as a result. | Higher premiums – the group is raised one level to reflect the deficit |
| P – Provisional | Thatcham does not yet have sufficient data to rate the car’s security. Common on new models immediately after launch. | Variable – will be updated once full data is available |
| G – Grey import | The vehicle is a grey import not officially sold through UK manufacturer channels. Thatcham only tests UK-market cars. | Insurer discretion – pricing determined by individual insurer, not standard group |
💡 Pro Tip: Always Check the Full Rating
When comparing two similar cars in the same group, always look at the full rating including the suffix. A car rated “10E” will typically produce lower quotes than a “10A” or “10D” car even though the group number is identical. If you are choosing between similar models, look for the E suffix wherever possible. It is an easy and often overlooked way to shave a few pounds off your annual premium.
What Are the Car Insurance Group Tiers? Groups 1-50 Broken Down
The 50 groups divide naturally into five cost tiers based on vehicle type, performance, and repair cost. Groups 1-10 cover city cars and small hatchbacks and are cheapest to insure. Groups 41-50 cover high-performance sports cars, supercars, and luxury vehicles and carry the highest premiums. The tier your car sits in sets the starting point for every quote you receive.
| Groups | Tier | Typical Vehicles | Example Models (2024/25) | Approx. Annual Cost* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-10 | Lowest cost | City cars, small hatchbacks, sub-1.2 litre engines, low performance, affordable parts | Hyundai i10, Kia Picanto, VW Up!, Skoda Fabia 1.0, Toyota Aygo X, Fiat Panda | From approx. £400-£700 (experienced driver, average postcode) |
| 11-20 | Low-mid cost | Small family hatchbacks, entry-level crossovers, 1.2-1.6 litre engines | Ford Fiesta 1.1, Vauxhall Corsa, Renault Clio, Seat Ibiza, VW Polo 1.0 TSI | Approx. £550-£900 |
| 21-30 | Mid-range | Family hatchbacks, compact SUVs, 1.5-2.0 litre engines, mid-spec trims | Ford Focus 1.0, VW Golf 1.5 TSI, Nissan Juke, Peugeot 3008 1.2, Toyota Corolla Hybrid | Approx. £700-£1,100 |
| 31-40 | Higher cost | Larger saloons, SUVs, executive cars, 2.0+ litre or performance trims | BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4, Ford Mustang, Range Rover Evoque | Approx. £1,000-£1,600 |
| 41-50 | Highest cost | High-performance sports cars, luxury vehicles, supercars, specialist imports | Porsche 911, Jaguar F-Type, BMW M5, Ferrari models, high-spec Audi RS models | Approx. £1,500+ up to several thousand |
*Approximate annual cost for comprehensive cover, one experienced driver aged 40, average UK postcode, no claims discount applied. Actual quotes vary considerably by personal circumstances. Always compare quotes for your specific situation.
Average Premium Difference: Group 1 vs Group 50
The table below shows indicative annual premium differences across driver profiles for a group 1 car versus a group 50 car. The gap widens dramatically for younger drivers because age loading and group loading compound together.
| Driver Profile | Group 1 Est. Annual Premium | Group 50 Est. Annual Premium | Approximate Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 18, 0 years NCD, clean licence | £1,400-£2,200 | £6,000-£12,000+ | 3-5x more expensive |
| Age 25, 3 years NCD, clean licence | £600-£900 | £3,000-£6,000 | 4-6x more expensive |
| Age 40, 5+ years NCD, clean licence | £300-£500 | £1,500-£3,500 | 4-7x more expensive |
| Age 60, 9+ years NCD, clean licence | £250-£400 | £1,200-£2,800 | 4-7x more expensive |
Indicative figures based on 2024-2025 UK market data. Comprehensive cover, average postcode. Actual premiums vary significantly. The multiplier effect for young drivers shows why group choice is especially critical for drivers under 25.
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How to Find Your Car’s Insurance Group
The official tool for checking any car’s group is the Thatcham Research “My Vehicle Search” service. It is free to use and gives you the precise group and security suffix for any make, model, year, trim level, body style, and fuel type. The most important step when buying a car is to check the group before you commit, not when you phone for a quote.
To use the Thatcham tool, you need to register for a free account at thatcham.org. Once registered, you can search by vehicle type, manufacturer, model, range, body style, and fuel type to retrieve the full rating including the security suffix. The process takes about two minutes.
There are a few important things to bear in mind when searching. Different variants of the same model can sit in very different groups. A 1.0 litre Volkswagen Golf and a 2.0 litre GTI are the same car in name but can be ten or more groups apart. Always search the specific engine size, trim level, and year of the exact car you are considering, not just the model name.
How to Check Any Car’s Insurance Group – Step by Step
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1.
Visit thatcham.org and register for the free My Vehicle Search service. Registration is quick and requires only a name and email address. -
2.
Select the vehicle type (car, van, motorcycle), then choose the manufacturer, model range, and year of manufacture. -
3.
Specify the exact variant: body style, engine size, fuel type, and trim level. Do not stop at the model name, as different trims of the same car can be several groups apart. -
4.
Note the full rating including the suffix letter, not just the number. If two similar cars produce the same number, the one with an E suffix is the better choice for insurance cost. -
5.
Get actual insurance quotes before finalising your purchase. The group tells you where you sit relative to other cars, but the real premium will reflect your personal rating factors too. Compare quotes using the specific car details before you buy.
What Is the New Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) System and Does It Affect My Car?
Thatcham Research launched the Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) system in September 2024, replacing the traditional 1-50 group rating for all cars registered from 1 August 2024 onwards. If your car was registered before that date, it keeps its existing 1-50 group rating and is not affected. The two systems are running in parallel until at least early 2027.
The VRR system replaces the single group number with five separate scores, each rated from 1 (low risk) to 99 (high risk). This gives insurers a more nuanced picture of exactly where a vehicle’s risk sits rather than combining everything into one number. A car might score very low on repairability but higher on performance, for example, and the VRR reflects that granularity in a way that the old single number cannot.
VRR: The Five Scoring Categories
1. Damageability
How resistant the vehicle’s structure is to damage in low-speed impacts. Replaces the traditional 15km/h crash cost assessment as a standalone score.
2. Repairability
How quickly and cheaply the car can be repaired after damage. Parts availability, labour complexity, and calibration requirements for driver assist systems all feed into this score.
3. Parts pricing
The cost of 23 specific parts benchmarked against Thatcham’s index. Scored independently of repairability so that a car with cheap parts but complex labour is captured accurately.
4. Security
A dedicated security score replacing the A/D/E suffix system for VRR-rated vehicles. Assesses the same anti-theft features but on a continuous 1-99 scale rather than three categories.
5. Performance
Power-to-weight ratio, top speed, and acceleration. Scored on a continuous scale so a modest performance improvement no longer tips an entire car into a higher group.
Does this affect you?
Only if your car was registered from 1 August 2024 onwards. All earlier cars keep their 1-50 group rating permanently. Both systems will coexist until at least early 2027, after which VRR becomes the standard for new registrations only.
🔍 What VRR Means for Drivers in Practice
For most drivers buying a used car or a car registered before August 2024, nothing changes. Your vehicle still has a 1-50 group rating and always will. For buyers of brand-new cars registered after that date, your insurer will receive five separate VRR scores rather than one group number. The practical effect is that insurers can price more precisely, which should mean better value if your car scores well on repairability and security even if it is more powerful. Ask your broker to confirm whether they are pricing from the VRR scores or the equivalent group conversion for any car registered after August 2024.
Are Electric Cars in Higher Insurance Groups Than Petrol Cars?
Electric vehicles tend to sit in higher insurance groups than equivalent petrol or diesel cars, primarily because of parts cost and repair complexity. Battery packs, specialist electrical components, and driver-assistance calibration requirements all push repair costs higher. That said, the gap is narrowing as parts availability improves and more repairers gain EV capability.
A few specific factors push most EVs into higher groups. Battery packs can cost £10,000 to £20,000 to replace. Many EVs have integrated structural design that means even minor collision damage requires significant disassembly. Radar sensors, cameras, and LiDAR units embedded in bumpers require specialist calibration after any repair. All of these raise the repair cost score that dominates the group assignment process.
Some EVs do achieve lower groups than you might expect, particularly those from mainstream manufacturers who have invested heavily in repair network training and parts pricing transparency. If you are buying an EV and want to minimise insurance costs, check the specific group of the model you are considering rather than assuming all EVs are expensive to insure. See our dedicated guide to electric car insurance for more detail on how EV cover works and what to look for in a policy.
Do Van Insurance Groups Work the Same Way as Car Groups?
Van groups use the same 1-50 numbering but work differently depending on when the vehicle was registered. This catches out a lot of buyers who assume vans work exactly like cars. A van in group 21 can be cheaper to insure than a van in group 20, which makes no sense until you understand the split system.
The split occurred in 2016 when Thatcham revised the van rating system. Vans registered before 2016 were assigned groups 1-20. Vans registered from 2016 onwards are assigned groups 21-50. The two sets of groups are separate scales and should not be directly compared. The full scale only applies to modern vans, where group 21 is the cheapest and group 50 is the most expensive.
| Van Registration | Group Range | Cheapest Group | Most Expensive Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before 2016 (legacy system) | Groups 1-20 | Group 1 | Group 20 |
| From 2016 onwards (current system) | Groups 21-50 | Group 21 | Group 50 |
This means a Ford Transit Custom registered in 2014 sits in the legacy 1-20 system, while a Ford Transit Custom registered in 2019 sits in the 21-50 system. The 2019 model could be in group 22 and the 2014 model in group 18, but it does not mean the 2019 model is more expensive to insure. They are on separate scales. Always compare actual quotes rather than relying on the group number alone when looking at vans from different model years. See our van insurance comparison for more on insuring commercial vehicles.
Do HGVs and lorries have insurance groups? Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) are not rated using the standard 1-50 group system. HGV insurance is underwritten based on gross vehicle weight, payload type, usage, and driver licence category rather than a group number. If you operate a fleet of lorries or commercial vehicles, the relevant guide is our HGV fleet insurance guide, which covers how commercial vehicle premiums are calculated.
How Your Insurance Group Interacts with Other Rating Factors
The group sets the baseline, but your personal factors often have more impact on your final premium than the group itself. A young driver in a group 5 car can pay more than an experienced driver in a group 20 car. Understanding the relationship helps you target the right combination for your situation.
| Rating Factor | How It Interacts with Group | What You Can Do |
|---|---|---|
| Driver age | Young drivers (17-25) face the biggest uplift from choosing a higher group car. A group 5 car at age 18 might cost £1,800. The same driver in a group 15 car could pay £3,500 or more. | Stick firmly to groups 1-10 as a new or young driver. The group premium loading compounds heavily with age loading. |
| No-claims discount | NCD reduces the premium multiplicatively, so it provides proportionally higher savings on higher-group cars. A 60% NCD on a group 30 premium saves more in absolute terms than 60% on a group 5 premium. | Protect your NCD at all costs. Its value grows the more expensive your car is to insure. |
| Postcode / location | High-risk postcodes (urban, high-crime areas) apply a loading to the base rate. A group 8 car in a high-crime postcode can cost more than a group 12 car in a rural area. | If you live in a high-risk postcode, choosing a lower group car is even more important as it compounds with the location loading. |
| Annual mileage | Higher mileage increases exposure to risk and raises the premium. Combined with a high group car, it can substantially increase the total cost. | Declare accurate mileage. Low-mileage drivers can sometimes benefit from specialist policies. Never understate mileage as it can invalidate a claim. |
| Telematics policy | A black box policy is particularly effective at reducing premiums for young drivers in lower-group cars. The combination of a group 1-5 car and a telematics policy can produce the lowest achievable premium for an 18-year-old. | For telematics insurance, choose a group 1-10 car to maximise the combined benefit. |
💼 Real Scenario: The Group Choice That Cost £1,200 Extra
A 19-year-old in Leeds bought a second-hand 2.0 litre hatchback for £6,500, assuming the low purchase price meant cheap running costs. The car sat in group 23. Combined with the driver’s age, location, and one year’s experience, quotes came back at £3,100 per year for comprehensive cover. A comparable 1.0 litre version of the same model in group 9 was available for £7,000, and would have produced quotes of approximately £1,900 for the same driver profile. Spending £500 more on the car would have saved £1,200 on the first year’s insurance alone.
Check the group before you check the purchase price.
How to Reduce Your Premium If Your Car Is in a Higher Group
If you are already committed to a car in a higher group, there are several steps that can meaningfully reduce your premium. None will match the impact of simply choosing a lower group car, but they can each take a useful chunk off the cost.
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Add approved security. Fitting a Thatcham-approved Category 1 alarm and immobiliser, or a GPS tracking device, signals lower theft risk to the insurer. For cars in groups 25 and above, adding a tracker can reduce the premium by 5-15% with some insurers. It can also change the effective suffix rating on older cars. -
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Increase your voluntary excess. Raising your voluntary excess reduces your premium, but only commit to an amount you can genuinely afford to pay if you need to make a claim. Combining the compulsory and voluntary excess must still leave you financially comfortable after a claim. -
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Consider a telematics policy. For younger drivers particularly, a black box (telematics) policy can offset some of the higher-group loading by demonstrating safe driving behaviour. The saving is typically larger for drivers under 25. -
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Pay annually if possible. Monthly direct debit adds interest charges of 20-30% on the annual premium cost with many insurers. If the car is already in a higher group, paying monthly amplifies the total cost significantly. Paying upfront eliminates this entirely. -
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Compare the market at every renewal. Loyalty rarely pays in car insurance. Insurers target new customers with their most competitive rates. Always compare car insurance quotes two to three weeks before your renewal date rather than accepting the auto-renewal price. -
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Avoid unnecessary modifications. Engine upgrades, non-standard exhausts, and aesthetic body changes can push a car into a higher effective group and must be declared to your insurer. Some modifications can also invalidate your policy if undeclared. Factory options and approved accessories generally do not affect the group.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Disclaimer: The information in this article is provided for general guidance only and does not constitute financial or insurance advice. MyMoneyComparison.com is a comparison service, not an insurer or broker. Every insurance product is different and your individual circumstances will affect the cover and price available to you. Before purchasing any insurance policy, you should speak to a qualified insurer or FCA-regulated broker to ensure the cover is suitable for your needs. MyMoneyComparison.com Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), registration number 916241.
