Insurance Group Check
Find out what insurance group a car is in.
Enter a registration to check its insurance group before you buy.
An insurance group can help you compare the likely running costs of different cars. Check the exact vehicle you're considering, then get an insurance quote before agreeing to buy it.
Insurance-group information is included in our free vehicle check when you're signed in. It's free to create an account.
How do I check a car's insurance group by registration?
Enter the vehicle registration to look up the car, then sign in or create a free account to view its available insurance-group information. Check that the make and model match the car you're viewing, particularly if the seller has advertised several versions of the same model.
Engine size, trim and performance can affect the group. Two cars with the same model name may have different ratings, so checking the registration is more useful than relying on a general list of makes and models.
Is the insurance group check free?
Yes. Insurance-group information is included in the free vehicle check for signed-in users. Creating an account is free, and you don't need to buy a paid history report to access this information.
What is an insurance group?
The traditional car insurance group system runs from 1 to 50. Lower numbers generally indicate a lower insurance risk, while higher numbers can indicate higher repair costs or other factors that make a vehicle more expensive to insure.
The group is an advisory rating of the vehicle. It isn't a price for your insurance, and a lower group doesn't guarantee that you'll get a cheaper quote.
For example, if you're deciding between two used cars, checking their groups can give you a starting point. Comparing actual quotes for both registrations will tell you which costs less to insure in your circumstances.
What affects a car's insurance group?
The rating takes account of factors including:
- The cost of replacement parts and repairs.
- How long repairs are likely to take.
- The price of the vehicle when new.
- Performance, including acceleration and top speed.
- Standard safety and security equipment.
- The complexity of the vehicle's design and systems.
A small engine doesn't automatically mean a low group. An expensive repair or specialist part can also affect the rating, which is why it's worth checking the exact version of a car.
What do the letters after an insurance group mean?
Some group ratings include a letter, such as 10A or 20E. This gives additional information about the vehicle's security or rating status.
| Letter | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A | Meets the security requirement for its group. |
| D | Does not meet the required security standard; the group rating has been increased. |
| E | Exceeds the required security standard; the group rating has been reduced. |
| P | Provisional rating because information was incomplete at launch. |
| U | Security is considered unacceptable; an insurer may require improvements before providing cover. |
| G | Identifies an imported vehicle in the rating data. |
An E doesn't mean you should subtract another group from the result: the security adjustment is already reflected in the rating. These letters are also different from insurance write-off categories, such as Cat S or Cat N.
Will a lower insurance group make my insurance cheaper?
It can help, but your quote also depends on you and how you use the car. Insurers consider factors such as your age, driving history, address, annual mileage, parking and the cover you choose.
Insurers also assess risk differently. A car in a higher group may still cost you less to insure with a particular provider than another car in a lower group.
Use the group to narrow down your choices, then compare car insurance quotes for the exact registration before you buy.
What is a good insurance group for a first car?
Cars towards the lower end of the scale, such as groups 1–10, are a useful starting point when you're trying to keep running costs down. This is a shopping guide rather than a guarantee of a cheap premium.
Check quotes for several cars before paying a deposit. A slightly cheaper car can work out more expensive overall if the insurance costs substantially more.
Is insurance group 20 high?
Group 20 is below the midpoint of the traditional 1–50 scale. It isn't at the lowest-cost end, but the number alone can't tell you whether the car will be affordable for you to insure.
Check the quote alongside other running costs and the purchase price before deciding whether the car fits your budget.
What is Vehicle Risk Rating?
Thatcham Research is transitioning from traditional insurance groups to Vehicle Risk Rating, or VRR. It assesses areas including damage, repair, safety, security and performance.
VRR and a traditional insurance group are different measures. Don't assume that a newer car will have the same type of rating as an older one, or compare a VRR result directly with a group number. If you're unsure about a result, confirm the exact vehicle details with the insurer when getting a quote.
Does this check show whether the car is insured?
No. An insurance group describes the vehicle's rating; it doesn't confirm that an insurance policy is in place or that you're covered to drive it.
If you need to check insurance status, our Check Car Insurance service explains how you can do this.
Why might an insurance group be missing?
Some vehicles may not have a group available in the data returned. This can happen where the exact version cannot be matched or the rating information isn't available.
A missing group doesn't mean that the car is uninsurable. Check the registration, make and model, then ask the insurer to confirm the vehicle details and whether it can provide cover.
Should I check anything else before buying?
Insurance is one part of the cost of owning a car. You can also check car details to review vehicle information and consider a car history check before committing to a purchase.
Check the car in person too, and make sure its identity matches the documents and registration you're using for your quotes.