What is a car insurance group?

What the score is based on

Thatcham Research passes vehicle data from manufacturers to the Association of British Insurers’ Group Rating panel every week, and the panel sets an advisory group for each car. Thatcham describes the factors as:

• cost: the repair strategy needed, and the cost and time to return the car to its original condition after a claim;
• price: the new price of the vehicle, which reflects trim levels and the cost of settling a total loss;
• performance: its 0 to 60 acceleration time, weight and top speed;
• design: the complexity of its standard systems, including security and active safety equipment.

It is advice, not a price

Thatcham’s guide says the group ratings are recommendations. Insurers use them as a key input but also take their own claims experience into account, and they are not required to follow them. The group is combined with driver details such as claims history to arrive at a premium.

Thatcham says a higher group number is likely to mean a higher premium, and advises comparing premiums for the exact car before you decide to buy on the strength of its group.

What does insurance group 12 mean?

Group 12 sits in the lower part of the 1 to 50 scale, where 1 is the lowest risk, so all else being equal it is likely to cost less to insure than a car in a higher group. The number alone does not give a price.

The system is being replaced

Thatcham announced in September 2024 a Vehicle Risk Rating of five assessments (performance, damageability, repairability, safety and security), each scored from 1 to 99, to replace the 1 to 50 Group Rating. Its own page says the current 1 to 50 system is being replaced. Check what an insurer or Thatcham shows for a given car.

Insurance itself is a legal requirement

A group rating does not change the law: GOV.UK says you must have motor insurance to drive on UK roads, with third party insurance as the legal minimum.