Insurance groups 1 to 3 explained
Low groups on the UK's 1 to 50 scale, where 1 is the cheapest to insure. They hold the very cheapest cars to insure, and each group is explained below.
What each group from 1 to 3 means
The number is the group, and the letter after it records how the car's security affected the rating. E means it beat the requirement and dropped one group. D means it fell short and went up one. A means it met the requirement, and P marks a group that is still provisional.
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Insurance group 1
The cheapest group on the scale, with 49 dearer. A 1E car scored as group 2 and was cut to 1 for above-standard security. There is no 1D, because there is no group below 1 to be raised from. A 1A car's security met the requirement, so its group was not adjusted, and 1P means the group is provisional, set before full rating data was available at launch.
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Insurance group 2
Group 2 sits about 2% of the way up the scale, with one group cheaper and 48 dearer. A 2E car scored as group 3 and was cut to 2 for above-standard security. A 2D car scored as group 1 and was raised to 2 because its security falls short. A 2A car's security met the requirement, so its group was not adjusted, and 2P means the group is provisional, set before full rating data was available at launch.
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Insurance group 3
Group 3 sits about 4% of the way up the scale, with 2 groups cheaper and 47 dearer. A 3E car scored as group 4 and was cut to 3 for above-standard security. A 3D car scored as group 2 and was raised to 3 because its security falls short. A 3A car's security met the requirement, so its group was not adjusted, and 3P means the group is provisional, set before full rating data was available at launch.
Groups are set by the Group Rating Panel of insurers, with Thatcham Research assessing each car, and the rating is advisory, so insurers can depart from it. In Thatcham's own example, a group 9 car with better-than-required security is listed as 8E, and one whose security falls short is listed as 10D. The full scale lists every letter, and our guide to how insurance groups work covers the system end to end.
Cars rated in groups 1 to 3
Which cars are in insurance groups 1 to 3?
- Volkswagen Up
- Skoda Citigo
- Hyundai i10
- Kia Picanto
- Fiat Panda
Groups 1 to 3 hold small city cars with tiny engines, cheap parts and modest performance. They are the classic first-car groups. Each engine, trim and security combination is rated on its own, so one model can span many groups.
For a new driver
Are groups 1 to 3 good for a new driver?
Yes. Groups 1 to 3 are the cheapest ratings a first car can carry.
Our reading of the scale, not an insurer's rule. MoneySuperMarket's band medians cover drivers of every age, and new drivers usually pay well above them.
Finding a car's group
How can I find a specific car's insurance group?
Many insurance quotes state the group, and most manufacturers' UK price lists show it for new cars. Comparison sites and motoring publishers list groups by model and trim, and some look them up by registration using licensed industry data. It is not on the V5C logbook or the DVLA record, so our report does not show it.
Buying a car in groups 1 to 3?
Check its history before you pay
Our report confirms the exact engine, fuel and model the rating hangs on, and every MOT and mileage reading, from £5.
Insurance groups 1 to 3: common questions
Are insurance groups 1 to 3 high or low?
Groups 1 to 3 are low on the 1 to 50 scale, where 1 is the cheapest to insure. They broadly cover the very cheapest cars to insure.
How much is insurance for groups 1 to 3 per month?
About £36 a month for groups 1 to 3, based on the £428 median annual price of policies sold for groups 1 to 10 through MoneySuperMarket in July 2026. MoneySuperMarket publishes ten-group bands, so there is no separate figure for each group, and your age, postcode and claims record move the price far more than the group does.
Which cars are in insurance groups 1 to 3?
Versions of the Volkswagen Up, Skoda Citigo, Hyundai i10, Kia Picanto and Fiat Panda are typical of groups 1 to 3. Each engine, trim and security combination is rated on its own, so one model can span several groups.
Is the 1 to 50 insurance group system being replaced?
Yes, for brand-new models. Thatcham Research's Vehicle Risk Rating, launched in September 2024, scores new model ranges from 1 to 99 in five areas, while cars already rated keep their 1 to 50 insurance group.
Figures last checked against the official source on . Check the source yourself.