Insurance group 3: List of cars and average insurance costs

Car insurance groups explained

When it comes to insurance, all vehicles are assigned an insurance group from 1 (cheapest) to 50 (most expensive), and this helps determine the cost of your premiums. The group a particular car model fits into is usually determined by its performance, safety and security features, part replacement and its value. Cars in insurance group 3 are often on the cheaper side of the scale when it comes to car insurance, which is good news if you have a car in this group or if you’re looking to purchase one.

That being said, there’s also a number of different factors that insurers take into account such as your age, driving history and location, so it’s always important to compare policies to find one that works for you.

Car makes and models in insurance group 3

There’s a number of popular cars in insurance group 3 that are likely to come with a cheaper car insurance policy.

Insurance group 3 cars and the average cost by driver’s age

Using the table below, you can look out for the make and model of your car, and work out how much you’re likely to pay for your car insurance based on your age.

• How we got these rates

  These rates are based on the average cost of cover for cars in the insurance groups shown, for drivers of different ages with a Newcastle (NE1) postcode, which our research suggests represents an average for insurance rates in the UK. Updated: June 2024 (source: Confused).

Insurance group 3 categories

• 3E: Surpasses the security requirements for this type of car, leading to a lower insurance group rating.
• 3A: Meets the standard security requirements for this type of car.
• 3D: Falls short of security requirements for this type of car, resulting in a higher insurance group rating.
• 3U: Security standard is unacceptable. The insurer might require upgraded aftermarket security before providing coverage.
• 3P: Provisional status. Insufficient data is available at launch for classification. This will likely be updated once Thatcham can evaluate the new car.
• 3G: Grey import. Thatcham tests only officially sold UK cars, so imports are evaluated based on the insurer’s pricing.

Average insurance group 3e cost

To provide you with an idea of how much it may cost you to insure your insurance group 3 car, we ran several quotes to find an average figure. Based on our results, on average, you could insure your car with a comprehensive policy for the monthly price of £50.86, or an annual sum of £520.

• How we calculated this price

  We generated these quotes using the following assumptions about the vehicle and the driver.

  The vehicle is/has:

  • Insurance group 3 model
  • Factory fitted alarm system
  • Not modified
  • Used for social, domestic and commuting purposes
  • 10,000 mileage per year
  • Parked in a work car park during the day
  • Parked on a driveway at night

  The driver is/has:

  • A 30-year-old, single teacher from London
  • A homeowner
  • Five years no-claims discount
  • No driving or other convictions in the last 5 years

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Why are cars in group 3 some of the cheapest to insure?

Cars in insurance group 3 are usually some of the cheapest to insure, because they score well in a number of factors that determine which group the car will fall under. These factors include:

• Good security and safety features
• Inexpensive to source parts and make repairs
• Low market value
• Smaller engine size
• Low repair times

Which other factors affect the cost of your car insurance?

Along with your car’s insurance group, these three factors have the biggest impact on the cost of your insurance:

• Engine type and capacity. The bigger your engine, the more you are likely to pay for insurance. With a smaller engine, you’re likely to be seen as less risk to an insurer and this is usually reflected with a lower premium.
• Driver location. Insurers factor in the likelihood that your car will be stolen or involved in an accident when calculating your insurance, and your location has a big impact on this. For example, a 30-year-old in central London will pay £791 for insurance for a Peugeot 107 1.0 Kiss 3d, while the same 30-year-old in Newcastle may only pay £526.
• Driver age. Like location, the age of the driver plays a huge role in determining the cost of your insurance premium. The average 20-year-old driver in London could pay £2,297 for the Skoda Citigo Monte Carlo 1.0 MPI 60PS GreenTech 5d, while the average 40-year-old Londoner will only pay £651.

However, there are several other factors that can impact the cost of your car insurance. These include:

• Your marital status
• Your credit history and job
• Your car’s safety rating, security and anti-theft precautions
• Likelihood of theft
• The model and age of your car
• Your driving activity
• Your driving history
• No claim discount

How can I save on my car insurance premiums?

Choosing a car in insurance group 3 is a good way to reduce the cost of your car insurance. Thankfully, there are a few other things you can try, which we’ve listed below:

• Avoid any driving convictions. It may sound obvious, but having convictions on your record will make your premium more expensive.
• Be economical about your car usage. You could save money on your insurance by being more sparing with your car usage. Opting for public transport or walking when you can will help keep your mileage, and premium, lower.
• Pay annually rather than monthly. By paying annually, you could miss out on paying monthly interest on your instalments!
• Install extra safety precautions. The safer you make your car, the better your premium will be. By investing in extra safety features, your vehicle will be more secure and less of a risk to insure.
• Don’t just accept your renewal quote. When it’s time for renewal, make sure you compare your options – you’ll be surprised at how much you could save by assessing your options.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the lowest insurance group?

  Car insurance groups range from 1-50 with 1 being the cheapest and 50 being the most expensive.

• What does Thatcham Research analyse?

  Thatcham Research analyses a number of criteria to calculate a car’s group rating. One of its key tests is a 15km/h crash impact assessment, based on an internationally recognised insurance standard. Following the crash, Thatcham’s engineers work out the cost of the time and parts to return the car to its pre-accident condition. The group rating also takes into account new car values, car performance (including top speed and acceleration time), parts pricing, safety and security features, and the alignment and structure of a car’s bumpers.

• Does a lower insurance group mean cheaper car insurance?

  In theory, the lower your car insurance group number, the cheaper your car insurance policy will be. However, there are several factors that can influence the cost of your car insurance depending on your personal circumstances.

• Are cars in insurance group 3 good for younger drivers?

  With car insurance policies for younger drivers being notoriously expensive, choosing a car in insurance group 3 will definitely help keep the costs down. However, there are many factors other than the insurance group that make up the cost of your car insurance premium so it’s always important to compare quotes before making your decision.

• What do the letters mean in insurance groups?

  On a particular vehicle, the insurance group will be listed as a number and a letter. The letters refer to the security features on the vehicle that are fitted as standard.

• How many car insurance groups are there in the UK?

  In the UK, there are 50 car insurance groups with 1 being the lowest (cheapest) and 50 being the highest (most expensive).

Written by

Danny Butler

Publisher

Danny is a publisher at Finder specialising in insurance and investing. He previously worked at the global insurer Aon and has appeared in national media giving advice on insurance. Danny holds a BA in International Business from the University of Plymouth and has undying loyalty to his average-poor football team, Portsmouth FC. See full bio

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