List of cars in insurance group 12

Insurance group 12 cars tend to be on the cheaper side to insure. With group 12 being at the lower end of insurance groups, the vehicles that appear in this category score well in factors used to determine the group ratings. These ratings include less powerful engines, good car safety features and being relatively cheap to repair.

In this guide, you’ll learn more about these ratings and how this affects the vehicles in this group.

Car insurance groups explained

With car insurance, all vehicles are assigned an insurance group from 1 to 50. Group 1 is packed with the cheapest cars to insure and group 50 has the most expensive. These groups help to determine the cost of your premiums. The group that a particular model fits into is usually determined by its value and performance, as well as safety and security features.

With that said, there are other personal factors that insurers take into account, such as your age and location. Your driving history is also important.

Car makes and models in insurance group 12

You’ll notice a number of popular cars in insurance group 12. As mentioned, these are all likely to come with an affordable car insurance policy.

Insurance group	Car make/model	Details
12	BMW 1 Series	This premium hatchback has bright, front wheel drive steering. Its strong and sturdy craftsmanship saw it scoop Best Family Car at the What Car? Awards 2020.
12	Volkswagen Polo	A hugely popular car that won the “Small Car Of The Year” at the What Car? Awards in 2020.
12	Peugeot 108	This popular city car has stellar, eye-catching looks and delivers low emissions through its standard 1.0 litre engine. Perfect for the sophisticated city lifestyle.
12	Skoda Citigo	Skoda’s city car offers practical performance and an impressive fuel economy, as well as good storage solutions in the cabin and glovebox.
12	SEAT Arona	This vehicle won the Small SUV of the Year at the 2019 What Car? Awards. It provides good value for money and cuts no corners on performance.
12	Citroen C1	This fresh and affordable city car is fun and easy to drive. It was rated four stars for safety by Euro NCAP.
12	Fiat Panda	This award-winning city car is now in its third generation. The marketing surrounding its latest edition surrounds its top-of-the-range hybrid technology.
12	Hyundai i30	This sturdy and dependable family car comes with touchscreen navigation and rear and front parking assist. It was awarded five stars for safety by Euro NCAP.

Cars in insurance group 12 and the average cost by driver’s age

The table below could prove helpful. You can use it to find the make and model of your car, then calculate how much your car insurance will cost based on your age.

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• 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 12 categories

• 12E: Surpasses the security requirements for this type of car, leading to a lower insurance group rating.
• 12A: Meets the standard security requirements for this type of car.
• 12D: Falls short of security requirements for this type of car, resulting in a higher insurance group rating.
• 12U: Security standard is unacceptable. The insurer might require upgraded aftermarket security before providing coverage.
• 12P: Provisional status. Insufficient data is available at launch for classification. This will likely be updated once Thatcham can evaluate the new car.
• 12G: Grey import. Thatcham tests only officially sold UK cars, so imports are evaluated based on the insurer’s pricing.

Average insurance group 12e cost

To provide you with an idea of how much it may cost you to insure your insurance group 12 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 £65.26, or an annual sum of £681.

• 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 12 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

Why are cars in group 12 on the cheaper side?

These cars score well in a number of factors that determine which group the car will fall under, including:

• Relatively low market value
• Smaller engine size
• Good security and safety features
• Inexpensive to repair
• Low repair times

Which other factors affect my car insurance premium?

These three factors also have a big impact on the cost of your insurance:

• Engine type and capacity. A large engine costs more to repair or replace, so it’s seen as a bigger risk to insurers. They will typically up your premium to reflect this.
• Driver location. Insurers will use claims data to determine the risk of you making a claim, based on your address. For example, a 30-year-old in central London will pay £1,190 for insurance for a SEAT Arona Xcellence 1.0 TSI 115PS 5d, while the same 30-year-old in Newcastle may only pay £688.
• Your age. Insurers will also use your age to determine the likelihood of you making a claim, based on previous claims data. This can have a huge impact on your premium. For example, the average 20-year-old driver in London could pay £3,495 for the Chevrolet Cruze 1.4 LT 5d, while the average 40-year-old Londoner will only pay £978.

On top of these, there are many other things that can impact the price of your premiums. These include:

• Your marital status
• Your occupation
• Your credit history
• Your car’s safety rating, security and anti-theft precautions
• Your car’s age and model
• Your driving activity and history
• The amount of years on no-claims discount

How can I save on my car insurance premiums?

If you choose a car in group 12 or lower, that’s a great way to reduce the cost of your car insurance. Thankfully, there are a lot of other things you can do to reduce your premium.

We’ve listed some of them below:

• Be economical with your car usage. Your premium will go up and down based on how often you use your car. If you reduce your annual mileage, you can drop your premiums. So, consider opting for public transport or walking whenever you can.
• Avoid any driving convictions. If you have convictions on your record, it will make your premium more expensive.
• Install extra safety precautions. The safer you make your car, the lower the risk of you making a hefty claim. Insurers will see you as less of a risk and lower your premium accordingly.
• Don’t just accept your renewal quote. When it’s time to renew, make sure to shop around for the cheapest deal. It’s rare that your existing insurer will offer you the lowest quote.
• Pay annually rather than monthly. Some insurers will charge interest if you pay them in monthly instalments. You can avoid this by paying annually.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the lowest insurance group?

  Car insurance groups range from 1 to 50. Group 1 is the lowest and has the cheapest cars to insure.

• 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?

  Yes, in theory, but there are a number of other personal factors that affect this.

• Are cars in insurance group 12 good for younger drivers?

  Yes, younger drivers typically face extortionate car insurance charges, and choosing a car in insurance group 12 can help to keep these costs down.

• What do the letters mean in insurance groups?

  On any 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?

  There are 50 car insurance groups in the UK. Group 1 has the cheapest cars to insure and group 50 has the most expensive.

The offers compared on this page are chosen from a range of products we can track; we don't cover every product on the market...yet. Unless we've indicated otherwise, products are shown in no particular order or ranking. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations), aren't product ratings, although we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it; this is subject to our terms of use. When making a big financial decision, it's wise to consider getting independent financial advice, and always consider your own financial circumstances when comparing products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.

*Based on data provided by Consumer Intelligence Ltd, www.consumerintelligence.com (July ’24). 51% of car insurance customers could save £523.17