Car insurance group 42

What is insurance group 42?

Every car you see on the road has been assigned an insurance group from 1 (the cheapest to insure) to 50 (the most expensive to insure). As such, cars in insurance group 42 are among the more expensive cars to insure.

The group that a particular model falls into depends on various factors, including market value, security features, cost of repairs and safety features.

On top of that, there are also other personal 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.

Below, we’ll learn more about the factors that insurers use to price your car insurance.

Car makes and models in insurance group 42

There are a number of popular cars in insurance group 42 that are likely to fall on the expensive side when it comes to your car insurance premiums.

Cars in insurance group 42 and the average cost by driver’s age

Using the table below, you can look for the make and model of your car and calculate how much you may 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 42 categories

• 42E: Surpasses the security requirements for this type of car, leading to a lower insurance group rating.
• 42A: Meets the standard security requirements for this type of car.
• 42D: Falls short of security requirements for this type of car, resulting in a higher insurance group rating.
• 42U: Security standard is unacceptable. The insurer might require upgraded aftermarket security before providing coverage.
• 42P: Provisional status. Insufficient data is available at launch for classification. This will likely be updated once Thatcham can evaluate the new car.
• 42G: Grey import. Thatcham tests only officially sold UK cars, so imports are evaluated based on the insurer’s pricing.

Average insurance group 42e cost

To provide you with an idea of how much it may cost you to insure your insurance group 42 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 £210.86, or an annual sum of £2,161.

• 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 42 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 42 more expensive?

Cars in insurance group 42 are usually expensive to insure because they have the following:

• Expensive market value
• Expensive parts and repairs
• Large powerful engine
• Long repair times

What other factors affect your car insurance premium?

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

• Engine type and capacity. Larger engines cost more to repair and replace, so the bigger your engine, the more you’re likely to pay for insurance.
• Driver location. Insurers factor in the likelihood of you making a claim based on your address. They use the data from previous claims to calculate this. As an example, a 30-year-old in central London will pay £9,638 for insurance for a Ford Mustang 2.3 EcoBoost 270 2d, while the same 30-year-old in Newcastle may only pay £2,182.
• Driver age. Your age plays a huge role in determining the cost of your insurance premium. The youngest drivers tend to pay a lot more because they are statistically far more likely to make a claim. The average 20-year-old driver in London could pay £31,513 for the Lexus RX 450h Sport auto 5d, while the average 40-year-old Londoner will only pay £8,001.

However, there are a lot of other factors that can also impact the price of your premiums. These include the following:

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

How can I save on my car insurance premiums?

Choosing a car in a lower insurance group will save you a lot of money. Here are some more ideas to help you reduce your premiums.

• Drive safely. It may sound obvious but previous claims or driving convictions will send your premium skyrocketing upwards.
• Reduce your annual mileage. The lower your annual mileage, the less of a risk you are deemed to be, and insurers will often lower your premium to reflect this. So, opt for public transport or walking whenever you can. It could dramatically reduce your car insurance costs as well as how much you spend on fuel.
• Pay annually. Some insurers charge interest if you decide to pay your car insurance in monthly instalments. So, pay annually to avoid those extra charges.
• Install extra safety precautions. By investing in extra safety features, your vehicle will be more secure and less of a risk to insure. These features will ultimately pay for themselves due to the savings you’ll make on your car insurance.
• Shop around. When it’s time to renew your policy, make sure to see what offers are available from other insurers. You’ll be surprised at how much you could save by switching.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the lowest insurance group?

  Car insurance groups range from 1-50 with 1 being the lowest. Group 1 has the least expensive vehicles to insure, while group 50 has 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?

  Yes, although insurers will also consider a range of personal factors when calculating how much to charge you.

• Are cars in insurance group 42 good for younger drivers?

  Younger drivers will typically face extortionate charges to insure a car in this group. Many would prefer to reduce their costs by driving a car in a lower insurance group.

• What do the letters mean in insurance groups?

  These letters refer to the safety features fitted as standard on the vehicle.

• Who decides on the car insurance groups?

  In the UK, The Group Rating Panel, administered by Thatcham Research, assigns new car models to an insurance group from 1 to 50.

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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Danny has written 347 Finder guides across topics including:

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