Car insurance group 48

What is insurance group 48?

When it comes to insurance, all vehicles are assigned an insurance group from 1 (cheapest) to 50 (most expensive). This helps insurers to work out the cost of car insurance premiums. Insurance group 48 cars are therefore among the most costly cars to insure.

In this guide, you’ll learn about the factors used to place cars in certain insurance groups, and the other personal circumstances that insurers use to price your car insurance premium.

Car makes and models in insurance group 48

Here is a list of popular cars in insurance group 48. These are likely to fall on the more expensive side when it comes to your car insurance premium.

Cars in group 48 and the average cost of insurance by driver’s age

Using the table below, you can look for your chosen model of 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: April 2024 (source: Confused).

Insurance group 48 categories

• 48E: Surpasses the security requirements for this type of car, leading to a lower insurance group rating.
• 48A: Meets the standard security requirements for this type of car.
• 48D: Falls short of security requirements for this type of car, resulting in a higher insurance group rating.
• 48U: Security standard is unacceptable. The insurer might require upgraded aftermarket security before providing coverage.
• 48P: Provisional status. Insufficient data is available at launch for classification. This will likely be updated once Thatcham can evaluate the new car.
• 48G: Grey import. Thatcham tests only officially sold UK cars, so imports are evaluated based on the insurer’s pricing.

Average insurance group 48e cost

To provide you with an idea of how much it may cost you to insure your insurance group 48 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 £200.31, or an annual sum of £2,331.

• 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 48 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 48 more expensive to insure?

Cars in insurance group 48 are usually defined by the following characteristics.

• High market value
• Expensive to source parts and make repairs
• Larger engine size
• Longer repair times

These are the main reasons why they are so costly to insure.

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. The larger your engine, the more you’re likely to pay for insurance.
• Driver location. Insurers consider the likelihood of your car being stolen or involved in an accident, based on your location. This will have an impact on your premium. As an example, a 30-year-old in central London will pay £5,255 for insurance for an Audi E-Tron S Line (Comfort and Sound Pack) 50 quattro auto 5d, while the same 30-year-old in Newcastle may only pay £2,331.
• Driver age. Your age will play a huge role in determining the cost of your insurance premium. This is based on the likelihood of someone your age making a claim. The average 20-year-old driver in London could pay £32,484 for the Jaguar XJ 3.0 V6 Supercharged Premium Luxury 4d Auto, while the average 40-year-old Londoner will only pay £3,571.

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

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

How can I save on my car insurance premium?

Choosing a car in a lower insurance group will help to reduce your car insurance premium.

Here are some other things you can do to drive down the cost of your car insurance.

• Drive safely. Making a claim or having driving convictions on your record will make your premium more expensive.
• Don’t use your car all of the time. You could save money on your insurance by reducing the number of miles you drive per year. This makes you less of a risk in the eyes of an insurer.
• Pay annually. By paying annually, you avoid paying interest on your monthly instalments.
• Install extra safety precautions. The safer you make your car, the cheaper your premium will be. Once again, this makes you less of a risk in the eyes of an insurer.
• Compare your options. When it’s time for renewal, make sure to shop around for the best deal using price comparison websites. You’ll usually save a lot by switching to a different provider each year.

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 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. However, insurers will consider your personal circumstances too.

• Are cars in insurance group 48 good for younger drivers?

  Most younger drivers find it far too expensive to insure these cars.

• What do the letters mean in insurance groups?

  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).

• 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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