I came across this very interesting document entitled 'The Insurance Group Rating System for Cars' on The Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre's (ie Thatcham's) site. Its is well worth a read but you will need Adobe Acrobat installed on your PC in order to display it.

Interesting.

Boring.

I disagree. It's interesting to see the weighting attached to performance across the Octavia range, ie:

1.6: IG 7 - 8

1.8: IG 11 - 16

1.9: IG 5 - 11

2.0: IG 9 - 11

Originally posted by Quinten in this post

Boring.

Q, stop sitting on the fence! :D

I'd guess the 1.8 is the highest what with being petrol and turbo...

How does the (dare I say it) 4x4 Elegance compare to the vRS? I'd imagine the

vRS has some expensive extra components (wheels and spoliers) that could push

the rating up. Also I'd imagine it would be more likely to get nicked...

Rob.

Originally posted by DGW in this post

I disagree. It's interesting to see the weighting attached to performance across the Octavia range, ie:

1.6: IG 7 - 8

1.8: IG 11 - 16

1.9: IG 5 - 11

2.0: IG 9 - 11

Denis, it is interesting as the body repair costs must be largely the same. So the difference can only come down to three things:

- performance (the likelihood of it being bent??)

- desirability (the likelihood of it being nicked??)

- equipment (cost of replacing bent/stolen items??)

A frontal impact in my car would be likely to cost as much as a vRS to repair, yet I pay a lower insurance premium. Does that skew the grouping towards desirability?

:confused:

Where is our resident insurance expert? Any frontal collision in an L&K is likely to include the replacement of the expensive xenons, which involves a fair amount of dosh. Lots of questions - so few answers. :(

Originally posted by DGW in this post

Where is our resident insurance expert?

Do we have one then??

How much is the difference in premiums for the vRS and the L&K? The vRS has more desirability (at least to joyriders), and more performance (especially compared to a TDi). So I'd imagine these factors

would make a fair bit of a difference.

Quite surprising how expensive some things are though - on the Renault 5 GT Turbo, the sticker at the

bottom of the rear side panels that says "GT Turbo" and has the faded effect down it is about 50-75

quid for a replacement! :eek:

Rob.

Originally posted by fen_l&k in this post

Do we have one then??

Yes - although he doesn't deal with motor insurance.

ok I asume thats me :( - As Dennis says, I am not an expert on Motor Insurance since we decided to stay well clear of the crap results, massive admin costs and hassle that most motor insurers have had in the last 5 years.

Anyway, the Thatcham summary is a pretty good one for listing the major areas that an insurer would consider but is only a general approach. Most Motor Insurers will have their preference for types of owner / car etc - this preference will depend on their analysis of a massive variety of issues above those listed including market opportunism, reinsurance costs, attitude to claims (a lot of high performance / high risk insurers will fight all claims tooth & nail) and volume versus admin costs. As such it can be very difficult to analyse why a certain insurer will quote two apparently similar risks completely differently.

Re: L&K's query: Within a specific model of a normal production car, performance, desirability and equipment will all be considered BUT I would agree that insurers tend to skew premiums considerably more as as a result of the performance / desirability element. This is mainly as the IMPACT of these two elements is perceived as greater - ie they are more likely to lead to a total loss of the full value insured. In our case, the cost of the leather seats, xenons in the L&K are likely to be completely ignored in the insurance assesment other than being included in the overall value of the car. The RS will be more expensive to insure as, in insurers minds, it is more likely to be nicked & totalled or just totalled as it is a more "obvious" performance car.

Anyway, back to my stats:boozer:

Thanks Stu!

Well the 1.8 models are as follows..

Make Model SRS CC Start Year End Year No. of Doors Body Type Fuel Type Gear Box Code Group Group Type Security

SKODA OCTAVIA SLXI 20V 1 1781cc 1998 1999 5 - Petrol Manual 46502001 9 E T2

SKODA OCTAVIA SLXI 20V AUTO 1 1781cc 1998 1999 5 - Petrol Automatic 46502002 9 E T2

SKODA OCTAVIA SLXI 20V 1 1781cc 1998 1999 5 Estate Petrol Manual 46502003 9 E T2

SKODA OCTAVIA SLXI 20V AUTO 1 1781cc 1998 1999 5 Estate Petrol Automatic 46502004 9 E T2

SKODA OCTAVIA SLXI TURBO 1 1781cc 1999 2000 5 - Petrol Manual 46503001 13 A T2

SKODA OCTAVIA LAURIN & KLEMENT T 1 1781cc 1999 5 - Petrol Manual 46503501 13 A T2

SKODA OCTAVIA LAURIN & KLEMENT T 1 1781cc 2001 5 - Petrol Automatic 46503502 13 A T2

SKODA OCTAVIA LAURIN & KLEMENT T 1 1781cc 2001 5 Estate Petrol Manual 46503503 13 A T2

SKODA OCTAVIA LAURIN & KLEMENT T 1 1781cc 2001 5 Estate Petrol Automatic 46503504 13 A T2

SKODA OCTAVIA ELEGANCE T 1 1781cc 2000 5 - Petrol Manual 46507901 13 A T2

SKODA OCTAVIA ELEGANCE T 1 1781cc 2000 5 - Petrol Automatic 46507902 13 A T2

SKODA OCTAVIA ELEGANCE T 1 1781cc 2000 5 Estate Petrol Manual 46507903 13 A T2

SKODA OCTAVIA ELEGANCE T 1 1781cc 2000 5 Estate Petrol Automatic 46507904 13 A T2

SKODA OCTAVIA ELEGANCE T 4X4 1 1781cc 2001 5 Estate Petrol Manual 46508501 14 A T2

SKODA OCTAVIA ELEGANCE T 4X4 1 1781cc 2001 5 - Petrol Manual 46508502 14 A T2

SKODA OCTAVIA RS 1 1781cc 2001 2003 5 - Petrol Manual 46508801 16 D T2

SKODA OCTAVIA VRS 1 1781cc 2003 5 - Petrol Manual 46510201 16 D T2

SKODA OCTAVIA VRS 1 1781cc 2003 5 Estate Petrol Manual 46510202 16 D T2

So the L&K and Elegance 1.8T with 2wd are Gp 13, the 4x4 Elegance is Gp 14 and the vRS is Gp 16.

Paul..

However, when I ran an insurance quote through DL for a vRS, it came back with a quote, whereas for an Elegance 4x4 it told me to call... :confused:

Rob.

Well, having just asked for a quote on an RS, they were questioning if you were the sort of person that should own a 4x4

Originally posted by Tavia4x4 in this post

...they were questioning if you were the sort of person that should own a 4x4

Correction:

...if you were the sort of person who is fit to own a 4X4.

As in 'Boy racers need not apply'.

Originally posted by DGW in this post

As in 'Boy racers need not apply'.

So not the sort of people who would get performance modifications done on the car then?

Rob.

Originally posted by robmawer in this post

So not the sort of people who would get performance modifications done on the car then?

Troublemaker!

yes, my wood dashboard gives me an extra 3bhp, as do my sill guards.

(the alientech window controller is good for 6bhp apparently)

Tch, my mods are about comfort and practicality, not "cruisin" on a friday night.

Uh-huh...that's why you have your "stats" under your avatar?

Rob.

purely to achieve 42mpg.......

A figure I'm sure you achieve every Thursday evening! :p

Rob.

ah no, on a thursday SPG is more important...

SPG being your high-performance hamster no doubt ...