was just wondering how a cars insurance group is determined? im guessing security and model have certain influence.

My old octy was: Skoda Octavia vRS 1.8T(standard)

Main factor is the cost to repair the car after a front or rear impact - hence more expensive cars with lots of gizmos stuffed into them and big crumple zones tend to be more expensive.

Other factors like performance and security and desirability do come into it too...

Rob.

Thatcham have more info here - they have a large hand in how groups are assigned.

A big factor the insurance companies take into account is also the damage your car will do to the car that either hits you, or you hit.

It then gets broken down to what type of damage you inflict - think about the NCAP safety ratings: some cars do loads of damage to say pedestrians and will then for that aspect be in a higher group than a car that does less damage that wants to inspect your bonnet.

In light of this (pedestrian impact), ALL bonnets in cars are going to have to get a 3" clearance above the engine - rendering designers impossible to design really low front engined cars.

Repairs are indeed a big factor - look at Scooby's: when Subaru halved it prices for parts, the insurance groups went down a bit.

Hope this helps a bit

ThePiper

well I'm being stung, most people here say the fabia vRS is group 9, my insurance company say its grounp 12 !!! I complained, and they said, each insurance company can group a car however they see fit!!! and It isn't going to change! *sharky thinks he's changing insurance companies in August! lol.....

I know what you mean, Sharky. Many years ago I went from a 1.8 Manta to a tiny little (and crappy) escort - my insurance company reckoned they were the same insurance group. I told them to get stuffed

they just pluck a random number between 4 and 20......

Which is why my 2.0 Octy GLXi cost

i dont understand why my Audi is 2 groups lower then the octy was.

im not complaing cause its now just of

i dont understand why my Audi is 2 groups lower then the octy was.

The Octy might be classed as "desirable to undesirables", could certainly imagine it being more attractive to joyriders than the Audi.

Also, what sort of security does the Audi have...does it have an alarm as standard?

It's also possible that the damage which would be done to an Audi in a typical accident would be cheaper to repair than to the Octy - and, IIRC to write a car off it's usually if the repair cost will be more than half the value of the car...therefore, it will be harder to write the Audi off...

Rob.

hat with tickets in, they pluck a ticket out with number on it and its done

I dont know what Chris Knott rate my new car as, most insurance companies have it as group 19. But the quote for a change of vehicle from the octy vrs to the porsche was nearly the same again as I paid to insure the octy. I did the change through them, just so I can get a certificate and roadtax. In a couple of weeks I am cancelling the policy as I have now managed to get a quote that is much cheaper, infact less to insure than the octy vRS.

2000(W) Porsche Boxster 3.2 S:

Chris Knott:

I had an old Astra 2.0 Sport, insured for

So the higher the number the more expensive??

Mil,

Yes...as a general rule.

Here it's slightly different.

It's based mainly on the value of the car, plus the league it's in (family, sports, commercial), and if you're below 25, premiums are bloody high.

When I bought my car, I paid GBP500 worth to insure it. That's a lot for a small car here, and it was also because of my age then.

When my dad bought his 4.4i X5, he paid about GBP1000 premium. For the 645i I think he paid about GBP1500 worth. As time passes by, no accident equals lower premium next year.

Now my premium is pretty cheap (compared to what I payed the first time, it's less than half), I'm happy

Hate insurance companies though..

Here it's slightly different.

From your description it sounds pretty similar.

Typically, the insurance group relates to the "risk" of the car (cost to repair, desirability, security, etc.).

The premium a person pays is then calculated on several factors, such as age, gender, the crime-levels where the car is kept, annual mileage...you get the idea.

The formula also includes the insurance group of the car as a factor, so assuming all the same factors, an insurance group 2 car would usually be cheaper than an insurance group 12 car.

A discount is then applied to the premium based upon the number of years accident-free motoring...

Rob.