Car Insurance Groups in Ireland Explained (2026)
Every used car for sale carries an insurance group from 1 to 50 — and it's one of the few things that can genuinely move your annual premium before you even get a quote. Here's how the system actually works in Ireland, what's changing for newer cars, and real group examples to help you shop smarter.
By The Autoza Team · Last updated: 17 August 2026 · Sources: Thatcham Research, Association of British Insurers, Allianz Ireland, Autoza live listings.
The short answer: an insurance group is a rating from 1 (cheapest to insure) to 50 (most expensive) that Irish and UK insurers both reference, based on repair cost, parts price, performance and security. Most used cars for sale in Ireland today still use this classic 1–50 scale. A new five-category Thatcham rating started phasing in for cars first registered from August 2024, but it doesn't touch anything registered before that — which is still the vast majority of Irish used stock.
How the 1–50 insurance group system works
Every car sold in Ireland and the UK is assessed against a common industry standard maintained by Thatcham Research and the Association of British Insurers (ABI). A rating panel scores each model against more than 100 individual data points, then places it in a group from 1 (cheapest to insure) to 50 (most expensive). The rating is advisory — insurers don't have to follow it exactly — but all else being equal, a lower group means a lower starting point for your premium.
The main factors that decide a car's group are:
- Repair cost and complexity — how much damage a typical collision causes and how expensive that is to fix.
- Price of replacement parts — models with cheap, widely available parts score lower than models needing rare or manufacturer-only components.
- New car value — pricier cars cost more to replace after a write-off, which pushes the group up.
- Performance — acceleration and top speed matter, since faster cars statistically generate more claims.
- Security — standard alarms, immobilisers and locking systems reduce theft risk and lower the group.
- Safety technology — features like autonomous emergency braking (AEB) as standard can pull the rating down.
Irish insurers reference the same Thatcham/ABI group data as UK insurers — see our FAQ below for how that data actually reaches Irish insurers. What differs between the two markets is the final premium each insurer charges for a given group, which depends on their own claims data and your personal circumstances.
What's changing: the new Thatcham Vehicle Risk Rating
From 1 August 2024, Thatcham Research began phasing in a new Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) designed to eventually replace the classic 1–50 scale. Instead of one combined number, VRR scores a car across five separate categories — damage, repairability, safety, security and performance — each rated from 1 to 99, and unlike the old static group, a VRR score can move up or down over time as real-world claims data comes in.
What this means if you're buying a used car in Ireland: VRR only applies to cars first registered from 1 August 2024 onward. Anything registered before that date keeps its existing 1–50 group rating — no action needed, nothing changes. Because the vast majority of used cars on the Irish market today are pre-August-2024 registrations, the classic group system below is still what applies to almost everything you'll actually shop for on Autoza right now.
This is the same registration-date split you'll already be familiar with from motor tax — CO2 bands changed from the NEDC to the WLTP test cycle for cars registered from 2021 onward, with older cars unaffected. Check the exact motor tax band for any specific car with our motor tax calculator.
Typical insurance groups for popular used cars in Ireland
Small hatchbacks with modest engines dominate the lowest groups — exactly the cars most first-time and budget-conscious buyers already shortlist. These are typical group ranges for 1.0–1.2 litre versions of eight of the most-searched small cars on the Irish used market; always confirm the exact group for the specific trim and year with a quote, since it can shift within a model range.
| Model | Typical insurance group | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hyundai i10 (2019–2023) | Group 4–7 | Usually the cheapest small car to insure in Ireland — small engine, cheap parts, low performance. |
| Dacia Sandero (2021–2024) | Group 5–9 | New-car reliability at a low group rating, similar profile to the i10. |
| Ford Fiesta (2017–2022, non-ST) | Group 6–11 | The 1.0 EcoBoost keeps the group low despite a sportier feel than rivals. |
| Toyota Yaris (2018–2022) | Group 7–10 | Hybrid and petrol versions both sit low — bulletproof reliability, cheap parts. |
| Skoda Fabia (2018–2022) | Group 7–11 | Roomier than its badge suggests, still a genuinely cheap car to insure. |
| SEAT Ibiza (2018–2022) | Group 7–11 | Same VW Group platform as the Polo, usually a lower group on comparable trims. |
| Opel Corsa (2020–2023) | Group 7–12 | Post-2020 Corsa (Stellantis platform) sits a little higher than its predecessor. |
| Volkswagen Polo (2018–2022) | Group 8–13 | Feels a class above on the motorway, at the cost of a slightly higher group than the Fiesta or i10. |
Family SUVs, larger diesel estates and executive saloons typically sit in the middle groups (roughly 15–30), while high-performance and premium/luxury models can run into the 30s and 40s. See our full shortlist and insurance tips on best first cars in Ireland, or compare against family SUVs, hybrid cars and diesel cars in Ireland.
What else moves your premium beyond the group
Average premium 2026
The average annual car insurance premium in Ireland is €623 in 2026, up 9% year-on-year — 54% of drivers saw an increase at renewal.
ICF levy cut
The Insurance Compensation Fund Levy was halved from 2% to 1% in January 2026 — a small offsetting saving on every policy.
Telematics
Black-box policies from insurers like AXA, Aviva and KennCo can knock 20–35% off a first-year premium for a clean driving score.
Named driver
Adding a named driver with 5+ years' no-claims bonus — without misrepresenting who the main driver is — can meaningfully lower the premium. A full licence also drops it roughly 20–30% versus a learner permit.
You'll need your 8-digit Driver Number (required for every quote since 2025) ready before you start ringing brokers. KennCo lowered the minimum age for own-name policies from 19 to 17 in January 2026, opening the market for younger drivers who previously needed to go on a parent's policy. Avoid modifications — alloys, sports exhausts and tinted windows all bump the premium, and several insurers won't quote a modified car at all.
How to check a car's insurance group before you buy
The group rating alone won't tell you your actual premium — the only reliable number comes from a real quote for the exact make, model, year and trim you're considering. Get quotes from at least three or four sources before you commit: direct insurer prices for the same car can vary by €1,500–€3,000 across the market, so a broker or comparison site (Chill, Insuremycars.ie, Bonkers) is worth the ten minutes it takes.
Every listing on Autoza shows the exact model, engine size, year and trim you need to get an accurate quote before you view the car — no guesswork required. Use our finance calculator and motor tax calculator alongside a real insurance quote to get the true monthly cost of ownership before you commit. If you're weighing a UK import against an Irish-registered car, run the numbers on our VRT calculator first — insurance is only one part of the total cost.
Before you commit to any used car, run through our used-car buying checklist and a free NCT history check. If you're trading in, get a free estimate first with our car valuation tool.
Car insurance groups Ireland — frequently asked questions
What is a car insurance group?
A car insurance group is a rating from 1 to 50 that tells insurers how expensive a specific car is likely to be to insure. Group 1 covers the cheapest cars to insure — small engines, cheap parts, low performance — and group 50 covers the most expensive, typically high-performance or luxury cars. It is one input insurers use when pricing your premium, alongside your age, address, driving history and claims record.
How are car insurance groups worked out in Ireland?
Irish insurers reference the same industry rating data used across the UK and Ireland, produced by Thatcham Research and distributed to both markets. A rating panel assesses over 100 data points per model, weighted mainly around repair cost and complexity, the price of replacement parts, the car's new value, performance (0–60 time and top speed), and standard security and safety features such as autonomous emergency braking, alarms and immobilisers. Cheaper, slower, easier-to-repair cars land in lower groups; expensive, fast or complex-to-fix cars land higher.
What is the new Thatcham Vehicle Risk Rating and does it affect my car?
From 1 August 2024, Thatcham Research began phasing in a new Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) to replace the classic 1–50 group system, scoring cars across five categories — damage, repairability, safety, security and performance — each from 1 to 99. It applies only to cars first registered from 1 August 2024 onward; a car registered before that date keeps its existing 1–50 group rating and is not affected. Because most used cars for sale in Ireland today were registered before August 2024, the classic 1–50 group is still what applies to the vast majority of the second-hand market.
Does a lower insurance group guarantee a cheaper premium?
No. The group rating is only one factor. Your age, address, occupation, no-claims bonus, claims history and the level of cover you choose typically move the final price far more than one or two group steps either way. Two people insuring the identical car in the same group can still be quoted very differently. Think of the group as a starting signal, not a guaranteed price.
How can I check a car's insurance group before I buy it in Ireland?
The most reliable way is to get an actual quote for the specific make, model, year and trim before you commit to buying — insurance comparison sites and brokers such as Chill, Insuremycars.ie and Bonkers let you compare several insurers at once. Some UK-based group-checker tools will show the ABI/Thatcham group for a given registration or model, which is a useful guide even though the final Irish premium depends on the insurer.
Are electric cars in a higher insurance group in Ireland?
Often, yes, though it varies a lot by model. EV battery packs are expensive to replace and repairs generally need EV-trained technicians and manufacturer-specific parts, which are exactly the repair-cost and complexity factors the group rating weighs most heavily. That said, insurance groups are set model by model, not fuel-type by fuel-type, so a small EV can still land in a moderate group while a larger or faster one sits much higher — always check the specific model rather than assuming from the fuel type alone.
Do modifications affect a car's insurance group?
The published group rating applies to the standard, unmodified car as it left the factory — it does not account for aftermarket changes. In practice, modifications such as alloy wheels, sports exhausts, remapped engines or tinted windows tend to increase your actual premium regardless of the car's base group, and several insurers will not quote a modified car at all. Always declare modifications to your insurer; failing to do so can invalidate a claim.
What is the average car insurance premium in Ireland in 2026?
The average annual car insurance premium in Ireland is €623 in 2026, up 9% year-on-year, with 54% of drivers seeing an increase at renewal. The Insurance Compensation Fund Levy (ICF) was halved from 2% to 1% in January 2026, a small offsetting saving. A car's insurance group is one of the biggest levers a buyer actually controls when trying to keep this figure down.
Do Irish insurers use the same insurance groups as UK insurers?
Yes. Thatcham Research, which sets the industry-standard group ratings, distributes the same underlying vehicle rating data to both the UK and Republic of Ireland insurance industries via LexisNexis Risk Solutions. The group number itself is shared across both markets — what differs is the final premium each individual insurer charges for that group, which depends on their own claims data, your personal risk profile and where in Ireland you live.
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