insurance medicine
Who Has the Best Cheap Car Insurance?
If you own a car, car insurance is a required expense in 48 of the 50 states. A lack of diligence when shopping for your car insurance could lead to a hefty monthly bill, as well as headaches if you actually need to file a claim. We researched and explored quotes from over 128 companies in 2,700 cities to determine which insurers had the lowest costs, nationally and in each state. Our team also evaluated which companies had the best track record for customer service and the claims process.
Car insurance groups – how the different insurance groups work
Every car on the market belongs to one of 50 car insurance groups set by the Group Rating Panel (members of the Association of British Insurers and the Lloyds Market Association). Insurers can also use their own grouping system if they want.
Typically, the lower a car’s insurance group number (1-50) the cheaper it will be to insure – for example, cars in insurance group 1 are far more likely to be the cheapest cars to insure.
Repair costs
The cost of vehicle repairs accounts for a huge chunk of the money paid out in car insurance claims. Logically then, the cost to repair the vehicle is considered before being assigned to a car insurance group.
The time it would take to repair the car is also considered as this would lead to higher repair costs.
The value of the car
The value of the car as new is used as an indication of how much the car will cost the insurer to repair or replace.
The security rating of a car is denoted by letters ranging from E, A, P, D down to U. The E category stands for ‘exceeds’ and the U is for ‘unacceptable’. Cars in the lower and cheaper car insurance groups will likely have an E or A security rating.
Cheapest cars to insure in 2018
Scroll down to see ten of the cheapest cars to insure that you can buy in 2018, with models in the lowest car insurance groups.
Nissan Micra
Cheap to buy and with an all-new look, the Nissan Micra could be the cheapest car to insure in 2018 depending on your driving history and other factors. While the Micra has been around since the 1980s, the latest version has shaken off the clunky image of its previous iterations to become a desirable supermini, with models starting in insurance group 1.
Toyota Yaris - number 1 cheapest car to insure in 2018
Kia Rio
The Kia Rio is a cheap car to insure for small families, with models starting in group 2. The Rio has received praise for its ample boot space and low CO2 emissions.Kia Rio - Number 2 cheapest car to insure in 2018
Volkswagen Polo
The Volkswagen Polo has been a favourite small car since it was first introduced in 1975. Its new sixth generation looks set to be just as popular in 2018, and could be one of the cheapest cars to insure with some versions in car insurance group 1.
Volkswagen Polo - Number 3 cheapest car to insure in 2018
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback
Popular with young drivers since its first iteration, the Corsa is a sensible and reliable supermini — the latest generation has two models (Sting and Life) in insurance group 2.
Vauxhall Corsa -<br /> Number 4 cheapest car to insure in 2018
Ford Fiesta
The Ford Fiesta is another old favourite, with its first generation dating back to 1976. The latest version is a good choice for a car with cheap insurance, with two of its Style trims in insurance group 2.
Hyundai i10
The second generation i10 is in car insurance group 1, meaning it is far cheaper to insure than previous models. The new Hyundai i10 comes with a 1.0 litre engine and is packed with entertainment features, making it an ideal first car for young drivers.
The Cheapest Insurers By State
The price of car insurance can vary greatly between states. One company may be expensive in Utah, but inexpensive in New York. In some states, a small, local company could even offer the best price. Below, click through to your state to see which company and cities have the least expensive car insurance based on the numerous studies we've conducted.Car insurance groups – how the different insurance groups work
Every car on the market belongs to one of 50 car insurance groups set by the Group Rating Panel (members of the Association of British Insurers and the Lloyds Market Association). Insurers can also use their own grouping system if they want.
Typically, the lower a car’s insurance group number (1-50) the cheaper it will be to insure – for example, cars in insurance group 1 are far more likely to be the cheapest cars to insure.
What factors are considered?
When the panel decides on how to assign cars to the different car insurance groups they consider the following:Repair costs
The cost of vehicle repairs accounts for a huge chunk of the money paid out in car insurance claims. Logically then, the cost to repair the vehicle is considered before being assigned to a car insurance group.
The time it would take to repair the car is also considered as this would lead to higher repair costs.
Cost of the parts
The cost of 23 of the most common car parts is also considered. The lower the cost of the parts, the lower the car insurance group will be. To get the best car insurance quotes the cost of the parts will need to be relatively low.The value of the car
The value of the car as new is used as an indication of how much the car will cost the insurer to repair or replace.
Car security
The cheapest cars to insure will often be ones that have built-in security features by the manufacturer such as alarms, high-security locks, or immobilisers which prevent the car from being hotwired.The security rating of a car is denoted by letters ranging from E, A, P, D down to U. The E category stands for ‘exceeds’ and the U is for ‘unacceptable’. Cars in the lower and cheaper car insurance groups will likely have an E or A security rating.
Cheapest cars to insure in 2018
Scroll down to see ten of the cheapest cars to insure that you can buy in 2018, with models in the lowest car insurance groups.
Nissan Micra
Cheap to buy and with an all-new look, the Nissan Micra could be the cheapest car to insure in 2018 depending on your driving history and other factors. While the Micra has been around since the 1980s, the latest version has shaken off the clunky image of its previous iterations to become a desirable supermini, with models starting in insurance group 1.
Toyota Yaris - number 1 cheapest car to insure in 2018
Kia Rio
The Kia Rio is a cheap car to insure for small families, with models starting in group 2. The Rio has received praise for its ample boot space and low CO2 emissions.Kia Rio - Number 2 cheapest car to insure in 2018
Volkswagen Polo
The Volkswagen Polo has been a favourite small car since it was first introduced in 1975. Its new sixth generation looks set to be just as popular in 2018, and could be one of the cheapest cars to insure with some versions in car insurance group 1.
Volkswagen Polo - Number 3 cheapest car to insure in 2018
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback
Popular with young drivers since its first iteration, the Corsa is a sensible and reliable supermini — the latest generation has two models (Sting and Life) in insurance group 2.
Vauxhall Corsa -<br /> Number 4 cheapest car to insure in 2018
Ford Fiesta
The Ford Fiesta is another old favourite, with its first generation dating back to 1976. The latest version is a good choice for a car with cheap insurance, with two of its Style trims in insurance group 2.
Ford Fiesta - 5th cheapest car to insure in 2018
Hyundai i10
The second generation i10 is in car insurance group 1, meaning it is far cheaper to insure than previous models. The new Hyundai i10 comes with a 1.0 litre engine and is packed with entertainment features, making it an ideal first car for young drivers.
