Van Insurance Groups

Thatcham Research’s Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) system will be replacing the van insurance groups in 2026. Older vehicles will still fall under the older Group Ratings system, which found:

• Vans produced before 2016 in Groups 1 to 20, with vans in the lower Groups paying less and Group 20 the highest premium.
• Vans produced after 2016 in Groups 21 to 50. Vans in Group 21 tended to have cheaper premiums, while those in Group 50 tended to be more expensive.

The Vehicle Risk Rating system is used to help insurers understand the following:

• How much damage a van could face
• How much repairs are likely to cost
• How likely a van is to be a target for thieves

Vehicle Risk Rating spans across 99 numerical ratings, with those with a lower number typically cheaper and higher more expensive. Insurers use these ratings to price up a policy along with a van’s value, modifications, personal details and driving history. Older vans will still fall under the group ratings system until 2026.

What are van insurance groups?

The van insurance groups and Risk Rating System, both administered by Thatcham Research, provide information that is relied upon by brokers, price comparison websites and insurers to calculate insurance premiums.

They combine this data with more personal details, such as claims history, age and location to confirm the rating and group or rating. The Vehicle Risk Rating system uses market performance data to account for more dynamic factors including tech advancements, sustainability and emerging theft trends.

A van’s VRR is based on 125 factors in 5 key areas:

• Performance - Including acceleration, highest speed and initial price.
• Repairability - How vehicle design, materials, and construction techniques affect the severity and cost of repairs.
• Damageability - The availability of a transparent and accessible repair strategy including cost of parts.
• Safety - An in-depth analysis of crash avoidance systems and other relevant attributes.
• Security - A measure of the systems and technology used to protect vehicles from theft and unauthorised access.

How will my van insurance group affect my van insurance policy?

Groups and risk ratings examine how costly potential claims could be, which is then factored into how much you will pay for your policy. Essentially, the higher the group or rating, the bigger the risk and more expensive your premium will be.

Van insurance groups and ratings are not the same as car insurance groups, although the concept is very similar.

If you find a van is in a higher group or risk rating, you can try to save money by shopping around, considering the optional extras and paying for an annual policy instead of monthly.

What is the cheapest van insurance group?

The lower the group (or risk rating), the cheaper the price. Vans made before 1 January 2016 will be in groups 1-20 with 1 being the cheapest to insure and vans made after 1 January 2016 will be in groups 21-50, with 21 being the most cost-effective.

The Vehicle Risk Rating system spans from 1 to 99, with the lower numbers again being cheaper. If you find your van is rated between 1 and 10, you can expect to pay a lower premium than those in the higher numbers.

Keep the premium down by improving the vehicle’s security, limiting your mileage, choosing the right-sized van for your needs, taking an advanced driving course and increasing your voluntary excess. You can also shop around for quotes to find the right deal for your needs.

Will my van insurance group change?

Thatcham Research will continuously monitor, evaluate and update the VRR system, ensuring it reflects the latest technologies and risk profiles.

As new cars are brought onto the market and older ones show signs of wear and tear, this will affect the rating they are given (as it did with groups before). The system also takes in the cost of spare parts and time it takes to complete repairs.

An understanding of van insurance groups can help you find the right policy for your needs. If you’re in the market for a new van but not sure which one to go for, you can still get around by borrowing a van and driving with temporary van insurance. If you're new to driving a van, you can find out more about driving a van for the first time.

Available in an instant, this cover lasts from one hour to 28 days and is fully comprehensive.