Revealed: the ten cheapest cars to insure

The cost of car cover can be crippling, but the good news is there is a reliable way to work out the cheapest vehicles to insure.

Every car sold is given a risk score by insurers and lumped into one of 50 groups, which are factored in to premium prices.

Insurers consider engine power, repair cost, safety features, security measures and the overall price of the car when working this out.

Group one is typically the least risky, and the ten cheapest cars to insure per year are all from this group, according to leasing firm Vantage Leasing.

The insurance cost was based on the average of a male and female 50-year-old driver living in Milton Keynes with no points on their licences.

1. Skoda Fabia SE MPI 75, one litre, five doors – £334.48
2. Nissan Micra 2019 Visia hatchback, one litre, five doors – £391.45
3. Seat Mii S (60) hatchback, one litre, three doors – £442.10
4. Skoda Citigo S (60) hatchback, one litre, three doors – £447.44
5. Volkswagen Take Up 60 hatchback, one litre, three doors –  £449.74
6. Kia Rio 2 hatchback, 1.2 litre, five doors – £465.28
7. Chevrolet Spark LS hatchback, one litre, five doors – £475.13
8. Smart Forfour Pure, one litre, five doors – £498.94
9. Ford Ka+ Studio TI-VCT 70 hatchback,1.2 litre, five doors – £506.06
10. Hyundai I10 S hatchback, one litre, five doors – £554.77

A Vantage spokesman said consumers often thought the two main reasons for car insurance rising were engine power and the price of the car, but that this is not true.

The spokesman said: "It’s clear that vehicle security features are a key factor in driving insurance costs down and some of the premium manufacturers incorporate highly advanced security as standard.”

Car insurance premiums are also affected by factors such as whether the car is kept on a street, the age of the driver, their job and previous claims history.

Loyalty is another factor behind the level of insurance premiums.

The charity Citizens Advice said last month that customers who stay with the same insurer for six years or more will subsidise everyone else.

This is because insurers’ profits are squeezed when they offer new customers cheaper deals, then make this up by charging renewing drivers more. 

In addition, car insurance premiums are expected to rise as a result of repair firms hiking the cost of crash repairs and replacement vehicles.

These areas are seeing an influx of claims management companies (CMCs), who are hunting for new ways to make money due to the decline in income following a drop off in whiplash claims.

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