In the UK new models of motor vehicles are given an insurance group rating which insurers find helpful as one of the ways in which they determine a driver's premium. Factors used to calculate group ratings include the following so you may wish to consider them when purchasing your car:

• Damage and Parts Costs
• Repair Times
• New Car Values
• Body Shells
• Performance
• Car Security

You can look up the group rating for cars that you are considering buying at the Association of British Insurers site, www.abi.org.uk.

To find the cheapest and generally best car for your needs you can do research online. There are many lists of cars that are cheapest to insure in the UK. One list can be found at money.uk.msn.com and includes cars such as the Ford Fiesta 1.6, 16v, Si (which is group 8 car) and the Citroen Saxo 1.6i VTR (which is group 7 vehicle).

Once you have decided on a vehicle and purchased it you can look for affordable car insurance UK here.