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1st Central: Car Insurance reviews

Name: Car Insurance
Rating: 1.68 (863 reviews)

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1.51

Based on 863 reviews, last reviewed 13th Feb 2025

100% decrease in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

32% decrease in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

12%

79%

Latest highest rating:

5

Very good quote on car insurance, and recommended on... Very good quote on car insurance, and recommended on go compare site Reviewed on: 25th September 2024

Latest lowest rating:

1

Horrendous SCAM. Horrendous SCAM. Decided they would add another £347 to the policy for a change of job, which was from working at a till in a Post office to Shop assi... Read more Reviewed on: 13th February 2025

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About this product

Here at Smart Money People, we collect 1st Central car insurance reviews from genuine customers, to help you make an informed decision about your next provider.

1st Central was founded in 2008 and has been growing fast ever since. Specialising in car insurance, the brand offers a variety of products with different levels of cover, including a telematics policy for newer drivers.

When choosing a new policy, take the time to ensure it is suitably robust and meets all of your needs. Do you want breakdown cover included in the policy? Do you need legal cover? What about cover for any medical expenses that may occur after an accident? Working out your priorities before searching for a policy can make the selection process much easier. Check out our 1st Central car insurance reviews to find out what others think.

Have you had a car insurance policy with 1st Central? Whether good or bad, share your experience with the Smart Money People community to help us increase trust and transparency in financial services. Were you satisfied with the price of the premium? Did you have any interactions with the customer service team? Leave a 1st Central car insurance review today to help other drivers just like you.

1st Central Car Insurance reviews (863)

Review of the 1st Central, Car Insurance:

I had a policy with 1st Central three years ago, an...

I had a policy with 1st Central three years ago, and my experience was terrible, as I outlined in a review back then. Unfortunately, I feel compelled to write another review because a month ago, they started harassing me for a payment that I had already paid in full three years ago. Initially, I thought the letters were a scam because the policy was settled, and I had no outstanding balance. However, I then received a court letter demanding payment. Since then, I have been desperately trying to get an explanation from 1st Central. After multiple calls, they themselves admitted verbally that I had paid the amount in full and that they didn’t understand why their system said I owed money. Despite this acknowledgment, 1st Central referred me to JC International Acquisition to deal with the matter. This company is impossible to contact—I have called over 100 times, left voice messages, sent emails, and submitted forms, all without any meaningful response. When I finally got a short reply, they told me they couldn’t help and had referred my case to BW Legal. When I contacted BW Legal, they told me they couldn’t do anything and that I needed to speak with JC International Acquisition. This back-and-forth between companies has been exhausting and stressful, all because of 1st Central’s error. 1st Central now refuses to provide my payment history, likely because they are aware they made a mistake. They have locked my file and refuse to give me any further information. For a policy that was active three years ago and canceled after just two weeks due to their lack of transparency, I now find myself in this frustrating and unnecessary situation. I have proof, including bank statements, showing that I paid every penny. I am prepared to go to court over this. This company has been sending me in endless circles, causing immense stress, and their refusal to resolve the issue is appalling. Based on my experiences, both three years ago and now, I can only describe this company as untrustworthy and a scam. Avoid them at all costs. Reviewed on: 22nd December 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi Suzi, Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be. We would like to look into this further for you to help resolve this, please send an email to [email protected] with your policy number a summary of your experience similar to your review and we will look into it. Ashley Response date: 27th December 2024

Poor customer service

Hello, I canceled my insurance with this company. The reason is that every time I call them, the cut the line for no reason. When I canceled my insurance with them, they asked me for 192 The worst company. I do not advise anyone to insure with these companies Reviewed on: 12th March 2024

Scam unhelpful avoid at all costs

After paying through the roof for insurance policy I had to make a claim for an accident that wasn’t my fault provided them with dash cam footage they still haven’t declared it as not at fault claim I’ve asked to cancel my claim after this experience and after being told that my car is a write off even though I had it valued at £7500 and the cost of repairs from a garage for £220. They came to this conclusion after not even looking at my car and not asking to see pictures. They then said that I had no choice but to accept total loss. I ended up hanging up on the call because they would not let me proceed in any other direction. They have also said it will affect my no claims even though I have paid for no claims protection and I wasn’t at fault either. Should never have made a claim in the first place but that’s the point of having insurance not even sure what I’m paying for. Have raised a complaint had no helpful response other than that they were following their policies. Absolute rubbish! Please avoid!!! Reviewed on: 11th March 2024

Doubled the cost of my policy, scam artists!

Terrible experience, scam artists! after paying for my policy in full they then doubled the amount of my policy (which equated to half the cost of my car). I have held my licence for 13 years i am not an inexperienced driver. I had communicated several time via email however just got automated responses, requested calls back on multiple occasions which were ignored. I couldn't cancel or amend the policy until I paid double what they quoted, despite my numerous attempts at communication that was ignored however they emailed me about my "debts". When I called and eventually spoke to someone to see what solutions there were they advised i can cancel my policy they advised i would still be liable for the arrangement fee of £50 (even though i had advised i would stay with them) and they also charge a cancellation fee on top of that of £50. so i have paid £100 admin fee for an awful service. Reviewed on: 5th March 2024

Misleading- do not buy

Before taking the policy out I read the policy details and it indicated that I met the criteria to drive other insured cars third party. There is nowhere to check that is the case on the site as there is with other insurers such as Admiral. The second I got my policy documents (15:06) I contacted them to check this, they didn’t cover me for this and won’t allow me to add this on. So I requested to cancel immediately, I am told that despite it being set up minutes earlier I would be charged £50 and for the days cover. I asked for discretion as this seems absurd, it had been mere minutes and I obviously hadn’t driven anywhere, and apparently the manager whose name Tamzine refused to give me, declined this. This is absurd. Please do not buy from these cowboys, mislead you into buying something. Also advertise as having no cancellation fees within 14 days but make no mention that you have to pay £50 to cancel anyways under the guise of an ‘arrangement fee’. Reviewed on: 4th March 2024

Started my policy in Feb 2023, got sent automatic re...

Started my policy in Feb 2023, got sent automatic renewal in Feb 2024. Decided to get rid of my diesel bmw before renewal. Asked for a quote for my new car for the remainder of my policy. Got charged £100, then got renewed price through and it was £16000!!! Rang them and cancelled, got charged £25. Kept getting renewed emails for my old car saying they will automatically renew after I had cancelled. Cancelled my policy online 5 DAYS before end of policy, then lost 1 year off the policy. Should have 5 years NCD only got 4 because I cancelled before the end of the policy by 5 days. There was no warning anywhere which said I would lose 1 year because I cancelled. Appalling customer service. Avoid this company like the plague. I feel fortunate that I didn’t have to make a claim. Imagine that!!! Reviewed on: 27th February 2024

Avoid lol

Got my insurance for a cheap price. They randomly cancelled my insurance no warning. And then blamed it on me not registering the other drivers even tho I wasn’t given instructions to do so. I spoke to customer service and just replied “alright anything else that I can help you with” after doing nothing at all Reviewed on: 23rd February 2024

Got in a crash and had my car wrote off.

Got in a crash and had my car wrote off. Other party involved was liable for the crash and they accepted liability but the claims team still tried saying it was my fault and needed dash can footage for a side impact crash. It took them 2 months to pay me out and valued me £600 for a car I could’ve sold to we buy any car for £1500. I was told with my courtesy car it would be arranged for pickup the day the car goes to the scrap company, I was waiting 2-3 weeks for the courtesy car and I use my car to get to and from work. Now to today when I cancelled my insurance 3 weeks ago when the courtesy car was taken as I have no need for insurance I receive an email saying they’re cancelling my policy effect immediately and charging me £3000 for cancellation. Id stay away they’re scammers Reviewed on: 23rd February 2024

Avoid extremely poor

Avoid. Daughter insured with these. She was hit in the rear and other driver accepted liability. She’s now been offered £5000 for a car that’s worth £6500. She said she would reluctantly accept £5500. They say no and have constantly threatened her too accept the offer and cancel paying for the rental. They’ve wrote it off and that took 3 month to find out they had too. Still don’t have an engineers report why and what for? Asked for written valuation reports on how they came to this value? Said they’d emailed it multiple times. Still not received. It’s made my daughter poorly and I have had to take it over on her behalf. They full face lie on the phone and when they don’t like the way it’s going, hang up on you. All Indian p/foreign people on the phone, following scripted responses etc. Made an official complaint now and will be wanting a final response in 3 weeks ( 8 weeks total ). Then it’s off too the ombudsman or solicitors after that. She sustained whiplash and concussion during the crash. She was stationary and hit in rear at 40mph. They won’t discuss her injury claims and just say you’ll have to wait and can’t provide a update. 4 months on now. Absolute joke… Please avoid this company. Research the underwriter. I’d never heard of them before when I did. 2 out of 5 they get for customer support. I’m starting to wonder if the lady that hit my daughter has the same insurer or underwriter? I’ll find that out I think before I get legal advice. Please avoid. I will never use this firm again… Reviewed on: 22nd February 2024

Truly Terrible Customer Service

My wife took out car insurance with 1st Central via Money Supermarket as they were competitively priced, all was good until we were asked to contact them to speak to the Policy Analysis Team, what followed was an absolute disaster, we were both relentlessly pressured to change our job titles to a more exact phrasing over and over and over by the Policy Analysis Team when we had initially provided truthful information and were consequently hit with a £50 admin charge to change these details for no reason, then my wife was asked for her no claims bonus from two years (two insurances ago) ago and because she didn't have it to hand was kept on hold for 20 minutes and then advised she had incurred a further £22 admin charge as the Policy Analysis Team had to investigate this, after leaving the call in tears she was then issued a renewed statement of fact where the majority of the details incurring the admin charges had not been actioned. We made numerous attempts to contact 1st Central asking that because of this the charges were dropped and were stonewalled at every turn with different totals of admin fees mentioned during each call, we raised a complaint and was given an excuse that the issue was just an IT issue and no admin fees were being dropped followed by the complaint being closed. In the end my wife had to pay £72 to cancel the policy (just to get away), to summarise, she was charged for unnecessary changes which weren't changed on her policy, charged for not having evidence of a no claims bonus from two years ago, no updated policy provided, complaint ignored and then no notification of cancellation of policy - do not be fooled by their low cost on the comparison sites! Thoughts and prayers for anyone who has to make an actual claim with this company - AVOID Reviewed on: 22nd February 2024

Con artist

In the space of 3 weeks of signing up my policy doubled. If I would like to cancel I can but pay a charge of £110. I was advised by staff it is not uncommon price change daily and can go up by 47% is quite normal. Staff read from script therefore a human conversation is impossible, very frustrating. I was with Admiral for 7 years I only changed due a cheaper quote a very silly.mistake being the quote has now doubled Reviewed on: 22nd February 2024

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