Write a review

1st Central: Car Insurance reviews

Name: Car Insurance
Rating: 1.68 (866 reviews)

View other 1st Central products

1.49

Based on 866 reviews, last reviewed 16th Feb 2025

100% decrease in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

18% 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

I changed the address to another one 200 yards away... I changed the address to another one 200 yards away from the first one. They wrote that they would pay me 17 pence extra. But my renewal went up from ... Read more Reviewed on: 16th February 2025

Read all reviews See your review

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 (866)

Review of the 1st Central, Car Insurance:

Avoid 1st Central Car Insurance at all costs.

Avoid 1st Central Car Insurance. They come up as the cheapest on many insurance comparison websites but they make their money through high administration fees any time you or they make changes to your policy. They requested added information 30 days after I applied and with only 1 day to go in my 14 day period, so when I had a disagreement over the documents I couldn't get out within the 14 day grace period. When they find fault in your documents, they don't explain what the problem is online and you can't make any changes to your policy until you've paid the admin fee. The call centre operator had an extremely noisy background (yelling and laughing) so I couldn't hear what was being said. They also failed to action something I requested over the phone. Two separate operators gave me incorrect information as to why my policy was being changed and why I had to pay the admin fee, wasting a day of my time and one less day to get this all sorted. They made it as difficult as possible for me to give them the new information to have the admin fee removed - I couldn't just upload to my online account and I have to call them once I've sent the documentation otherwise my email goes to the back of the 5 day long queue and I'll miss the due date. Most people wouldn't bother and just accept the fee, but that is how they make their money. I'll be cancelling as soon as possible. Could not imagine trying to go through this process if I ever had to make a claim. Reviewed on: 12th November 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi J A K, Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear about your experience with us. All details on the policy impact the price of the policy we offer, if details are found to be incorrect we need to update them and this can impact the price of the policy. If you’d like to speak to the team about this process, please give us a call on 0333 043 2095. We’re here to help from Mon-Fri: 9am to 5pm. We’ll use your comments to help improve our service. Ashley Response date: 13th November 2024

the duplicate your policy by accident.

the duplicate your policy by accident....I did get a refund for this but it was a headache.... I called them when i got a new car to cancel and go with someone else and they didn't do it so months later I had to ring them up again where they required email proof I was with someone else.....then said they have to wait to get that email cause the person on the phone couldnt see emails....will not be going with them again. Reviewed on: 20th January 2025

Reply from 1st Central Hi Tzice, We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be. We’ll use your comments to help improve our service. Ashley Response date: 21st January 2025

Ridiculous charges

I’m still with 1st central unfortunately and have only been with them a few months otherwise I’d cancel but ever since signing up the payment fails to come out my bank coincidentally so then I’m hit with a £15 fee every month but it seems to take the payment when I do it manually online you don’t need to be a genius to work out 12 months of £15 is an extra £180 they are going to get off me for the year for an error on their behalf. Reviewed on: 16th January 2025

Reply from 1st Central Hi Bradley, We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be. We advise of our late payment fee when a policy is set up. We also have this FAQ - https://help.1stcentralinsurance.com/motor/payments-and-fees/why-have-i-been-charged-extra-on-my-direct-debit You can also move your monthly payment date, we have this FAQ for this - https://help.1stcentralinsurance.com/motor/payments-and-fees/can-i-change-my-car-insurance-payment-date Please speak to our team on 0333 043 2088 or speak to us on web chat which can be found on our website. We’re here to help from Mon-Fri: 8am to 8pm, Sat: 9am to 5pm, Sun: 10am to 2pm. They can assist you with moving this date. Ashley Response date: 17th January 2025

So my son passed his test 27th Apr 2023,he was stopp...

So my son passed his test 27th Apr 2023,he was stopped by the police may 27th 2023,he went to court 5th Dec 2023,where he was convicted of a DG10 and recieved 12 month ban. 1st central were the cheapest insurance we could find since getting his licence back and still cost £3,881 for the year paid in full 8-12-24,1st central are now trying to say we put wrong date he passed his test (we didnt) and also saying we put wrong date he was convicted we put 5-12-23 the date he went to court and was convicted, but apparently that's wrong we should have put the date the offence occurred 27-5-23?? But he was NOT convicted on that date, and are now demanding another £1,908.75 2 change the dates we apparently put wrong (which are not wrong) otherwise they are cancelling his insurance!! Absolutely disgraceful that they can do this,and how they think it's acceptable to be charging £6,000 for 12 months car insurance, may I add,that is just bog standard fully comp,no added extras,breakdown cover or anything like that,and he also has a telematics box too. I will be cancelling his policy and I will also be contacting the ombudsman and the FCA regarding this as I think it's absolutely disgusting they can get away with this!! Reviewed on: 6th January 2025

Reply from 1st Central Hi Bridget, Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear about your experience with us. All details on the policy impact the price of the policy we offer, if details are found to be incorrect we need to update them and this can impact the price of the policy. If you’d like to speak to the team about this process, please give us a call on 0333 043 2095. We’re here to help from Mon-Fri: 9am to 5pm. If there’s anything you’d like us to look into for you, please contact us by sending an email to [email protected]. Please include your policy number and details of what’s gone wrong, and we’ll see if we can put things right. Ashley Response date: 8th January 2025

Distrustful customer service

Spent two separate calls of 10-15min in the past week (Christmas time) trying to get two 1st Central advisors to accept my annual mileage estimation (average based on last 3yrs worth of MOT certificates) and 1st Central flat out didn't want to believe me! In over 20yrs of insuring cars I've never once been treated with such distrust over my submitted details. Awful company that I'll be going out of my way to avoid once my policy runs out. God help me if I need to process a claim! Reviewed on: 23rd December 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi Albert, Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear about your experience with us. All details on the policy impact the price of the policy we offer, if details are found to be incorrect we need to update them and this can impact the price of the policy. If you’d like to speak to the team about this process, please give us a call on 0333 043 2095. We’re here to help from Mon-Fri: 9am to 5pm. Ashley Response date: 27th December 2024

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

STAY AWAY THEY CAN NOT BE TRUSTED!!!

I recently had an incredibly frustrating experience with 1st Central Car Insurance that I feel compelled to share. From start to finish, the service was appalling, with a series of lies, unprofessional behaviour, and unnecessary charges. First and foremost, I was left speechless when they ended the phone call on me not once, but twice. Despite being promised a call back, no one ever reached out to follow up. It’s clear they have no regard for their customers’ time or concerns. The lies told by the representatives were downright infuriating. Every time I spoke with someone, the information I received seemed to contradict what was said previously. I was given conflicting details about policy changes and cancellation fees, which left me completely confused and frustrated. Speaking of the cancellation fees, I was charged an outrageous £50 to cancel the policy. However, when I checked their website, it clearly stated the cancellation fee should be £35. This inconsistency only added to my frustration, especially since I was given no explanation for the higher charge. The situation became even more ridiculous when my son switched jobs from an Admin Assistant to a Sales Executive. For this small change, 1st Central increased his policy by a shocking £848. It’s hard to understand how a job title change could result in such a massive price hike, especially when no substantial risk factor was added. The lack of professionalism continued when I spoke with a manager who was not helpful in resolving the issue. Not only did they insist on seeing my son’s contract as proof of his job, but they also requested a payslip. Who asks for a payslip to make a policy adjustment? It’s not something any reasonable insurer would demand. This level of scrutiny was completely unnecessary. To top it all off, 1st Central made numerous mistakes on their end throughout this process. From incorrect information to errors in how they handled the policy details, it became clear that this company is disorganised and untrustworthy. I would never recommend 1st Central to anyone looking for reliable and professional car insurance. Their customer service is abysmal, their pricing is unreasonable, and they don’t care about resolving issues or treating customers fairly. Avoid them at all costs. Reviewed on: 17th December 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi Malik, Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear about your experience with us. All details on the policy impact the price of the policy we offer, if details are found to be incorrect we need to update them and this can impact the price of the policy. If you’d like to speak to the team about this process, please give us a call on 0333 043 2095. We’re here to help from Mon-Fri: 9am to 5pm. Ashley Response date: 27th December 2024

Took out policy.

Took out policy. An error was made on our behalf but customer services accused me of committing fraud. Then told me I would not owe them any money once policy was cancelled and then sent an invoice. Unable to speak to anyone on the phone and emails are bounced back. AVOID this company at all costs. Reviewed on: 3rd December 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi Alison, We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be. Let’s see if we can help put this right for you. Just give our team a call on 0333 043 2095. We’re here to help from Mon-Fri: 9am to 5pm. Ashley Response date: 4th December 2024

BEWARE!! Ludicrous charges! THEY DO NOT CARE!!

Took out insurance and over a week later they asked for proof of NCB and proof of claims. Asked my last insurance provider for this. When I didn’t get them in time they charged £175. I had told them I had contacted twice to get these documents. I decided to cancel after nearly 4 weeks and for this I was charged £156, minus my first payment, despite their website saying it’s a £10 cancellation fee after 14 days!! Very impersonal service and completely ridiculous charges!! Felt as though they grabbed me with a cheap quote and then added on extras to make money. My monthly payment went from £37 to £55!! Felt like dealing with robots whose job is to add money on excessively!! Wish I’d read these reviews first!! Reviewed on: 29th November 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi Katharine, Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear about your experience with us. All details on the policy impact the price of the policy we offer, if details are found to be incorrect we need to update them and this can impact the price of the policy. If you’d like to speak to the team about this process, please give us a call on 0333 043 2095. We’re here to help from Mon-Fri: 9am to 5pm. Ashley Response date: 2nd December 2024

I have cancelled my policy, had them confirm it seve...

I have cancelled my policy, had them confirm it several times it's been cancelled, and I have now just been sent a default notice. The online chat has been no help and said they can't communicate with the accounts team about it, I am now being threatened and have no idea how to rectify this, they deny all knowledge of these email threats. Reviewed on: 28th November 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi Ellen, We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be. Please speak to our team on 0333 043 2088 or speak to us on web chat which can be found on our website. We’re here to help from Mon-Fri: 8am to 8pm, Sat: 9am to 5pm, Sun: 10am to 2pm. They can look in to this for you. We’ll use your comments to help improve our service. Ashley Response date: 29th November 2024

Ok where do I start !

Ok where do I start !!!!!! If you want to get car insurance then look else where !!!!!!!!! I have spent more time on the phone trying to get help with my policy than I ever have with all my other policy’s in the last 31 years !!!!!!!!!!!!! People say they will call you back and even email you……….they don’t !!!!!!!!!! Their call centre is in South Africa and I couldn’t really understand the call workers……and this just build up the blood pressure!!!!!!! I am sure they try and keep you from getting all ur paperwork sorted in the first 14 days so they can then hit you with a £50 admin fee like they did to me :( and I have sent sooooooo many emails and wasted soooooo much time trying to do this in the first 14 days that yes I do feel hard done by !!!!!! I really feel hard done by as it’s their poor admin why I am now having to pay an admin fee !!!!!!! I have opened up a complaint : Your case reference: 34639373 Our reference:FPM6022725531FC And if I do ever hear back from them and they do me right I will come back to this review and do an update………..but I am more than sure they won’t !!!!!!! Please learn from my mistake and don’t just go for the cheaper option as it really is not worth the hassle………some times in life you realise that you are dealing with amateurs…………….. :( Please be warned !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Reviewed on: 15th November 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi Kevin, Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear about your experience with us. All details on the policy impact the price of the policy we offer, if details are found to be incorrect we need to update them and this can impact the price of the policy. I can see this has been raised to our complaints team. I've passed your review on to them. Once they have investigated your complaint, they'll be in contact with you. We’ll use your comments to help improve our service and training for our agents. Ashley Response date: 18th November 2024

Do you have a different 1st Central product?

Share your experiences with products to help others make smarter financial decisions and learn more about different products available. Write a review

Alternative products

Car Insurance
from Marshmallow 1.65 from 297 reviews
Car Insurance
from M&S Bank - Marks and Spencer 1.59 from 96 reviews
Caravan Insurance
from Ripe Insurance 4.92 from 5028 reviews

There's still more to see!

1st Central has a range of products available. Check the ratings of each product to find the right one for you. View all products

Join Smart Money People

Keep up to date on ratings of your favourite businesses. Find out about our awards and write new reviews with ease

Create an account

News, guides and insight from our team

View resource hub