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1st Central: Car Insurance reviews

Name: Car Insurance
Rating: 1.68 (867 reviews)

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1.49

Based on 867 reviews, last reviewed 25th Feb 2025

100% decrease in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

14% 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:

2

Brilliant price. But very poor Customer Service Brilliant price on comparison site. Went with them and put partner on policy. Kept getting emails and messages, tried hardest to upload driving licenc... Read more Reviewed on: 25th 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 (867)

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

Absolute shocker of a company

So my partner had an accident which totalled his car, it's now a month and a half gone, I really don't know where to start with explaining the incompetence observed. Firstly my partner nas courtesy car cover, this took far to long to initiate with the rental company (Enterprise, who have also been completely incompetent during this) and the insurance company just not speaking to each other, both of them harassing my partner and asking him to send messages to the other company. This has been an on going issue the entirety of this claim, initially they said my partner was not at fault, then he had a letter saying it was partial fault, then he spoke to a chap who said he was fully at fault, followed by an email saying he wasn't at fault. 2 weeks into the claim, enterprise said they were taking the courtesy car off cover due to a dispute with who was at fault, my partner called his insurance who sent him an email saying they were arranging for the courtesy car to stay on cover.... Then 1st Central tried to offer 3.500k for my partner's 1 series BMW (valued at 7k) explaining thats the price any trader would pay for it, my partner explained he wasn't a trader and he'd be buying it at the prices a trader would sell it for, they came back with 4 k, this went on, and after another lengthy battle, he managed to get them to 5k which was still below the car value, but accepting it with fear of losing the will to live if this went on much more, we've found out this morning that neither party have spoken to each other and now we have a bill for the courtesy car as it wasn't put back on claim, even though they said it would be and the courtesy car should be covered until 5 days after the claim is settled and money has been received.,... Just avoid at all cost, I don't even know how they're still trading Reviewed on: 5th July 2023

Avoid like the plague!

Charged my £50 to cancel my policy one hour after setting this up online! Their Customer service was horrific. So unhelpful and indifferent. Never again! One valuable lesson learned today. I’m totally disgusted! Reviewed on: 3rd July 2023

Scam ?

Son took telematics policy out in Feb 23 - has had 2 letters warning letters for phone usage - has never used phone in car - Cannot cancel policy online - phoned today 3 "hang ups later" and numerous "holds" finally cancelled at a cost - nice work if you can get it - AVOID THESE CROOKS Reviewed on: 29th June 2023

Stay clear from this company

Stay clear from this company. I was contacted this month (June 2023) after taking an insurance policy out with them in April. They are stating that I had not put the right amount of time I have been driving for and they had to make this change on there end. I asked for proof of me putting the wrong dates in and the reply was it was done on Money Super Market website where the information was incorrect. I had directly brought the insurance through 1st central website not money super market I was just looking for comparison on there website I have then check money super market website and it stated the right amount time of year I have been driving. Because of this error which they cannot prove I am being charged £83.41 plus a £50 admin fee. They still cannot show me proof of these changes so I have know taken this to the Financial ombudsman. Reviewed on: 27th June 2023

If it was possible to give no stars I would

Absolutely shocking company,I was happy to cancel my policy at a cost of £80 after 3 weeks..Customer service is possibly the worst and rudest I have ever come across,and having ensured the cancellation payment had been taken from my bank account, the extremely rude lady processed to put the phone down.This company will more than likely come out the cheapest on various comparison sites, but for your own sanity and peace of mind DO NOT GO WITH THEM . Reviewed on: 27th June 2023

Not helpful in the event of an accident

this company is good only if there is nothing happens. I had an accident on 11th June and they took my car to investigate the damage on 13th June. It is 27st June, and they are saying it will take FEW MORE DAYS to make any progress. They have written off my car just because of a damaged bumper. No courtesy car, no help, no updates. very disappointed, will never go back to this useless company. they never call to update about the progress. I am tired of calling them to know what is happening with my claim. policy ref: FPM6016208734FC Reviewed on: 27th June 2023

Cheap for a reason

So like most people, I used a price comparison site and 1st central were the cheapest for the cover I wanted. No issues at all for years when your paying and make no claims then this year I had a bump, took around a month for them to book my car into a garage, then weeks for them to give the go ahead on repairs and no courtesy car provided even though I'm covered. No updates I've had to constantly chase things up and they keep palming me off saying someone is dealing with it and will call back and I've not had 1 person call me back. The garage blame the insurance company and vice versa. I honestly wouldn't recommend this company to anybody it almost been a month without a car Reviewed on: 22nd June 2023

Rip off insurer

If I could give zero stars I would. Be careful even the smallest incorrrect detail will have them asking for a considerable amount of money. Owned car since 2017, go to insure it in 2023 as moneysupermarket had the date of ownership as 2016 they wanted to increase policy by 25%. Feels like they are ripping off customers. Paid the cancellation fee which was not much less than they wanted rather than be insured by this cowboy outfit Reviewed on: 22nd June 2023

Car insurance repairs

Got hit by a client with 1st central had nothing but hassle with them never answer emails no contact when requested information told will send nothing happens took over 4 and a half months to get the repair done Reviewed on: 21st June 2023

Avoid- feels like they are trying to scam customers

Bought insurance for car in May, got an email to send licence documents Docs were sent no issue Got a letter to say because the dates provided were wrong that there would be an increase of £137 At no point does 1st central ask you to input the dates and the customer advisor I spoke to Said it was because this was the dates I input into confused.com Very unhelpful and unsympathetic staff on phone which would make me believe they are getting the same type of calls over and over. AVOID 1ST CENTRAL AT ALL COST I cancelled my policy on the spot as was getting no where and took a finical hit rather than to pay the additional amount Reviewed on: 16th June 2023

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