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1st Central: Car insurance reviews

Name: Car insurance
Rating: 1.71 (965 reviews)

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1.71

Based on 965 reviews, last reviewed 7th Jun 2026

100% increase in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

15% decrease in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

11%

80%

Latest highest rating:

5

Just started my third year of car insurance cover wi... Just started my third year of car insurance cover with 1st Central. Good value for money, helpful customer service, clearly laid out website and easy ... Read more Reviewed on: 17th April 2026

Latest lowest rating:

1

Please avoid this company, money grabbers! I purchased car insurance and then found a more comprehensive cover for the same price, so within 12 hours decided to cancel whilst policy was pending... Read more Reviewed on: 7th June 2026

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About this product

With 1st Central, you can insure a single car or opt for a multicar policy. There’s also a telematics policy.

As standard, you get up to 90 days free cover when driving in Europe. There are five policies to choose from giving different levels of cover: ValueOnline, Online, LegalOnline, PlusOnline and PremierOnline.

1st Central car insurance reviews help you find out what it’s really like to be a customer. If you’ve used 1st Central before, you can also leave a review and share your experience.

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1st Central Car insurance reviews (965)

Take the money and run. AVOID

My car was reversed into by a female with insurance from this outfit. This was March 2023, it’s now October and still not resolved, they have taken 3 months to respond to correspondence from my insurance. Meanwhile I’m paying double on my insurance as it has renewed in this time and counts against me as my fault as not resolved. Company obviously take the money and offer minimal service! Reviewed on: 27th October 2023

They're the worst insurance company in the UK

They're very unhelpful. They fty and find avenues to increase your premium and they won't let you cancel your policy. My advice is to pay another provider upfront more and NOT have to deal with 1st central hassles. Reviewed on: 26th October 2023

Cruel people

My son had insurance with these , He added me & his mum as named drivers . His driving for 4 weeks was impeccable returning 98 & 99%. . I had forgot to download the black box app as was waiting till I was going to drive the car . This minor oversite resulted in them cancelling his insurance. We’re now in a situation of having very few companies willing to insure him . We were paying 1st Central £2500 , now we have 1 insurer quoting £4600 whilst everyone else wants £12000 . Tried talking to a very rude person who flatly refused to discuss our situation. For someone that was already struggling to be crucified like this due to his dad forgetting to download an app is appalling. Avoid avoid avoid . Reviewed on: 23rd October 2023

Appalling policies & customer service- avoid at all costs

I won’t go through at length the issues, but do not go with this lot. Tried to charge over £100 because my purchase year (which was actually a name change from a family member to mine) was the wrong year, despite me offering to send the original V5C as proof. They weren’t interest and wanted their 120 pounds instead. Cancelled my policy then and there. Reviewed on: 23rd October 2023

Policy analysis

I had the unfortunate luck to chat with Scottish Stephen today from policy analysis. It was like talking to an idiot who was not interested in listening to me. He was like the character from little Britain "computer says no". Once both my policies are finished next year 1st central will be getting nothing from me again. This is how they treat long term customers. No common sense Reviewed on: 20th October 2023

Hustlers

They will cancel your policy themselves then chase you for money like harassers, if they do this to you get financial ombudsman. Horrendous company Reviewed on: 19th October 2023

Extortionate fees, nothing but threats of debt collection and shocking customer service

Cancelled my policy which was fully up to date with payments, charged an extortionate fee of £94 to leave but would not provide a breakdown of what this was for. Bully/harassment tactics and threats were used to make me to make me pay. I would never use again and from my experience I would advise to stay clear! Reviewed on: 18th October 2023

AVOID AVOID

They will happily take your deposit then cancel the policy quoting that you have been a victim of identity theft WTH Reviewed on: 16th October 2023

Avoid at all costs!

Told 1st central that I was moving address and job. They then cancelled the policy unless I pay an extortionate premium up front. Refused to negotiate or offer an installment plan. Rude staff when told I want to make a complaint. Guess it was my mistake for being honest with such a crooked company. I now will likely have a cancelled policy to my name and thus will be paying extra in the future. Avoid at all costs! 0/10. Reviewed on: 13th October 2023

Awful, avoid

Only one star as it isn't possible to give zero. We decided to upgrade the family car, after looking around we liked a VW Caravelle, got a quote online to swap our current cover with 1st Central to the new car and on getting a decent quote put a deposit on the VW. I'd got the quote on the vehicles private plate and the day before we went to collect went online to change the quote to the new (original) registration but the system wouldn't find it. I tried to contact via web chat several times but kept getting removed from the system every time I connected with an agent and was then unable to log in again each time until I logged out, cleared my cookies and logged in again. I eventually got through to someone who after a long, confusing conversation told me they wouldn't insure it as it's a van. I stated that they had quoted me already all that had changed was the VRM and was told that I'd only been quoted because I'd just put 'Volkswagen' and not 'Caravelle' even though the quote clearly states 'Volkswagen Caravelle' the insinuation being that I'd given the wrong details to obtain a quote - the only details I had entered were in fact the VRM 1st Centrals own system giving the vehicles details and asking me to confirm. I explained that a Caravelle is a car not a van and is M1 Diesel Car on the logbook thus legally a car - the response was 'its a VAN we don't cover VANS' this went back and forth a bit until I gave up and rang. Same thing on the phone with a gentleman firmly but at least politely telling me my car was a van because it looked like one and his manager said it definitely was. I again tried explaining that it was classed by DVLA as M1 Diesel Car thus lawfully a car and that categories were based on the intended use of the vehicle not the chassis but they were adamant they wouldn't cover it as it was a van (his manager said so after all and what do the DVLA know) Upshot is I have to cancel my cover - £50 fee and pay 100 odd days of cover as they are adamant my car is a van and won't insure it and take my custom elsewhere. Terrible customer experience from staff who are terribly trained and do not have a clue. Reviewed on: 6th October 2023

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