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1st Central: Car Insurance reviews

Name: Car Insurance
Rating: 1.68 (862 reviews)

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1.51

Based on 862 reviews, last reviewed 11th 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

Seems that's it's not just me experiencing the same... Seems that's it's not just me experiencing the same thing. I just read this review. The same think happened to me. Sadly, it's quite common with this ... Read more Reviewed on: 11th 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 (862)

Review of the 1st Central, Car Insurance:

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

AVOID AVOID AT ALL COSTS !! SCAM ARTISTS !!!!

Where do I start? On 29th September 2019 someone crashed into me when I was parked...long story short, it was dragged out, went to court, and non fault claim, in the mean time my car got wrote off and my premiums got raised.... flash forward to now, case has gone in my favour and all the time my premiums were raised, case has been closed, but guess what, after 5 hour calls, and one off them me being on hold for 2 hours to get disconnected over and over again...nothing, when I did get through to someone I was then passed to different departments, customer services, recoveries etc etc and having to pass security several times....my point is, I spoke with someone today 31.10.2022 and I get told because my car got changed, there now refusing to pay me back the premiums they owed me, after being told several times over the last 3 years I would get a repayment....I feel scammed, there is nothing but poor customer service, they are money hoarders and misleading and liars and I am going to make it my personal mission till I get my money back to make sure that all news outlets are aware, all review places are wrote on. Also to top it off, complained to customer services via email and phone and no outcome or reply, when it is my time for renewal, I will definitely NOT be staying with this company and I advise anyone to stay well clear of this company. Reviewed on: 31st October 2022

No refund

It’s been beyond the 10 day period and I have yet to see money returned post auto renewal that I cancelled. Reviewed on: 29th October 2022

AVOID

Thai company should be closed down! My son pays £231 a month for car insurance, never missed a payment and has an active policy, got stopped by police for having no insurance??? Absolute nightmare trying to sort it all out and 1st central couldn’t give 2 hoots and no answer as to why? AVOID Reviewed on: 25th October 2022

Ridiculous prices quoted for small policy changes

I took out car insurance with this company last week, and on second thoughts decided that i should amend average miles travelled annually from 10,000miles to 15,000. The quote increased by £127.00!!. I decided to cancel this policy as i was still within 14 days grace period. Was charged £50.00 to cancel the policy. Reviewed on: 23rd October 2022

Awful. Do not be enticed by this company.

This company are awful. I insured my car with this company after a compare site flagged them as being the cheapest. After I had paid in full, my premium went up by double based on the fact I had lived overseas for a short period. After 51 days I cancelled my policy as the premium was unbelievably high. I was charged £50 cancellation fee plus a £50 admin fee. Outrageous. Zero ethics or customer service. Reviewed on: 23rd October 2022

Absolute rip off merchants !

They are charging me £111 to change my address 6 houses down the road Please do not take insurance out with this company Reviewed on: 21st October 2022

Avoid - Awful if you actually have an accident

AVOID I assume all these positive reviews haven’t progressed through a claim. The issues began as soon as i had a non-fault accident. The whole reason you pay for a policy is to ensure an accident is dealt with in a proficient manner. I have experienced the total opposite. Initially they were looking into getting one of their own approved repairers to fix the damage caused. After almost 2 weeks of trying to get one of their repairers they advised they couldn’t get one, and that I could find one. I was able to find one within 2 days. Since then they have taken over 2 weeks to get the quote approved by one of their engineers, and I’m still waiting! The car has got water ingress due to the accident and the longer it continues the worse the damage could be. I have logged an official complaint, emailed their head of claims and operations and still have got no-where. It seems like I have done all the work and they have just hindered the claim at every stage. Having spent over 3 hours 20 minutes on the phone to them in total, and an excessive amount of emails, this is still ongoing. I’d happily give an updated review should this be resolved swiftly, but I don’t hold much hope. Reviewed on: 21st October 2022

Thieves

They have cancelled my policy without letting me know and ask to pay horrendous amounts of money after all for cancellation. Thieves and swindlers! Reviewed on: 18th October 2022

Rubbish

DO NOT EVEN THINK TO HAVE AN INSURANCE WITH THESE GUYS! Literally trying to charge for everything! To change your address you gotta pay £170... what???? And they wouldn't add another driver onto the policy! I thought that my previous provider was shit! But bloody hell.. this is SHIT! Reviewed on: 18th October 2022

Avoid more than covid

Would rather catch covid again than renew with these, £500 a month insurance and I can’t even cancel it and go to the cheaper option as it cost me £500 to cancel, they told me after I make the next payment it will drop dramatically when I try to cancel. After paying the £500 payment I checked how much it would be to cancel it is is only £10 cheaper, as far as I’m concerned if I cancel I shouldn’t be charged for any remaining months as I will not be under their policy, if I could give zero stars I would, rude awful staff who don’t know what they are doing, had one staff member end the live chat on me repeatedly, I am now stuck paying extortionate amounts and can’t change my policy Reviewed on: 18th October 2022

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