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1st Central: Car insurance reviews

Name: Car insurance
Rating: 1.5 (951 reviews)

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1.50

Based on 951 reviews, last reviewed 13th Feb 2026

100% decrease in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

23% increase in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

11%

80%

Latest highest rating:

5

Good and not too expensive Was looking for good value car insurance and found this one. Not too expensive and so far can’t say anything bad. Very easy to sign up. Reviewed on: 5th September 2025

Latest lowest rating:

1

FRAUDSTERS!!!!!!! BUYER BEWARE!!!!!!!! DO NOT BUY!!!! In 35 years of using car insurance companies, I have NEVER been robbed/conned like this before! This company comes up as cheap but I can now see why, ... Read more Reviewed on: 13th February 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.

1st Central Car insurance reviews (951)

Review of the 1st Central, Car insurance:

Awful service

Son took out insurance online. Got an email saying they needed extra docs by a certain date,which son sent. Only realised they had cancelled his policy when he saw he had extra money in his bank. No communication of ANY kind telling him what they had done. Lucky he was off for a few days. He could have been done for no insurance and he needs a clean license. Simple txt or email to let him know before they sent the refund and it could have been all sorted. Absolutely useless. Reviewed on: 3rd May 2022

Car insurance customer

Company policy is deceptive and they just want to rip off customers in every aspect. Reviewed on: 1st February 2023

Con-artists

They automatically up your insurance costs if you don't phone them. When I called and informed them of my change in occupation status, they doubled my premium. Absolutely avoid them at all costs—disgusting company. Reviewed on: 1st February 2023

Avoid

This is just a bad company, they use comparison websites and reel you in with a cheap price, Then they wait and demand more money, but will completely ignore emails… avoid Reviewed on: 1st February 2023

Rip off merchants

Purchased car insurance online. Email received “suspected identity theft” , need copy of my licence, which I sent. Further email received falsely stating had given them wrong date of driving test, they have changed my info resulting in additional £60 charge (50 of which was for admin) or insurance to be cancelled. Phoned and challenged them, they backed down, apologised for ‘mistake’. Emailed me to confirm back down. 1 week later another email ‘default notice’ demanding the £60 or will cancel policy. Phoned them, they advised latest email another ‘mistake’ As cover not due to start for another 2 weeks told them I want to cancel, with full refund of premium. They refused, stating refund would be subject to £50 admin charge, even though I was still within 2 week cooling off period and cover had not yet started. They may well be cheapest quote, but avoid them like the plague. Reviewed on: 30th January 2023

Extortionate Fees

I made a small error on my NCD (never claimed in years but only had document confirming 3 years). I had to scan/screenprint various documents to send to them and then they charged me a £50 admin fee to increase my premium by £20 (£70 total). I looked at cancelling after only 30 days insurance coverage, but they then wanted to charge me a further admin fee even though i did it online, a cancellation fee, and a further fee which resulted in me potentially owing them even more money. I have begrudgingly styed with them but dread if there is any potential claim and certainly will not be renewing. AVOID THEM. Reviewed on: 27th January 2023

Rubbish company, error in their system, severe bullying tactics, no replies to e mails only threats

Severe bullying tactics, no replies to e mails, only threats by e mail, difficult to get through on the phone, disgusting service Reviewed on: 26th January 2023

Very poorly regulated

10 year customer, never claimed but when car got stolen in Nov 2022 they have made every option not to pay out.....now going to small claims court for mismanagement of personal data Reviewed on: 26th January 2023

7 weeks and still waiting for car to be assigned for accident repair

Had a bump in my car on 7th December and contacted 1st central straight away. The other vehicle had rear end damage and went through their own insurance. They had their car assessed and repaired and back with them within 10 days. My car is still on my drive despite numerous promises that their approved repairers will be in touch. They then said they would waver the charge they add if I elected my own repairer. They then failed to communicate with the chosen repairer and failed to authorise repair. Despite numerous calls to their call centre. Now they are asking for 9 photos to be sent to them before they can authorise repair! Absolutely shocking. Noone will take ownership of this claim and each time I call I get conflicting information. Theyve given me a hire car that keeps being extended but ultimately I'm responsible for keeping the claim costs down as this effects future premiums. Am at a loss as to what to do. I keep registering complaints but it means nothing and the call takers tell me there is no manager or anybody with mire authority that I can speak to. Please AVOID AVOID AVOID Tthis company !!!! Reviewed on: 26th January 2023

terrible insurance

It was the cheapest insurance at first, I got a Black Box that picks up activity on your phone I was a passenger in my car at the time (2nd driver on policy was driving) which I set the black box to passenger which I told them and sent evidence they did not care and cancelled my insurance and gave my a mega bill to pay. i phoned up and they did not care. Reviewed on: 26th January 2023

Worst car insurance company

Terrible customer service and a lot of fees. They tried to charge me an extra £140 and £50 administration fee on top of my policy I already paid in full. When I called to inquire about these charges I was greeted by the rudest customer service agent. I cancelled my policy immediately and was charged £100 of fees just to cancel. Avoid them at all costs. Reviewed on: 25th January 2023

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