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1st Central: Car Insurance reviews

Name: Car Insurance
Rating: 1.68 (859 reviews)

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1.51

Based on 859 reviews, last reviewed 31st Jan 2025

100% decrease in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

19% 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

The worst experience and the worst insurance company. The worst experience and the worst insurance company. My car broke down at the beginning of the insurance and they refused to suspend the insurance ... Read more Reviewed on: 31st January 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 (859)

Review of the 1st Central, Car Insurance:

TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If I could give 0 I would, Please please please do not waste your time or money on this 'insurer'. This company is not an insurance company they are brokers who will scam you, rob you and affect you both mentally and physically. I have no idea how this business is still running with the amount of people they are scamming. Out of the blue they cancelled my insurance, they said they needed extra documents. I was not notified at all, neither by text, phone call or post to indicate they require additional infomation. The only way I found out about this was because I checked my bank balance and they had refunded my money for the month. I gave them a call to understand why I had been refunded and only then they told me my insurance was going to be cancelled on 08/06/22 11:59pm - I FOUND OUT 10 HOURS BEFORE THE TIME IT WAS DUE TO BE CANCELLED. They expected me to pull out the documents out of thin air. To avoid this tarnishing my good record I asked the policy to be cancelled and they kept passing me over person to person - I was trying to deal with this whilst I was at work. Then in the end I had to ask them to call me back and then the lady said she will at 6:00 after I finish work. 6:00pm comes and no one has called me, instead I got a lazy email to say 'sorry we cannot cancel your insurance and there is nothing we can do'. The 'analysis' had locked my account so i was unable to cancel the policy online. Even the website is extremely dodgy, they had added a fee of £135 on my account and it said once i make the payment my account will be unlocked. I paid it and it was still locked - luckily I had sent written proof that i want my insurance cancelled and this was the only thing I had to cover my back. I called this morning and spoke to a man who was also very useless and he did nothing to help me and he kept saying to me the insurance cannot be cancelled and he has spoken to his manager. Later i conferred with a family lawyer and they advised me that what they have done is unlawful and should be reported to the ombudsmen. I then called them and threatened them with legal action and notified them that I have also contacted ombudsmen. After this they changed their tune and agreed to cancel my insurance on my behalf rather than them doing it and tarnishing my good record. This has caused me an unbelievable amount of stress and anxiety. PLEASE RUN AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY - The few pounds and pennies you save going for this insurance will only last a month before they start slapping random charges on your account. I insured my run around car with them and for a 2005 mini i essentially paid approx. £200 a month with all the charges they gave me and i only had this insurance for 2 month. I own a BMW X4m and the insurance is no where as expensive. I must say I have learnt my lesson and I will definitely do research before looking for insurance. STAY AWAY LIKE THE PLAGUE. Reviewed on: 9th June 2022

The cheapest car insurance I could find at the time...

The cheapest car insurance I could find at the time on a particular car I wanted to insure.Easy to set up on line at a reasonable price in today's overpriced market. Reviewed on: 4th September 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi PC, Thank you for your review and for choosing 1st Central this year for your car insurance. Ashley Response date: 6th September 2024

Easy to use online account with competitive insuranc...

Easy to use online account with competitive insurance for vehicles. Reviewed on: 4th September 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi Theo, Thank you for your review and for choosing 1st Central this year for your car insurance. Ashley Response date: 6th September 2024

The Worst Insurance Company, Awful, Greedy, Deceitful,

Why do 1st Central do their so called checks after the cooling off period. I would have cancelled immediately. I purchased this insurance via a comparison site and forgot to update that I am now retired, and to update this info , I am being fined £338.74. This is extortionate, and they have my card details which I will not be authorising. These people are greedy and are not cheap at all. If I had seen these reviews, I would not have purchased. I WILL SPREAD THE WORD: DO NOT GO ANYWHERE NEAR THESE PEOPLE. I could have rated a negative number if possible. Why so many bad reviews, there must be a problem. I am so angry that I will review these people everywhere!!! Reviewed on: 30th August 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi J U, 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 us to look into this further for you, please give us a call on 0333 043 2095. We’re here to help from Mon-Fri: 9am to 5pm. Ashley Response date: 2nd September 2024

I found joining them easy.

I found joining them easy. answered the phones quickly and helped me purchase insurance swiftly Reviewed on: 28th August 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi Katy, Thank you for your review and for choosing 1st Central this year for your car insurance. Ashley Response date: 2nd September 2024

I was mis-sold a change to my policy, having answere...

I was mis-sold a change to my policy, having answered their questions the way their system had them setup. Then told it was non-refundable and non-changeable, even though i had just made a change. As soon as i can i will be cancelling my policy and finding another insurer. I say as soon as i can because they tell me my policy is currently "locked". I've made no claims, just tried to add a driver through their website. Heaven help anyone who actually needs to make a claim. Reviewed on: 26th August 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi Nige, Thank you for your feedback and we're sorry that the set-up of your adjustment hasn't been as smooth as we'd have hoped. If there's anything you'd like us to look into with regards to your policy please contact us by sending an email to [email protected]. Please remember to include your policy number, claims reference number, email, name, DOB and details of what's gone wrong and we'll do our best to put it right. Ashley Response date: 27th August 2024

good price & cover service and contact with me good...

good price & cover service and contact with me good would recommend Reviewed on: 25th August 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi Barry, Thank you for your review and for choosing 1st Central this year for your car insurance. Ashley Response date: 27th August 2024

Very straight forward switch from a more expensive r...

Very straight forward switch from a more expensive renewal Reviewed on: 24th August 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi G, Thank you for your review and for choosing 1st Central this year for your car insurance. Ashley Response date: 27th August 2024

Simple insurance, managed online.

Simple insurance, managed online. Competitive prices. Reviewed on: 23rd August 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi Leanne, Thank you for your review and for choosing 1st Central this year for your car insurance. Ashley Response date: 27th August 2024

Excellent value with no hidden costs

I have had a few policies with 1st central and they have always stood out. They have great communication and regular updates without being overbearing. The policy portals are easy to use with quick access to all documents associated with the policy. With excellent value for money and no hidden extras. Reviewed on: 23rd August 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi Tillytot, Thank you for your review and for choosing 1st Central this year for your car insurance. Ashley Response date: 27th August 2024

Hassle to begin with but stuck with them!

When creating a quote, I accidentally wrote the wrong date in a box and my goodness, it kicked off a chain of events where I had to provide bits of paperwork I’ve never had to provide to any insurance companies before (I’ve been driving for 16 years). So trying to start the insurance was a lot of hassle. HOWEVER I’ve had to change parts of my policy throughout the year e.g. adding on my husband, changing car and it is very simple and straightforward on the app! A competitive quote again this year so I am staying with them. Reviewed on: 23rd August 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi Francesca, Thank you for your review and for choosing 1st Central this year for your car insurance. Ashley Response date: 27th August 2024

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