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1st Central: Car insurance reviews

Name: Car insurance
Rating: 1.67 (885 reviews)

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1.50

Based on 885 reviews, last reviewed 25th Apr 2025

200% increase in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

67% increase in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

12%

79%

Latest highest rating:

5

Happy Driver Great experience got my car insurance straight away and was able to drive it that night fantastic Reviewed on: 22nd April 2025

Latest lowest rating:

1

Cheap at first, but it will cost you later I took out a car insurance policy with 1st Central because it looked like a great deal. However, once they had all my documents, they suddenly decided... Read more Reviewed on: 25th April 2025

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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 (885)

Paid 3 times, got two refunds then claim I haven't paid!

AVOID THIS COMPANY LIKE THE PLAGUE. I ended up having 3 charges taken from my card because their website ffed up, managed to get one charge back, the second charge I had to get through my credit card because they refused to refund me, and now they are claiming I havent paid at all! Absolutely useless, I've wasted hours of my life on the phone. DISGUSTING COMPANY. Reviewed on: 3rd August 2022

WORST COMPANY IV EVER USED

I had another driver hit me while i was parked the spot that the accident was covered by cctv i told the insurance to get the cctv footage so they could use it against the other driver.. They didnt do anything i asked, they didnt offer to get my car picked up. They got another company involved with getting my car repaired, my car was collected many weeks later taken to a garage. Long story short my car was then taken from the garage an nobody knew where my car was for nearly 3 months, they had taken it to a scrap yard ready to sell without my permission as i asked for my car back to repair my self. They closed the case because there wasn't enough evidence even though the cameras would of shown everything they needed to know but they couldn't be asked to contact to cctv company.. Now they wont answer any calls. DO NOT EVER USE THIS COMPANY THEY ARE USELESS BUT HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR MONEY Reviewed on: 3rd August 2022

APPALLING SERVICE - STAY WELL CLEAR!!

APPALLING SERVICE - STAY WELL CLEAR!! My claim has been ongoing for nearly 4 months now & I’ve heard every excuse you could think of. “It’s been assigned to the wrong team”, “it’s with validations”, “it’s with a 3rd party company”, “it’s with the theft team”, “your claim handler isn’t available”, “we’re waiting for the manager to come back in”, “we need the keys to your vehicle” (the vehicle they collected with keys on the 26th April!) …The list goes on! I’m promised call backs that I never receive, I’ve already submitted a formal complaint which I was given some compensation for & told my case would be completed within 2 weeks & the service would improve. Yet 3 weeks later, I’m still waiting with no further updates despite me chasing!! Disgrace of a company, to leave a mother of 3 carless for 15 weeks with no help or support is simply disgusting! Reviewed on: 2nd August 2022

Be careful for renewal time

Bought insurance last year until july 5 and I sold my car so no renewed. They took money from my credit card without asking. Spoke to them After returned very less, they saying automatic renewed Reviewed on: 1st August 2022

Worse Company ever

I have been charged twice for the same policy and still waiting for refund after 1.5 months Reviewed on: 1st August 2022

Disgusting company

They will try anything not to pay out if you have an accident, do not touch this company with a barge pole. You have been warned . Reviewed on: 31st July 2022

Would give 0 if possible

A week ahead of my renewal, I attempted to cancel online multiple times prior to my renewal - according to their system, I don't exist. Couldn't change my password because my name or date of birth was incorrect (lol). Tried again to speak to someone on chat and I "failed the security check" which consisted of my name, DOB and email address - they wouldn't cancel it but told me to call. I called and waited for 20 minutes but no answer; who's got time? Came back from holiday and it had auto-renewed overnight - called to cancel, stop any payment from going out and they refused my DVLA proof of vehicle sale email (saying I could just edit it) and charged me £50 just to cancel it. Customer Service score: -5 Avoid like the clap Reviewed on: 31st July 2022

Avoid at all costs

Dreadful customer service Ridiculous costs when making changes to policy. I pray I don't have to claim with them. They don't deserve 1 star. Reviewed on: 31st July 2022

Terrible

Had a bad experience with these guys, cheap but not worth the hassle. They ask you to send more details and if not they ask you for basically double the amount you first paid. Absolute rip off, avoid. Reviewed on: 29th July 2022

Fraudulent company, do not use

After having taken car insurance out with them for 1 year for £591, which I paid in full, at the end of the year they sent a renewal email saying that my last years premium was £1103.97 and that the new price would be £1117.66, o called the day before renewal to day that i would not be renewing , but they already had taken the funds from my account. Could offer no explanation and charged me a £75 cancellation fee. , still waiting for the money to be refunded , absolute crooks , how can they get a 5 star trust pilot review ?? Reviewed on: 28th July 2022

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