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1st Central: Car insurance reviews

Name: Car insurance
Rating: 1.66 (947 reviews)

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1.51

Based on 947 reviews, last reviewed 23rd Jan 2026

100% decrease in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

31% increase in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

12%

79%

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

Bait-and-switch insurer Feels like a scam – stay away Quoted one price, then after the policy started 1st Central changed things retrospectively, increased the premium and a... Read more Reviewed on: 23rd January 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 (947)

The Deal will look attractive however

They will charge you huge administration fees - they will cease your insurace without warning for matters that they should know the answer to such as (transfer of no claims between policies) their online portal mostly doesn't work as it should. - do yourself a favour and go with someone with some street credit not mickymouse. Reviewed on: 7th September 2022

Worst insurance company

This is the worst insurance company I ever seen Reviewed on: 7th September 2022

AVOID BY ALL MEANS! absolute con artists! worst insurance company ever, over £200 charge just to cancel, over £380 to amend, do not go with these!!!!

Worst experience ever!!!!! tried to charge me £200+ just to cancel my insurance after only 2 months???!!! also massive hidden charges to policy when amending (which would have been only £10 extra per month in my situation), please be aware!! DO NOT insure with these cowboys. Cocky/threatening behaviour from phone operators who sound like are in another country, also it takes an age just to get through to them when you ring. Other insurers just updated my other policy on another car (same situation) hassle free without the £331 added premium and £50 'Admin Charge' or ridiculous £200 fee for cancelling, very unprofessional and very extortionate, an absolute disgrace of a car insurance company. Reviewed on: 6th September 2022

Con of a company- do not use

I paid around £300 for annual csr insurance. After 9 months I was told that I got the dates of my driving test (which was 20 years ago) wrong by a few months. They proceeded to charge me and extra £278. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY Reviewed on: 6th September 2022

Please listen to the poor reviews

Bad reviews are often written off as people having a whinge or a moan or a “Karen” moment … this is NOT the case with this company I have struggled for nearly 6 months, approximately 20+ hours in calls, emails, sourcing my own garage, contacting third party companies for clarification of absolute lies told to me by 1st Central … still to not even have had my vehicle approved for repair I am continuing to make payments as per my contract and all I get in return is stalling Please please seek another company for your insurance Reviewed on: 5th September 2022

No responsibility

My daughter had her car stolen, the car was recovered but required new keys as the thief had them.first central organised the new keys to her fiat 500 through a third party .all was ok for a week then the car wouldn’t start at all. The fiat dealer said the keys had corrupted the engine management system which would cost over £2000 to fix (the car is valued at about £1000) first central won’t take responsibility for the third party who wrecked the car and have even got my daughter to deal with the key company,when they should be doing it .I am livid she has been treated like this after the trauma of having her car stolen.please avoid these jokers at all costs she still has no car after 8 weeks and this lot are still fobbing her off .shameful. My email is Paperplane24@hotmail .co.uk if anybody would like to discuss this further, Steve. Reviewed on: 5th September 2022

Terrible customer service

Insurance due soon. Different price from web (higher) to a comparator web. After speaking to several ppl and been there for 1 hour. They close up the chat so need to start all over again. This is irritating!!! Thanks Mo and Zambibi for close the chat on me and waste my time. Reviewed on: 5th September 2022

Never again

Come back for more money a couple of months into a policy - Scam Insurers! Reviewed on: 5th September 2022

Dreadful

My daughter, who was on chemo at the time, rang to cancel her renewal as she had a cheaper quote. They charged her £71 admin fee and locked her out of her online account so she couldn’t access her NCB. She was so upset her cancer nurse had to phone to sort it out. I’m fuming at how much distress they caused her saying they would go to the ombudsman. Bully tactics! Reviewed on: 5th September 2022

Car insurance to avoid

A kind of insurance you don't want to have: cancellation, admin fees, interest, arrangement fees. All excuses to make you pay more and provide nothing in return. I strongly don't recommend this car insurance. Reviewed on: 3rd September 2022

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