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1st Central: Car Insurance reviews

Name: Car Insurance
Rating: 1.68 (866 reviews)

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1.49

Based on 866 reviews, last reviewed 16th Feb 2025

100% decrease in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

18% 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

I changed the address to another one 200 yards away... I changed the address to another one 200 yards away from the first one. They wrote that they would pay me 17 pence extra. But my renewal went up from ... Read more Reviewed on: 16th 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.

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1st Central Car Insurance reviews (866)

3 months on and they still have my car

Tell your friends and families to avoid this company at all costs. For 3 months + they have had my car and not started the repair. They have give me dates and cancelled on when it is going to be repaired, customers services won't let me talk to a manger and can't answer any questions. They are now damaging my mental heath as I suffer from anxiety, and worried if I will get my car back, this for a front bumbler and lights. I have had to go to the Financial Ombudsman service to start a case and get cooperation for the mental torture they have caused me. If you need their help here is the web page https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/ I have never been treated like this every in my life before, I really mean what I say about not using them, they are not fix to be in business, don't let your families and friends be treated like this. Reviewed on: 10th May 2022

Late fees galore

Got payment date changed to avoid late fees, they agreed. They didn't bother changing the date and I got charged the late fee AGAIN. Called up they apologized and changed date and said they'd removed the late fee. They didn't and when I called up again said a load of nonsense and they have to talk to a manager. Fed up paying late fees because of their mistakes! Avoid! Reviewed on: 9th May 2022

Do not use this company

Decided to add an additional £140 to my policy because I was unable to provide details of a claim I had declared from 2019. I had declared it was a stationary accident in a car park and that it was my fault when taking out the insurance. I didn’t have the additional information so they added an additional £140. I cancelled the insurance at an additional cost to me of £190. Disgraceful service Reviewed on: 6th May 2022

Shocking service. Validation process gets lost in amongst promotional emails and my insurance has increased without any explanation.

Received validation checks, supplied all documents. Insurance increased, no explanation in the emails and the life chat service was unavailable all day today as “all agents are busy” in amongst this 1st central sent me multiple promotional emails trying to promote a £50 referral scheme. I would not recommend this company to anyone. Abismal service Reviewed on: 6th May 2022

Please avoid at all costs

I am currently on hold with this dreadful company. I haven't even started the policy yet and went through my policy and decided within a week that this company is not the right insurance company for my needs they are not fit for purpose. They have charged me for not going ahead with the policy and it is £50 and claiming it is called an arrangement fee. However they have said they are not a Brookers and yet charging customers arrangement fees. Absolutely disgraceful. Please avoid. Reviewed on: 5th May 2022

Cowboys - make sure to complain!

I’ve used them for the first time recently and like many others were hit with an extra charge after they asked me to send additional docs in and low and behold the date I passed my test was wrong as well as NCD. I argued regarding my NCD but can’t see how I possibly put the wrong date down for passing my test but either way I accepted that must’ve been my error. I believe it’s down to pre saved data in these comparison sites and 1st Central are sneaking in catching people out after the usual cooling off period so they can throw cancellation charges left right and centre. I found the staff rude, one hung up on me, was passed around, failed promises until I eventually raised a complaint and a manager has called back and offered me compensation and apologised. My extra charges have also been fully written off so PLEASE don’t just accept their crap, if you feel they have been shoddy then make that complaint. They are meant to be offering customer service but you can barely call it that at present. I appreciate a small amount of compensation doesn’t always fix an issue but if they are trying to shove your premium up and have treated you badly then raise a complaint and get the comp offered to take the edge off. Every little helps in this day and age!! Reviewed on: 4th May 2022

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

It's an unbelievable ,how this company, can exist in England. They have a horrible behaviour with the clients. Are focused to make money at any ways. Best advice:just neglected Reviewed on: 2nd May 2022

No Claims Proof Issues

I've never had any issues with 1st Central until it came to obtaining my proof of No Claims discount. Long story cut short, 1st Central admitted to an admin error / glitch which meant the wrong number went on my certificate and after being passed around different departments who each claimed it wasn't their issue, i spoke to Chris today who sorted it out for me (a week after i had originally tried to sort the problem) and explained what had happened. I had been cut off from multiple phonecalls and online chats regarding this issue and almost had my new insurer cancel on me because of this issue. So absolutely awful service in resolving this problem from everyone apart from Chris in Customer Service, he gets 5* and deserves a raise but everyone else needs training on basic jobs such as not cutting off an online chat or call as they don't seem to understand how detrimental a policy being cancelled on you is. Reviewed on: 28th April 2022

Still waiting for repairs 6 months on!

1st central car insurance are absolute liars with no care for customers. Had an accident in November and, up to now, they give endless excuses as to why repairs haven't started for a claim they accepted. Raised a complaint via resolver and considering taking them to small claims court as well Reviewed on: 27th April 2022

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