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1st Central: Car insurance reviews

Name: Car insurance
Rating: 1.66 (915 reviews)

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1.49

Based on 915 reviews, last reviewed 23rd Aug 2025

33% decrease in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

46% decrease in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

12%

79%

Latest highest rating:

5

Easy to apply, easily understandable Easy to apply, easily understandable Reviewed on: 11th August 2025

Verified source

Latest lowest rating:

1

Terrible company The first issue was, they took money from my account, for the monthly payment, then bounced it back in and claimed I hadn't paid, (there was money in ... Read more Reviewed on: 23rd August 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 (915)

Scammers - keep well away

Would give zero. After my Son took out insurance three months in they cancelled the policy when funds were available. My son was not informed of the cancellation was stopped by Police for no insurance. The first my Son was aware. Now facing 6 points a £300 charge and loss of licence. Can't get hold of these cowboys. Will be contesting in Court and taking action against 1stCentral. They have caused massive stress on my Son and family.. please keep well away from taking out a policy with them. Solicitor has been instructed Reviewed on: 28th June 2022

Scammers

They tried to charge me ridiculous fees for no reason and charged me loads more when I cancelled. It ended up costing me £250 to be insured for the 2 months I had the policy. Never had any problems with any other Insurers. I will definitely not ever Insure with them again. Reviewed on: 27th June 2022

Avoid! They will charge fees at any opportunity.

Avoid at all costs

It appears cheap, and you know the saying "cheap is cheap". Then they call you - right after the cool down period- and request more info. Any tiny detail requests them to do a change to your form. I m not talking years of no claim insurance, type of car, where you park it etc, I m talking like getting the month right on your licence but not the day. And they charge a ton of extra money. Adding everything up, they end up being more expensive than top insurers. So yes, cheap is cheap! Reviewed on: 27th June 2022

£50 admin fee, for typing on a computer

My NCB was in its 11th year, but they said I only have 10. They only give a discount upto 9th year. Details needed updated, so they took it as a change of circumstances and applied a admin fee of £50 and £16 for a change of details! Will not use them again!! Reviewed on: 25th June 2022

thieves

they emailed me 3 months after I took out the policy and requested non claims proof and vehicle registration papers and asked me to call them. provided all, while I phoned they asked me for partner's profession. As I said a slightly different title they took it as a change of circumstances and applied a admin fee of £50 and £16 for a change of details!!!!! if i was to cancel the policy, i would have to pay £50 admin fee so will stay with them. however, i will never ever use them again. Reviewed on: 22nd June 2022

Auto renewed my policy at 200%!

Auto renewed my policy at 200%! Because they had sent an email ( that I hadn’t received ) they considered the new policy legally binding. They charged me £70 to cancel it. I told the rep if they waved the £70, I’d happily deal with them again, I’d get a quote from the right there and then! But the taking the £70 from me meant more to them than my business. Unscrupulous, avoid Reviewed on: 22nd June 2022

RIP off company

I had been chang my address and told them I chang my address so their are say will change me 250£ for change the address!! What a joke !! So I been cancle the policy strate way then their are send me I own them money for 17£ But how come !! Their are chang me monthly 1 time 67£ because I haven’t cancle my direct debit so , after their are intimidating me by email will put me to the court if I not pay them !! Unprofessional & Rip off company!! Be careful Reviewed on: 22nd June 2022

Scammers! Avoid at all costs!

Having read the other reviews, I totally agree that this company should be avoided at all costs! Quoted £25 per month which was taken for the first 2 months then month 3 - £65 was taken. They said our proof of 9 years no claims was sent to them in the wrong format, they don't accept a forwarded email we needed to send a screenshot which we did. Month 4 another £65 was taken. They then said they wanted proof of no claims from AXA our last but one insurance company. We sent that. They then said they wanted a letter rom AXA saying that we hadn't made a claim? AXA said that was what the no claims document was. We have this evening been on the telephone (cut off twice), web chat and telephone again for over 4 hours. They now say they want the documentation in PDF format! It's an absolute joke! I feel at a loss? I think I will try and get some advice off the Ombudsman tomorrow. Reviewed on: 21st June 2022

Liars and unhelpful

Recalculation of my insurance should have happened following the removal of a claim that was made against me, for an incident I was not involved in. They are telling me that the price for the fees is solely based on the information provided to them and that they do not run any internal check across the national claim database. Absolutely disgusting. I am paying more when I have done nothing wrong and never involved in any accident! Reviewed on: 15th June 2022

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