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1st Central: Car insurance reviews

Name: Car insurance
Rating: 1.67 (903 reviews)

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1.51

Based on 903 reviews, last reviewed 17th Jun 2025

400% increase in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

32% increase in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

12%

79%

Latest highest rating:

5

Found you online,needed a cheap quote,you certainly... Found you online,needed a cheap quote,you certainly provided it.Thank you Reviewed on: 3rd June 2025

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Latest lowest rating:

1

It feels dishonest and manipulative!! Avoid them!! I initially received a quote over the phone, which I agreed to, and even got a confirmation email with the agreed amount. Later, I received another em... Read more Reviewed on: 17th June 2025

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About this product

1st Central Car insurance reviews (903)

Review of the 1st Central, Car insurance:

Shambles!

My insurance increased from £780 to £1080 after another year of no claims. Obviously, I then wanted to cancel my policy. I spoke to the online chat where I cancelled my policy and I received a confirmation email for this. £1080 was then taken from my account a few days later suggesting my policy was being renewed, even though I confirmed I was not renewing a few days prior! Having spoken to customer services, it will take up to 10 working days to get this money back. Absolutely shambolic. I will never use this company again and I will ensure all close family and friends do not use 1st central either. Disgusting. Reviewed on: 1st June 2025

Reply from 1st Central Hi Tyler, We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be. We’ll use your comments to help improve our service and training for our agents. Ashley Response date: 2nd June 2025

AVOID THIS COMPANY AT ALL COSTS APPALLING COMPANY IF...

AVOID THIS COMPANY AT ALL COSTS APPALLING COMPANY IF YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT THEY DO NOT LISTEN TO YOU OR FIGHT YOUR CLAIM A 3RD PARTY HIT MY SON HE TURNED OUT OF HIS LANE INTO MY SON ON A DUAL CARRIAGEWAY AND APPARENTLY ITS 50 /50 CASE LAW SAYS BOTH ARE AT FAULT SO MY SONS FAULT TOO EVEN THOUGH HE STAYED IN HIS OWN LANE AND DIDNT MOVE HE HAD NEARLY PASSED THE DRIVER WHEN HE DECIDED TO CHANGE LANES AND HIT HIM YET THE INSURANCE COMPANY DO NOT FIGHT THE LIABILITY JUST TAKE THE NO CLAIMS WITHOUT PAYING ANYONE OUT AND WITHOUT NOTIFICATION ABSOLUTELY AWFUL AVOID AVOID AVOID BECAUSE THEY ARE CHEAP DOES NOT MEAN GOOD AVOID AVOID AVOID Reviewed on: 10th November 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi Joanne, We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be. If there’s anything you’d like us to look into for you, please contact us by sending an email to [email protected]. Please include your policy number and details of what’s gone wrong, and we’ll see if we can put things right. Ashley Response date: 11th November 2024

High £30 admin fee

High £30 admin fee when you have to call them even when it's something you can't change online. They don't warn you at beginning of call Reviewed on: 28th October 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi K p, We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be. We advise of our admin fees when a policy is set up. If a change is made over the phone the admin fee is £30, if it's made online it's £25. If you attempt to make a change online and have an issue, please advise our colleagues and they will amend this to £25 for you. We also advise of our fees here - https://help.1stcentralinsurance.com/motor/payments-and-fees/what-are-your-car-insurance-fees-and-charges. We’ll use your comments to help improve our service. Ashley Response date: 29th October 2024

AVOID. 0 STARS.

DO. NOT. USE. THEM. I was in a crash and told it was my fault, then two weeks later phoned again and told it wasn’t and first central had made an error, that this is unacceptable and I will not be liable and get compensation. Then, after around 25 hours of calls and constant hounding, silence Months later I get a letter saying I am liable, the case is closed and my insurance is going up, and I will be writing to the ombudsman to take this further Do not let them handle ANYTHING for you, they don’t communicate between teams and have cost me thousands Reviewed on: 21st October 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi AR, We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be. We'd like to look into this further for you to help resolve this, please send an email to [email protected] with your policy number a summary of your experience similar to your review and we will look into it. Ashley Response date: 23rd October 2024

Such a awful customer service with foreign agents wh...

Such a awful customer service with foreign agents who had no compassion and understanding of company structure. It's a shamble of management. Their website is full of bugs and the process is ancient. Reviewed on: 20th October 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi Saeed, We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be. We’ll use your comments to help improve our service and training for our agents. Ashley Response date: 21st October 2024

Shocking service

Tried to cancel policy because doubled my policy price just outside 40 days from renewal date received quote of £81 to cancel rang back to do so increased to £135! Helpline said because of 3 days interest asked to speak to supervisor on hold for over 30 mins appalling customer service do not touch!!! Reviewed on: 18th October 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi Penelope, We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be. We'd like to look into this further for you to help resolve this, please send an email to [email protected] with your policy number a summary of your experience similar to your review and we will look into it. Ashley Response date: 21st October 2024

They drew money from my account

I did not renew the policy this year, but they withdrew money from my bank account. I have been trying to talk to them for the last two months without any success. I am currently holding my phone for the last 57 minutes trying to talk the right person about this. Reviewed on: 17th October 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hello, Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be. Let’s see if we can help put this right for you. Just give our team a call on 0333 043 2066 or speak to us on web chat which can be found on our website. We’re here to help from Mon-Fri: 8am to 8pm, Sat: 9am to 5pm, Sun: 10am to 2pm. We’ll use your comments to help improve our service and training for our agents. Ashley Response date: 18th October 2024

Frustrating

I've been with this company for the past few years. I've just bought a new car and was trying to sort a new policy as mine for my old car was about to run out. It was so frustrating trying to get through on the phone. I can't imagine that many people are phoning. After getting through I was passed in 3 times and the options are not clear and two people couldn't help me. Finally got to speak to one person, they was called Aphiwe. She just could not understand me. I was born and have lived in England all my life. How can a company based in England have staff who cannot understand me. After getting an awful quote I decided to look on a comparison website. Somehow found a better deal on there? Today I spoke to someone called Jonathan on the online chat. He was so miserable and blunt on there. I asked how to do something and all I got was a 2 word answer. Unfortunately i cannot be bothered to deal with the faff if finding another insurance company. I don't think I will be renewing next year. I dread to think how difficult it could be to claim if there was an accident. Reviewed on: 7th October 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi Kelly, We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be. We’ll use your comments to help improve our service and training for our agents. Ashley Response date: 8th October 2024

Disaster Waiting to happen

I was quoted £790 for car insurance after filling ALL the required details ( an accident of my own making) two years ago, and accepted by thus Company, Two weeks after receiving my documents I am asked to supply my record of 21 years NCB which I emailed to them and asked for verification that they had received it.Next thing I get in return is a demand of £290 because they had received the 21 years NCB a day later,which to me sounded absolutely ludicrous. So after receiving the email I ring the number and get connected to Cape Town, South Africa!! Needless to say after talking to their representative I decided to cancel this policy,and it was on the fifteenth day of commencement,quoting the fourteen days cooking off period. I was informed that I will receive £630 approx shortly. I am not going to hold me breath,BUT if this is the way this company operates I think I made a wise decision to walk away. I dread to think what they would be like if I had to make a claim. Reviewed on: 1st October 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi John, 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 October 2024

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

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

The Staff are very Friendly and Courteous when I han...

The Staff are very Friendly and Courteous when I hang, also everything on the website is straight forward to follow, I have recommended 1st Central to them and they all say the same, I am also trying the home insurance next month,I am livery impressed Five Stars Reviewed on: 24th September 2024

Reply from 1st Central Hi John, Thank you for your great feedback. We always look to offer the best service to our customers Response date: 25th September 2024

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