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1st Central: Car insurance reviews

Name: Car insurance
Rating: 1.5 (954 reviews)

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1.50

Based on 954 reviews, last reviewed 18th Mar 2026

No new 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

No new 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

11%

80%

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

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM THEM IF YOU WANT... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM THEM IF YOU WANT PEACE AND WANTS TO AVOID STRESS AND HEADIQUE THEY ARE ROBBERS I would strongly advise others to ... Read more Reviewed on: 18th March 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 (954)

Straightforward with a good website

1st central were a straightforward company to work with, truly paper free and their website was easy to use. Reviewed on: 22nd February 2021

Avoid this company

I cancelled my pre-paid car insurance with 4 months remaining and was informed that I was not due any refund for the unused 4 months. Cancellation fees are way to high and customer service is poor. Emails are not responded too and telephone operators lack consistent information Reviewed on: 31st January 2021

Avoid if you don't want to be ruined....

Please avoid these bunch of fraudsters. They are happy to take your money for insurance, but when you do get into an accident and want to claim, they will definitely look for a way to make sure they don't pay you and will ensure your insurance gets voided and cancelled. I have put in a complaint against them and will be taking the complaint all the way to the financial ombudsman. I cannot believe that a car insurance taking out in good faith gets voided because the car had alloy wheels??? The end result is my car insurance costs has gone up from £650/year to over £3000/year due to my having to declare a policy voided by these fraudsters. Please avoid. If you choose to ignore this advice and you get into an accident or your car gets stolen and you want to claim, I can assure you you wouldn't get a penny because they will go through your policy and void it because you didn't declare you had a a sat nav!! I have to pay over £21,000 for my car repair from my own pocket and also have to deal with the high car insurance costs due to a voided policy. Avoid these scam artists like a plague! I'm taking them to the financial ombudsman and will be posting this negative reviews everywhere so people can be forewarned. Reviewed on: 24th January 2021

The definition of why I hate car insurance companies

Absolutely disgusting, money thriving company. If you want to pay £100 to cancel your car insurance then this is the company for you. Vile treatment received for a good customer that has paid their way. Will NEVER use this company again and certainly won’t be recommending to anyone. Avoid like the plague Reviewed on: 5th January 2021

Cheap and nasty for good reason

Cheap and nasty for good reason. Firstly expect to be hounded by 'Policy Validation' threatening to cancel your policy. God help you if you need to make a claim! After a year renewing I was mis sold the policy and extorted for more money. After cancelling they will rip you off further with ficticious charges. Avoid at all costs- will be taking them to the FCA. All emails will be ignored incidentally if you have a grievance. Customer service is simply shocking. Reviewed on: 11th December 2020

Dont use!!!!!!!!!!

Worst insurance company I have used in my life. They will try and RIP you off!!!! It's a con. Run while you can!!! Reviewed on: 25th November 2020

??????

Unable to offer renewal due to Underwriters can’t give any reason. A year older no driving convictions never speed. Don’t understand why poor customer service Reviewed on: 8th November 2020

Legal Thief

Changed car on my policy they took payment for this and my old car which I changed. Now they don't know what I was paying for. Iwas on the phone over 1 hour and they found payment now changed my policy car and say that I need to pay 50 monthly and in policy what I found and agree it was 29. Rubbish company. Now contact again as you suggested. Nobody able to help me. Now wanted to cancel my policy and they said to ring tomorrow because now they don't have anyone to do this.caustomer service is open till 8 but cancelation till 5 and is nowhere infirmation tion about this. You stole my money and done mess with my documents also it is no documents about policy what I done online only you took my money. I will say about your company everywhere wher I can what you are doing wirh caustomers and how you are treating them. I loss 3 hours for conversation with 1 central. And a lots of nerves at the end of my pregnancy. You are legal thief. Be careful people. Reviewed on: 2nd November 2020

High fees

Took out policy and weeks later was asked to call them. 30 mins in a queue and then had to confirm occupation details. Mine were correct but I hadn't changed my dads to retired and they gave me the option of changing his details and re-issuing the quote (£50 arrangement fee and £50 cancellation fee) or re-quoting without him included in the policy (would also be subject to the two fees above). I said I would cancel then and go with another provider so they deducted £50 arrangement fee and £50 cancellation fee plus days covered from my premium and left with me £128 refund from a £241 premium paid only 25 days previously! Absolutely scandalous and I suspect they call all policy holders just to see if they can trip them up about missed details that would end up being irrelevant to the cost of the original premium, just so they can enforce changing of document fees. Avoid at all costs! Reviewed on: 19th October 2020

un-helpful

over charge admin, try to charge me twice for a change then double the price only had policy 3 months because change cost as much as the policy after admin fee twice because wep page did not save details but took payments for change then customer service wanted to charge again so lost 62.00 in less than 24 hours to then loss another 140.00 next day. never use again Reviewed on: 21st September 2020

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