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1st Central: Car insurance reviews

Name: Car insurance
Rating: 1.67 (886 reviews)

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1.50

Based on 886 reviews, last reviewed 1st May 2025

200% increase in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

41% increase in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

12%

79%

Latest highest rating:

5

Happy Driver Great experience got my car insurance straight away and was able to drive it that night fantastic Reviewed on: 22nd April 2025

Latest lowest rating:

1

Horrific company. Horrific company. Last year we set up a policy with them, the policy analysis team were horrific. They accused us of providing false information (rega... Read more Reviewed on: 1st May 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 (886)

Cheaper than most

I took out my car insurance with 1st Central - as they were very good value for money, I had to make a claim, due to my windscreen being put through by some nice kids... This was managed efficiently and within timescale. Only complaint is when it came to renewing my policy, they wanted over £300 more!... Needless to say I changed insurer again to get a better deal. But based upon the customer service - I'd give 8/10 Reviewed on: 18th July 2017

Perfect for young drivers!

Very simple process from start to finish, all online with a website that's very easy to navigate. It was reasonably priced in comparison to many many other insurance companies and everybody I dealt with was professional, polite and helpful. Everything I could've asked for as a young driver. Reviewed on: 15th July 2017

Would not recommend

I rang them to change my address as I'm moving and was informed they won't continue to insure me due to my new address, which is a nice area by the way. They told me they are going to charge me £75 for the privilege, even though I'm not the one cancelling the policy, and this is after waiving the cancellation fee! Terrible customer service when I complained. Please avoid this company. Reviewed on: 11th July 2017

Dodgy company -wouldn't trust them again

I was tempted by the low cost of annual insurance but don't be fooled. Shockingly high charges for calling their helpline and even the smallest change to your policy will incur a charge. Their breakdown cover is a joke, and when I called was informed that even though i had paid for cover, I may still be charged for assistance. That didn't matter though as they never showed up. Reviewed on: 9th July 2017

Great!

Excellent service. friendly staff and good insurance deal. Reviewed on: 8th July 2017

No issues, easy to use

Very cheap and always helpful online or on the phone. Would happily recommend to a friend Reviewed on: 6th July 2017

Good value

Good value and great customer benefits Reviewed on: 5th July 2017

Poor handling of error

When I took out the policy I made a slight error in the information I provided - missed the box "when did you start living in the UK" and it defaulted to born here. Instead of allowing me to correct the error and pay the premium difference, the insurer chose to void the policy, although it was still within the 14 days cool down period. They have since admitted not have handled the case fairly and trying to make amends. Still ongoing. Reviewed on: 5th July 2017

Car Insurance for the call centre phobic!

Very happy with the customer experience i received from 1st Central. You can do everything online from taking out your policy to updating details and even changing vehicle. I found them through a comparison website but I would now definitely recommend. Reviewed on: 4th July 2017

ALARMINGLY DREADFUL COMPANY THAT STILL OPERATE? I AM NOT SURE THIS IS LEGAL...

On gathering quotes together for my impending car renewal, I went back to 1st Central because they cropped up on a site and this time round seemed to have a 5 star defacto rating. I was with them a couple of years ago. The quote that came up evaporated and no email - as promised - landed. Of course when I got hold of them a day later - they had doubled the price. For no reason. Now I have spent since June 10th - June 30th writing to them and calling them and using social media to this end too. They have - to be fair - made the odd attempt to call back but their promise to sort the issue and honour the quote they provided (that I could not but because had it not been for my screen grabs - that I had taken and filed - I would have thought that I had gone insane); though the old policy expired and still they have not made contact and enabled me to buy the policy. When I was with them a few years ago they said that there was a 'NON FAULT NON CLAIM' something or other (NO idea what) - that had suddenly landed and enabled them to add a few quid on to the policy. I have never made this call to them and there is no recall of it. It is not provable. Nothing has been provided as proof. They promised a refund because there is nothing there that enables them to add this additional charge on - yet they persist with verbally advising me about it. I would like to know if there is a name for this modus operandi - leading people in with cheap quotes that then evaporate and then no customer service that amounts to anything other than HOT AIR. Literally. In fact hot air would be more palatable. Sincerely, Mrs A.S Reviewed on: 2nd July 2017

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