Paid advertisement
Smart Money People Logo
Newsletter
Share this page

1st Central reviews

1st Central Logo
Rated Poor • 1.98/5

1st Central reviews

Verified business Last reviewed within 14 days
  • FCA approved and regulated
    FCA approved and regulated
  • Award winning organisation
    Award winning organisation
  • Fully digital service with no in-person branches
    Fully digital service with no in-person branches
  • On-line application and approval process
    On-line application and approval process

Review summary

People rate this company as Poor based on 1,010 product reviews

Average score of 1.98/5
5 star
13%
4 star
5%
3 star
3%
2 star
2%
1 star
78%
Reviews for 1st Central have trended positively over the past 90 days

1st Central’s car insurance often starts cheap but quickly piles on fees and hikes premiums after the cooling-off period. Many found claims handling slow and unhelpful, with poor communication and rude staff adding to the frustration. While some praised the easy setup and low initial price, the hidden charges and terrible customer service left most regretting their choice.

Positive themes

  • 1st Central’s car insurance is easy to set up with competitive initial prices. (24 mentions)

Negative themes

  • They hit you with unexpected admin and cancellation fees after sign-up. (24 mentions)
  • Claims handling is slow and poor with little communication or support. (8 mentions)
  • Customer service is rude or unhelpful; calls often dropped or ignored. (8 mentions)
Summarised by AI
Was this helpful?

About 1st Central

1st Central is an award-winning, UK insurance company.

Launched in 2008 in Haywards Heath, today 1st Central policies currently protect more than 1.4m people across a range of products. You can get a quote and manage your policy online.

1st Central provide car and home insurance policies. You can also get breakdown cover and personal accident cover.

1st Central at a glance

Contact details

Phone
0333 043 2085
Social media

Reviews for 1st Central

Showing 11 of 1010 company reviews • Last reviewed within 14 days

Very helpful on the phone when I needed help & a ver...

Car insurance • 13th October 2026

Very helpful on the phone when I needed help & a very competitive price for senior drivers. At age 85 years it is difficult to find car insurance..

Rated Good • 4.00/5
Read more product reviews
Reply from 1st Central
Hi Thanks for your great feedback! We always aim to give the best service and price to our customers
14th October 2026
1st Central

Good car insurance

Car insurance • 13th October 2026

Easy setup and renew process. Very cost effective.

Rated Excellent • 5.00/5
Read more product reviews
  • 3.00/5

    Harassed a few weeks after taking out the insurance,

    A few weeks after taking out the insurance, I was contacted and asked to provide additional information, as the insurer questioned the low mileage I... A few weeks after taking out the insurance, I was contacted and asked to provide additional information, as the insurer questioned the low mileage I was declaring. I was required to provide the vehicle purchase documents to confirm the mileage at the time of purchase, start my car and provide the current mileage, and contact my previous insurer to obtain further information regarding my no-claims history. Unfortunately, this took place on my birthday and caused me considerable stress and upset. The process felt intrusive and overwhelming, and by the end of a call that lasted over an hour, I was left in tears. I was extremely relieved when the call was finally over. Read more Read less

    {"display":"Wendy C","full_name":"Wendy C","avatar":{"url":"\/assets\/images\/default_new.png"}}'s avatar
    Car insurance
    Wendy C 13th October 2026
  • 3.00/5

    Providing extra documentation

    Providing extra documentation (that I have never been asked to provide before) proved to be more complicated and difficult than it needed to be. The... Providing extra documentation (that I have never been asked to provide before) proved to be more complicated and difficult than it needed to be. The whole process was long winded and more complicated than it needed to be. Read more Read less

    {"display":"Vikki","full_name":"Vikki","avatar":{"url":"\/assets\/images\/default_new.png"}}'s avatar
    Car insurance
    Vikki 13th October 2026
  • 5.00/5

    Great value insurance

    I did a search for renewal of my home insurance and 1st Central were not the cheapest but the most suitable for me. They provided... I did a search for renewal of my home insurance and 1st Central were not the cheapest but the most suitable for me. They provided that little extra which determined my choice. Read more Read less

    {"display":"MR","full_name":"MR","avatar":{"url":"\/assets\/images\/default_new.png"}}'s avatar
    Home insurance
    MR 13th October 2026
  • 4.00/5

    Good pricey car insurance-not so good user interface

    I used to be a customer with 1st central to hold a car insurance and decided to move back as the comparative quotes , although... I used to be a customer with 1st central to hold a car insurance and decided to move back as the comparative quotes , although slightly expensive, the benefits I had like the add on no claims protection, personal protection and legal cover was all worth it. I have merely dropped one point for two reasons- one for making the insurance expensive and the other having an appalling web only interface when logging in with no other choices like an app. Read more Read less

    {"display":"Sam","full_name":"Sam","avatar":{"url":"\/assets\/images\/default_new.png"}}'s avatar
    Car insurance
    Sam 13th October 2026
  • 1.00/5

    Unfair charges, blocked cancellation & credit damage

    Policy FPM6028221297FC – Unfair charges, blocked cancellation & credit damage I took out a policy with 1st Central (policy FPM6028221297FC). When they asked for NCD... Policy FPM6028221297FC – Unfair charges, blocked cancellation & credit damage I took out a policy with 1st Central (policy FPM6028221297FC). When they asked for NCD proof I uploaded it promptly. They then changed my declared 3 years NCD to 2 years, imposed an extra £99.35 (including a £50 admin fee) without my agreement and presented it as a done deal. I immediately objected and on 21 July 2026 emailed asking for the policy to be cancelled straight away. Their reply took almost a week and was unclear. The online cancellation system would not complete unless I first paid the disputed amount – an unreasonable barrier. Because of the unagreed charges and poor communication I cancelled the Direct Debit. They cancelled the policy on 18 August 2026 for “non-payment”, demanded £113.59, closed my formal complaint after a manager’s call was disconnected mid-discussion with no callback, ignored my further emails and reported missed payments to the credit reference agencies. This has damaged a previously well-maintained credit profile and created unnecessary mental and financial pressure. The investigation felt one-sided and pre-decided. 1st Central has used the credit system to recover disputed charges while failing to listen properly or resolve the matter fairly. Business ethics and genuine customer care appear absent. I will never recommend 1st Central to anyone – not even my worst enemy. Other customers should think very carefully before dealing with them. I demand immediate removal of the credit markers, write-off of the unjustified balance and a proper response from senior management. Policy: FPM6028221297FC Customer: Gobinda Read more Read less

    {"display":"Gobinda ","full_name":"Gobinda ","avatar":{"url":"\/assets\/images\/default_new.png"}}'s avatar
    Car insurance
    Gobinda 29th September 2026
  • 1.00/5

    Cheap price, rubbish service as soon as anything goe...

    Cheap price, rubbish service as soon as anything goes wrong. Having to go through the same security twice each time I have the unfortunate occurrence... Cheap price, rubbish service as soon as anything goes wrong. Having to go through the same security twice each time I have the unfortunate occurrence of dealing with 1st central. South African accent is terrible to understand. Clueless staff insistence that they are giving me services, but in reality, I paid for the service. Get your facts straight. Read more Read less

    {"display":"Paul Tomas","full_name":"Paul Tomas","avatar":{"url":"\/assets\/uploads\/avatars\/users\/1762754.png"}}'s avatar
    Car insurance
    Paul Tomas 29th September 2026
  • 1.00/5

    AVOID! Pay a little more with a genuine company

    Horrendous insurance company. I made a genuine mistake with a date then 7 weeks down the line got told I had to pay ANOTHER £144... Horrendous insurance company. I made a genuine mistake with a date then 7 weeks down the line got told I had to pay ANOTHER £144 or my insurance would be cancelled. The date would have made zero difference to the the original quote, yes an amendment fee but not £144. Subsequently I won't be renewing any of the cars in the household with Ist central. TOP TIP the cheapest quote isn't always the best! Certainly not in this case. Read more Read less

    {"display":"Michael ","full_name":"Michael ","avatar":{"url":"\/assets\/images\/default_new.png"}}'s avatar
    Car insurance
    Michael 28th September 2026
  • 1.00/5

    AVOID TERRIBLE SERVICE

    AVOID! Never again would I choose this company. Apparently I had made a mistake in putting the wrong month in when my son passed his... AVOID! Never again would I choose this company. Apparently I had made a mistake in putting the wrong month in when my son passed his driving test, this increased by £1,500 even though it was down as him having no NCD anyway. I went on the chat and asked to cancel the policy as I could get it cheaper elsewhere by £1,000 at least. Being at work is hard to call so tried whats app and chat on their website, the site constantly freezes then you get a message saying they closed after waiting hours in a queue. Sometimes I was position 194 so was so frustrating to the receive this message after such a long wait. Finally getting through, I was told that I was insured until 21st September and need not do anything, if I did not contact them further they would automatically cancel the policy. This morning I received an email to say they will be taking out my new payments of £352 a month, it's a corsa not a Lambroghini! Anyway here we are again hours on chat try to sort the problem out, currently 2nd in the queue for the past 50 minutes Read more Read less

    {"display":"Mrs l","full_name":"Mrs l","avatar":{"url":"\/assets\/images\/default_new.png"}}'s avatar
    Car insurance
    Mrs l 23rd September 2026
  • 1.00/5

    BIGGEST SCAM COMPANY AROUND QUOTE £1700 FOR INSURANC...

    BIGGEST SCAM COMPANY AROUND QUOTE £1700 FOR INSURANCE SO I PAY IN FULL PROVIDE PROOF OF MY NO CLAIMS BONUS THEY THEN PHONE AND DEMAND... BIGGEST SCAM COMPANY AROUND QUOTE £1700 FOR INSURANCE SO I PAY IN FULL PROVIDE PROOF OF MY NO CLAIMS BONUS THEY THEN PHONE AND DEMAND A EXTRA £900 FOR THE INSURANCE AS THEY WONT ACCEPT NO CLAIMS BONUS THEY THEN DEMAND YOU PAY IT IN FULL OR THEY WILL CANCEL YOUR INSURANCE WHILE CHARGING YOU £258 FOR THE PLEASURE OF THEM CANCELLING IT DON’T GO NEAR THEM I WILL BE TAKING IT FURTHER!! Read more Read less

    {"display":"Peter K","full_name":"Peter K","avatar":{"url":"\/assets\/images\/default_new.png"}}'s avatar
    Car insurance
    Peter K 18th September 2026

    Products from 1st Central

    Showing products offered by 1st Central

    We are Smart Money People

    Join 2 million active users who make better financial decisions with the power of reviews.

    Create an account

    Protecting trust by verifying companies and reviewers

    The only site that specialises in financial services

    Providing everyday people with a voice