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1st CENTRAL Reviews

3.9 Rating 5,237 Reviews
75 %
of reviewers recommend 1st CENTRAL
3.9
Based on 5,237 reviews
Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods
Own Driver, Postal Service
On-time Delivery
99%
Customer Service
Communication Channels
Telephone, Email, Live Chat
Queries Resolved In
Under An Hour
Customer Service
4.1 out of 5
Read 1st CENTRAL Reviews
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Phone:

0333 043 2066

Email:

marketing@1stcentral.co.uk

Location:

Capital House, Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath
RH16 3SY

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1st CENTRAL 1 star review on 8th January 2025
Anonymous
1st CENTRAL 1 star review on 8th January 2025
Anonymous
1st CENTRAL 1 star review on 22nd August 2024
Mehrdad
1st CENTRAL 1 star review on 21st August 2024
Valeria
1st CENTRAL 1 star review on 21st August 2024
Valeria
1st CENTRAL 1 star review on 21st August 2024
Valeria
1st CENTRAL 1 star review on 9th May 2024
Marcus Wickwar
5
Anonymous
Anonymous  // 01/01/2019
Not very good customer service.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Mis-sold, wanted monthly got annual. They don't tell you that you cannot cancel if you have claimed. The process for establishing fault was negligent, a casual telephone interview, clearly not understood. The so-called customer services is useless. Promised return phone call not received. Don't answer letters. This company has cheap premiums for a reason. Good for nothing beyond minimum legal compliance.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Stay away as if you claim that is when you realise your cheap quote is for the totally shocking non existing customer service Here is my complaint sent today !! would like to make a complaint. I rang on 1st July to report an accident. I was told that I would get a call on Monday morning as a Saturday is for emergency situations only. Fair enough. I was told that I would receive a call between 9-930. I waited patiently all day hanging about just in case. The call didn't come. I rang at 330ish on Tuesday, explained I was waiting for a call but the claim details had not been set up on the system so I asked for a call and the call handler said that she was herself was in work until 6 so she would call me back and if she didn't somebody else would that evening I rushed home so I could have the details etc ready when she rang. Again nobody called me back. No call the following day so I decided to call again. On wednesday 5th July unsurprisingly the claim was not set up so had to set up all over again and Heather Jackson was helpful and expressed her apology for the failings so far. I was annoyed but I work in an insurance company so thought at least things were moving forward now. The recovery agents rang on Thursday to arrange for collection of my car on the Friday. Friday they rang and said they couldn't make it so it was delayed until Monday. I haven't heard from anyone since then. So I rang up at around 4 pm and asked what was happening as my insurance renewal is up on 17 I'm without an off I will be without a car and have no insurance in place from 17 July. So won't be able to use any vehicle with out insurance. I need it sorted. I spoke with Hamid in Claims who said he would chase the engineers today he promised me that he would call me and leave a voicemail and an email with an update. I asked him to promise me the call as I have been let down twice before. Guess what ? He promised me I believed him he confirmed my mobile number and email address I was confident ! And no call or email again. I'm left angry and I can't be friendly or calm with your company anymore I want this to be investigated and the people who believe they can promise call backs training on how not to treat a customer ! I'm stressed and inconvenienced not only by the incident but by the appalling service I've received from failing to complete actions and promises that have four times failed. You are delaying this claim process I have done all the chasing I contacted the third party insurers to set up a claim. I sent the images that I took and Hamid had said they were received but a note said on the system that the images could not identify my car! Due to no registration. But nobody has contacted me to tell me this. I said the car is with your salvage company who should send images ?! It will identify the vehicle and damage being the car you insure ! Has anyone rang the insurers? Have they accepted liability the delays so far are causing me anxiety worrying about the £250 excess being reduced from any offer you intend to make as this again is going to prevent me affording a car that indemnifies my losses I need a car I can't be without a car for any time but cannot afford to look or consider buying a car without receiving the full value of settlement and cannot test drive a car without insurance cover that ends on 17/07 so now I'm frustrated. The even thought of deducting an excess from any offer preventing my claim being settled when I have not been at fault is an absolute insult but even more of a ridiculous mess is nobody is acting on this ! My daughter has to be driven to school as we live a distance from the school and I'm worried ! Why promise to call back if you are not going to even entertain it? Why ask for an appropriate time and confirm my contact information if you are not going to act on your promise. I have been waiting each time I have given you a time to call? The handlers ask me the question 'when is the best time to call back and I will call you at this time?" Not once not twice but 3 times and not once have I had a call from anyone. Please please please I need you to deal with this with immediate effect ! I need the offer and payment before 17/07 so I can sort a car. I have found a car but due to having no funds to buy it I am missing out as it was being viewed tonight. I need you to waive the excess for a non-fault claim and recover the amount from the third party for the delays I have valued the car on RAC valuation it is £1100 - £1200 bearing in mind it is £30 a year to tax it will be very difficult to get a similar car for the same value in my area !
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Poor customer service in taking out a new insurance After phoning and complaining I am still waiting for a call back
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
I rang in to change my address as I was moving and was told they wouldn't continue to insure my car because of the area i was moving to. To say this was a shock is an understatement as it's a nice area. They plan to charge me £75 for the privilege of them ending my policy! Their customer service is non existent as I tried to make a complaint and not listened to. Shameful company!
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
I lived abroad for 5 years (after having had a licence in the UK from the age of 18).. I'm now 34. Never had an accident and have only had a one speeding ticket (in 2009). After answering questions as honestly and as I thought applied to me they've decided I was misrepresenting information! Totally untrue, after explaining the situation, providing ALL the information they requested and sitting on hold for what is a couple of hours in total they VOIDED my insurance. I guess you get what you pay for, inept customer service, missed call-backs and people constantly "dropping calls" in their call centre. They have now made it very difficult for me to get insured as I have to declare a voided policy. Like most insurance companies I guess, rob you via an extortionate premium then weasel their way out of paying/cover via any means they can. Can't recommend them, yes I misread some of the questions all in good faith... then provided a perfectly valid explanation and proof to back EVERYTHING up... they weren't willing to listen. Needless to say, a larger more professional insurer has insured me with no problem... yes it's more expensive but you get what you pay for I guess. With 1st Central I paid peanuts and got... well, you can figure it out.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Hidden costs and long hold times with huge charges for calling their helplines.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
To start I used a debit card and for using a debit card, this company says there will be no charge. However this company still charged me for using a debit card! When I tried to get a quote for a second card and use the discount for a multicar it did not give me the discount which was advertised at £50 off the second car, it provided around £30 off. I then decided that I would rather not deal with this company, so asked to cancel my first policy. They did do this and to their credit waved a £50 set up fee! Even though the first policy had not started. I never did get my charge back for using my debit card and I never plan to deal with this company ever again. The list of proposed charges for making any changes etc is a joke. My advice, stay clear.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Taking extra money from my account
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Customer service is non existent. Car broke down 1.5 miles from home. Wanted to charge me c£100 to come out as it was only 0.94 miles as the crow flies- for all those with flying cars. Got nowhere with customer services and now, a week later, they want to charge me to cancel my policy. But if my cancellation rights had been raised last week it wouldve been within the 14 day cooling off period. So i have no car and am out of pocket despite having no insurance. Oh- the ucing on the cake was they couldnt backdate my cancellation request as they couldnt prove I hadnt been driving my car. My broken down car.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Not impressed with First Central Insurance at all. From the initial out of hours notification (Sunday 2 July 2017) the 'claim' so far has been a very unsatisfactory customer experience. Woke up Sunday morning to be made aware some idiot vandals/kids had smashed my drivers front and rear glass windows with some sort of slingshot. Reported the incident to First Central out of hours team to be made aware as its two areas of glass that have been damaged it will be deemed a 'accidental damage' claim against my policy instead of a 'glass' claim - in other words it will be classed as a 'fault' claim against my policy so my normal Comprehensive excess applies. As the vehicle was deemed unsecure they arranged for a recovery company to collect my car and put in storage until Monday. I called the claims team on the Monday morning to validate my claim. Handler advising me at the very earliest I would receive a courtesy car would be 2-3 working days. Received a courtesy call on the Monday afternoon from the approved repairer Autocraft Telford to advise they are waiting for First Central to authorise the recovery/storage charges so they could arrange to collect my car so they can arrange an estimate and arrange a courtesy car. Autocraft Telford advised me First Central are currently too busy to authorise the charges!! (bear in mind the car was collected on the Sunday). Heard nothing from First Central so I called them just before 6pm - the handler asking me how much the recovery/storage charges are! Come Tuesday Autocraft Telford call me to advise they will be collecting my car today but wont provide a courtesy car until the Wednesday. So as of Tuesday I'm left in limbo and feel Ive been doing all the chasing and dealing with First central staff that seem more reactive than proactive. My policy (ironically) expires next month August and I've already forewarned First Central to make the renewals team NOT to contact me. After this 'claim' is completed I'l take my policy elsewhere and go to an insurer that actually cares about their policy holders.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Went through a comparison site and used the same details we have used for years with other insurers. We have no claims against us or any other issues. Since then we have had over a month of submitting paperwork they have requested for no real apparent reason and more than you need for a DBS check! Annoyingly, we could not cancel without incurring a £75.00 charge! After a slow service, where we had to resubmit because they took too long to check our emails, they have finally granted the insurance. They said we had stated my wife's licence starting date incorrectly; we had not and the date they are insisting on would have made her 6 years old when she received it. Administratively inept and, on the strength of this shambles, I pray we never have to use their claims service. Will not be using or recommending to anyone. Avoid.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Not recommend to anyone, they stealing money from customers, i had trouble two times, they changing prices after taking deposit
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Your online application would not except my wife information and just put my details in because I've used the application before.I then had to pay £50 for the mistake,you're website made.NOT HAPPY AT ALL.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
I took policy out with yourself at the beginning of June 2017. My previous policy said I had 5 years no claims. However on you doing a search you found that my claim was on 23 June 2012 so officially it is a week or so short of 5 years which I generally did not know. I feel that the administration charge of £50 is a disgrace. Especially when I'm a honest person and it was a mistake which was not intentional
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
What went wrong you ask? more to the point what went right. 3 times I was told they would call back. NEVER DID.(made countless attempts to get through) want to charge me £10 for transcript of phone calls. Want to charge me £45 to cancel a policy I did not want after refusing their renewal which increased hugely . And now have sent threat letters. Left me with no option to go to financial ombudsman. (Seems they knew exactly who I was talking about). These people are ruthless rude and could not care less. Take out a policy at your own peril,
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Wanted to change my car on 15th of May, I was told that the car I bough has 1.8 engine and not 1st central can not insure it because my wife's licence is less than 1 year old. I was told that if I wait until 7th of June, I will get 2 years NCB and £465 pounds refund however when I contacted them on 7th, they told me that I can only have £365 pounds. When I requested them for call listening, they have not bothered to contact me in a week time. I have contacted them several times since 7th and no one has cancelled my policy yet and everyday they come up with a different price. They all know how to mislead the customers and waste their time. I paid £1170 and feel like I never had taken insurance from them.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
highly misled by your claims on go compare four star car insurance it is not when you get through to a assistant you are a do you wish to have any of the following personal insurance car legal aid all at a extra cost with very limited use to these terms which misled me to believe that paying the highest premium with four stars ticked at a cost of £347.43 the competitors were starting at£231.36 one star no legal aid no car no personal accident cover no claims cover but on cooling off i contacted the competitor who gave me a quote of £300 94 all set up in 5 minutes did not have to go through all details again which lasted ages with you having to repeat all my details again not a very nice way to carry on all very stress full and confusing may i say i was in my thoughts i was buying a top class insurance not promise of £300 shopping discounts very upset at being misled i cancelled the policy with you and lost £50 penalty clause never have i been sold such a poor high priced insurance with no compassion
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
CategoriesLog outFor companies callai lochran   United Kingdom 1Review 0Reads 0Useful Edit my settings Reviews ◆ Connections 1st CENTRAL Seen the 1 star reviews before taking out insurance but just ignored it. I should NOT have taken out insurance with this company. Would not recommend. Go with goskippy. Around the same price as these guys but no hassle at all with them. These guys will find anyway any tiny little mistake so they can charge you more and just add it on to your bill. The people you email are just unhelpful robots. Well seeing yous don't have the review facility on facebook because god forbid everyone tell the truth on that platform. Don't worry 1rst central look like they are doing a good job of losing money and customers. And i hope it stays this way.** DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY FOR INSURANCE!!! **
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Seen the 1 star reviews before taking out insurance but just ignored it. I should NOT have taken out insurance with this company. Would not recommend. Go with goskippy. Around the same price as these guys but no hassle at all with them. These guys will find anyway any tiny little mistake so they can charge you more and just add it on to your bill. The people you email are just unhelpful robots. Well seeing yous don't have the review facility on facebook because god forbid everyone tell the truth on that platform. Don't worry 1rst central look like they are doing a good job of losing money and customers. And i hope it stays this way. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY FOR INSURANCE!!!!!  
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Posted 8 years ago
1st CENTRAL is rated 3.9 based on 5,237 reviews