1st Central Car Insurance Review
verified information
Information verified by Adeline Harmant
Our articles are written by experts in their fields (finance, trading, insurance etc.) whose signatures you will see at the beginning and at the end of each article. They are also systematically reviewed and corrected before each publication, and updated regularly.
Discover the methodology
This is the ultimate review to guide you through 1st Central car insurance.
You might already know that 1st Central offers several car insurance policy options.
Some are great, others not so much.
So if you want to get:
- Better value for money for your car insurance
- Indicative quotes
- Tips to lower your insurance premium, then you might love the following article.
Let’s dive right in.
Is 1st Central the best car insurance provider?
Getting the best car insurance deal is not all about the price. Indeed, focusing on just getting the cheapest deal might be a bad calculation when it comes to getting a good payout if you ever have an accident.
We’ve studied in detail 1st Central car policy terms and conditions and given our own ratings based on different criteria.
3 Safe overall rating for 1st Central
| Our rating | Our opinion | |
|---|---|---|
| Customer service & satisfaction |
4.1/5 based on 5,553 opinions on TrustPilot | |
| Cover provided |
90 days cover in Europe included as standard on both cover options offered | |
| Value for money |
Discounts are given to drivers who insure a second car under the same address | |
| Financial strength for pay out | Average financial capability | |
| Technology |
Customers can manage their insurance policies 24/7 |
Expert and customer reviews on 1st Central
We compiled expert and customer reviews from independent institutions, to give you an overall idea of 1st Central's reputation.
| Review organisation | Consumer satisfaction rates for 1st Central |
|---|---|
| Defaqto expert rating for 1st Central |  |
| TrustPilot | 4,1/5 based on 5,553 opinions |
To check if 1st Central is the right car insurance for you, you can use our free comparison tool and finally compare coverage features, optional extras, excess, admin fees and customer rating without having to give any personal information.
Our review on 1st Central car insurance policy
1st Central is part of First Central Group (FCG), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and it was founded in 2008. M&S seems to be a very customer friendly and intuitive company. There are quite a number of platforms with which to reach customer care operatives based on the particular need presented. They provides all policy users access to 24/7 UK based claims helpline which means that there is always a customer care representative willing to meet his/her needs. 1st Central offers only two levels of cover; the Comprehensive and Third Party, Fire and theft service. However, many additional services are offered, one of which is the Young Drivers Insurance and the prices offered for this services are competitive and reasonable. Overall, they seem to be doing a good job and come highly recommended by previous users.
What does 1st Central car insurance policy cover?
Are TPO, TPFT and Comprehensive covers available at 1st Central?
| Car insurance policy | Available at 1st Central | Coverage in a nutshell |
|---|---|---|
| Third-Party Only |
| |
| Third-Party Fire and Theft |
| |
| Comprehensive |
|
Keep in mind that you can always add optional extras to your policy.
Main guarantees at 1st Central explained in details
Let's find out what does 1st Central covers in its car insurance policy.
Breakdown cover at 1st Central
The Breakdown cover is offered both by 1st Central and RAC and this is depending on the time the insurance policy is taken out. For a starting sum of £44 per year or £4.11 per month, breakdown cover is provided. Three levels of cover are offered and they are:
- Roadside assistance: this costs £44 per year and it offers roadside assistance, local vehicle recovery, free roadside labour
- Roadside, Recovery and Home: this costs £90 per year and it offers everything included in the roadside assistance cover option and also UK national vehicle recovery, emergency driver (for UK only) and home cover
- European Motoring Assistance: this costs £105 per year and it offers what is listed for the first two breakdown covers. It also offers european breakdown cover in addition.
Keycare cover at 1st Central
1st Central’s keycare cover is available with the two levels of car insurance policies offers and the following are provided:
- £1,500 for replacing locks, keys and charges incurred for the repair
- 3 days car hire if car keys lost or stolen or in the case that the locks cannot be repaired immediately.
Windscreen cover at 1st Central
This is only available for the Comprehensive cover and 1st Central covers the following:
- The cost of repair or replacement for a damaged or broken window or glass.
- In the case that the broken glass has caused scratches on the body of the car, 1st Central would cover the repair costs also.
- Taking out a claim for this would not affect the No Claims Discount.
Motor legal protection at 1st Central
1st Central at the rates of £32.00 per year or £2.99 per month offers Motor Legal Protection services and it covers the following:
- £100,000 to help recover uninsured losses and costs
- Compensation for financial costs incurred as a result of the accident.
Personal policy injury available at 1st Central
1st Central offer Personal Accident cover at a rate of £30.00 per year or from £2.80 per month. The cover includes:
- £25,000 per person in the case that an accident leads to death or the driver or passengers sustains serious injuries
- cover for the passengers and named drivers on the policy
- £50 per day for every day spent in the hospital for up to 180 days.
Coverage abroad at 1st Central
Abroad coverage is available under the comprehensive insurance policy and third party, fire and theft cover and this coverage allows the holders to travel through Europe for 90 days. The list of countries includes:
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Cyprus, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
Courtesy car at 1st Central
1st Central offers car hire services at a rate of £35.00 per year or from £3.27 per month and it includes:
- provision of a temporary replacement car for 28 days
- provision of courtesy car in the case that the driver’s car has been stolen or has been damaged beyond repairs.
No-Claim Bonus (NCB) at 1st Central
If a driver makes more than one claim during the insurance policy year, the NCD provided will be reduced to zero.
Any payment made under the key assist option would not affect the No Claims bonus.
At 1st Central, you can apply for the NCB protection. The NCB protection allows you to make a certain number of claims within a period without losing your No-Claim bonus.
NCB protection claims (number per year): 1 claim in 3 years.
Good to know
A No-Claim bonus is a reward that you get from driving during a long time (at least one year) without making any claim. The more years you drive without claims, the higher your NCB rate gets hence the higher the discount on your insurance premium.
1st Central car insurance terms and conditions
How much does 1st Central car insurance cost?
You'll find below indicative car insurance quotes at 1st Central:
| Drivers'age | Monthly premium |
|---|---|
| 18 years old | £106,57 |
| 40 years old | £43,95 |
| 60 years old | £32,41 |
Costs of 1st Central insurance car policies vary widely based on different factors such as:
- The driver’s age
- The date on which they received their driving licence
- The type of car
- Expected repair costs if the car is damaged
- The performance, safety and security of the car
- The driver’s address and how busy the streets in the neighbourhood are
- Who drives the car (any additional driver on the policy)
- The driver's record of accidents and claims (number of injuries, No Claim Bonus etc.)
- Insurance taxes.
Good to know
The higher risk you represent, the more expensive your policy will be.
Is there any promo codes or discounts available at 1st Central?
A discount is given to existing customers who insure a second car with the same address. Cashback vouchers are also available for customers who purchase an insurance policy online.
| Discount types | Comment |
|---|---|
| Discounts | A £50 discount is given to existing customers who insure a second car under the same address. |
If you want to get a cheaper car insurance policy, another good way to do so is to never auto renew and always compare car insurance quotes.
Save more on your car insurance checking out our 13 tops tips to cut your insurance premiums!
1st Central car insurance policy summarized
Guarantees
| At 1st Central | |
|---|---|
| NCB benefit | Yes |
| Uninsured driver NCB benefit | Yes |
| Loss or theft of keys | £1,500 |
| Personal belongings | £250 |
| Audio equipment | No |
| Medical expenses | £100 |
| Liability limit for property damage | £20 000 000 |
| Legal expense | £100,000 |
| Courtesy car benefit | As standard |
| Courtesy car cover | 28 days |
| Coverage abroad | 90 days |
Excess
| At 1st Central | |
|---|---|
| Fire excess | cost of damage is covered |
| Theft excess | cost of damage is covered |
| Accidental damage excess | cost of damage is covered |
| Windscreen replacement excess | No excess amount is required to make up for the unlimited services provided |
| Young driver excess | no |
Admin fees
| At 1st Central | |
|---|---|
| Interest charged by payment installments | 41.25% |
| Renewal fees | £50 |
| Cancellation fees | Cancellation fees during cooling off period : £26 |
| Modification fees | Adjustment fee:£30 |
Other car insurance policies available at 1st Central
1st Central multi-car insurance
The Multicar cover is offered and 1st Central offers a £50 discount to existing customers who insure a second car with the same address.
1st Central short term cover
1st Central allows a driver with an already existing insurance policy to add another driver to his/her insurance policy for a short period of time.
1st Central learner driver car insurance
Insurance is provided for both young and learner drivers. The insurance provided for them is also subject to normal underwriting rules.
1st Central business car insurance
When you subscribe to a car insurance policy, you always need to mention what you are using your car for.
At 1st Central, there are three different types of car cover provided:
- Social, Domestic and Pleasure: this covers use for the day-to-day driving
- Social, Domestic and Pleasure (SDP) and Commuting: apart from day-to-day driving, this covers use for travelling to and fro a place of work
- Social, Domestic and Pleasure (SDP) and Business driving: this covers use for business purposes. In this case, the class 1 Business use cover has to be gotten.
This cover can also be shared with a spouse or partner.
How to contact 1st Central auto insurance?
1st Central phone numbers
You will find all important phone numbers to contact 1st Central car insurance:
| Contact number | Opening hours | |
|---|---|---|
Customer Service | 0333 043 2066 | Mon – Fri: 8am – 8pm |
Quotes | 0333 043 2044 | Mon – Fri: 8am – 8pm |
Complaints | 0333 043 2077 | Mon – Fri: 8am – 8pm |
Renewal | 0333 043 2055 | Mon – Fri: 8am – 8pm |
Windscreen claims | 0333 043 2012 | Mon – Fri: 8am – 8pm |
Claims | 0333 043 2011 | 24 hours a day |
1st Central other contact details
You'll find below 1st Central main contact details:
| Contact details of 1st Central | |
|---|---|
| Email address | |
| Customer account with 1st Central login | |
| Social media | Facebook, Twitter, Instagram |
| Chatbot | No |
You can also contact them by mail by writing to 1st Central car insurance:
1st Central Car Insurance
Central House,
25 – 27 Perrymount Rd,
Haywards Heath
RH16 3TP,
United Kingdom
How to cancel your car insurance at 1st Central?
You can always cancel your car insurance policy at any time. However, some fees may apply especially if you cancel it after the 14 cooling-off period after your contract's anniversary date.
Since car insurance is a legal requirement, 1st Central as well as other insurers will renew your policy automatically at the end of the policy period without any notification from your side. However, 1st Central has the obligation to send you a renewal notice within 7 to 21 days before your contract comes to an end. You will therefore have 14 days - the cooling off period - to cancel your policy at reduced cancellation fees.
For the same reason, if you cancel your car insurance policy, you must sign up to a new one immediately. Find out more on car insurance legal requirement.
You would need to have various documents ready such as:
- your policy number (right hand corner of your documents);
- your bank details; and
- your payment method in case there are cancellation fees.
Watch out!
1st Central could also refuse to cover your car any longer if you don't pay for your premiums within the time allocated, or if they find out that you omitted important information that was required by the company such as your driving experience or you if have committed a fraud of any kind. This act is known as ‘fronting’.
