First Central Group Reviews 60

TrustScore 2 out of 5

1.8

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Please stay away from this company. I wanted to cancel my policy after only two weeks, but they charged me almost half of the total amount I would have paid for the entire year. On top of that, after... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I had car insurance with them, and then I had to move house so when I went online to try to put in my new address it charged me £307. I thought this cannot be right so I phoned them up and they said y... See more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Having just been ripped off by Collingwood insurance on my sons car i feel i should leave a review when things also go well. Swapped my car, Price to swap with 1st Central not competitive, Cancelled... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Utterly disgusted with this company. Would definitely avoid. Obtain insurance online. Two weeks into the policy had an email to contact them, which i did to find out they where increasing my policy by... See more

Company details

Written by the company

First Central Insurance & Technology Group is an innovative organisation, delivering market-leading motor insurance, underwriting, distribution, finance, technology and legal services.


Contact info

1.8

Poor

TrustScore 2 out of 5

60 reviews

5-star
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1-star

No history of asking for reviews

This company hasn't invited their customers, so reviews may not be representative

Replied to 38% of negative reviews

Typically replies within 1 week

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Awful company with poorly trained staff

Awful company with Awful customer service. They wanted substantially more money than the initial insurance to add a driver. Customer service representatives were poorly trained and were more interested in explaining the complicated inefficient drawnout complaints process than trying to deal with the issue.
Won't be using this company again. Current review of 1.7 stars is generous.

August 30, 2024
Unprompted review
First Central Group logo

Reply from First Central Group

Hi Jacob,

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be.

This review is meant for our 1st Central insurance page for your car insurance. I'll invite you to move this across to the correct page.

When you've received the email, please accept the request. Once the review has moved over to the correct page, we'll reach out to you again to get your policy details.

Alternatively, if you decide not to transfer your review, please respond to Trustpilot's request to provide us with your policy details

Ashley

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

AVOID this company please

AVOID this company please. They will take your money and threaten you until you pay for something you don’t owe. AVOID AVOID AVOID

August 27, 2024
Unprompted review
First Central Group logo

Reply from First Central Group

Hi Joanna,

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be.

This review is meant for our 1st Central insurance page for your car insurance. I'll invite you to move this across to the correct page.

When you've received the email, please accept the request. Once the review has moved over to the correct page, we'll reach out to you again to get your policy details.

Alternatively, if you decide not to transfer your review, please respond to Trustpilot's request to provide us with your policy details

Ashley

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Avoid

Charging me almost the full policy as I needed to cancel because I sold my car! I was only insured with them for 36 days I expected a fee of around £50 but their fee(s) total £145 robbing jokers
I was with them for the previous year and let it renew as I didn’t realise I’d be selling the car, so much for goodwill … avoid

August 2, 2024
Unprompted review
First Central Group logo

Reply from First Central Group

Hi Gary,

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be.

This review is meant for our 1st Central insurance page for your car insurance. I'll invite you to move this across to the correct page.

When you've received the email, please accept the request. Once the review has moved over to the correct page, we'll reach out to you again to get your policy details.

Alternatively, if you decide not to transfer your review, please respond to Trustpilot's request to provide us with your policy details

Ashley

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Cancellation fee £50 which is highway…

Cancellation fee £50 which is highway robbery! Avoid this personal lines insurer at all costs. The weekend shift telehandlers are down right rude and need to understand that you don’t talk disrespectfully to clients. Bargain basement on premiums means bargain basement on service..

July 27, 2024
Unprompted review
First Central Group logo

Reply from First Central Group

Hi Mr Lewis,

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be.

This review is meant for our 1st Central insurance page for your car insurance. I'll invite you to move this across to the correct page.

When you've received the email, please accept the request. Once the review has moved over to the correct page, we'll reach out to you again to get your policy details.

Alternatively, if you decide not to transfer your review, please respond to Trustpilot's request to provide us with your policy details

Ashley

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Absolutely avoiding these next time …

Absolutely avoiding these next year when my car insurance runs out tried to change my car over to a new car charge you £50 to cancel old one and £50 set up fee for new one tried speaking to the waste of my 1hr I will never get back I wished I had moved they don’t even give shxxt your already a customer and you were staying with them never again stay well clear muppet’s

July 24, 2024
Unprompted review
First Central Group logo

Reply from First Central Group

Hi David,

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be.

This review is meant for our 1st Central insurance page for your car insurance. I'll invite you to move this across to the correct page.

When you've received the email, please accept the request. Once the review has moved over to the correct page, we'll reach out to you again to get your policy details.

Alternatively, if you decide not to transfer your review, please respond to Trustpilot's request to provide us with your policy details

Ashley

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Do not touch!!

Do not touch!!!
I have not renewed my husband's Car Insurance Policy as he is now insured through another car insurance company. Despite multiple emails and telephone calls saying that I am not renewing the policy - I am still getting charged from my bank account on DD and keep getting messages asking me to sign the documents!
The last customer service agent me and my husband spoke to jointly - agreed the policy can be cancelled - we sent my husband's new insurance and still cannot stop being charged and receiving messages about signing the documents. I expect the next DD will be taken from my account soon.
Today I rang again and now I cannot access my account becuase the name on the acocunt has been changed and they will not speak to me!!

How can this be solved? I have no idea? Frustrated doesn't even start to describe how this situation is.

July 16, 2024
Unprompted review
First Central Group logo

Reply from First Central Group

Hi Suze,

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be.

This review is meant for our 1st Central insurance page for your car insurance. I'll invite you to move this across to the correct page.

When you've received the email, please accept the request. Once the review has moved over to the correct page, we'll reach out to you again to get your policy details.

Alternatively, if you decide not to transfer your review, please respond to Trustpilot's request to provide us with your policy details

Ashley

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Beware £200 cancellation fee!!!

Beware, charged £200 to cancel my car insurance policy, not justifiable given everything is digital imho, stay away would be my advice!

July 16, 2024
Unprompted review
First Central Group logo

Reply from First Central Group

Hi James,

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be.

This review is meant for our 1st Central insurance page for your car insurance. I'll invite you to move this across to the correct page.

When you've received the email, please accept the request. Once the review has moved over to the correct page, we'll reach out to you again to get your policy details.

Alternatively, if you decide not to transfer your review, please respond to Trustpilot's request to provide us with your policy details

Ashley

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Waste of time

I was sent through a number of different policy renewal prices by email, though the website is very difficult to navigate and the renewal price was stated different online than all emails. Cancelled the policy as was too expensive and after this I receive a cheaper price by email. Unable to call customer services due to being a Sunday afternoon. Attempted the online chat Monday morning to be passed around departments for an hour and then told to call. I called and again was passed around departments for another hour to be told the cheaper quote had to have been actioned yesterday (i could not call yesterday the lines were closed).
Very disappointed with the service I received and no attempt to try and keep a customer.

July 1, 2024
Unprompted review
First Central Group logo

Reply from First Central Group

Hi El,

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be.

This review is meant for our 1st Central insurance page for your car insurance. I'll invite you to move this across to the correct page.

When you've received the email, please accept the request. Once the review has moved over to the correct page, we'll reach out to you again to get your policy details.

Alternatively, if you decide not to transfer your review, please respond to Trustpilot's request to provide us with your policy details

Ashley

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Awful experience

Awful experience! Wish I read trustpilot before purchasing this insurance. Like others this care insurance was cheapest on the market so went for it. Two months later they increase it by over double saying my no claims bonus isn’t verified and that I didn’t call them! Now on cancelling they want to charge me a £50 admin fee and a whole month of the increased fee. £198 total and if I don’t pay it they have threatened me with debt collectors/ the customer credit act that will impact my credit score! They said I didn’t let them know when I have sent multiple emails to state this!! But you can only contact them via the phone and get passed around because if you reply to any emails they say they can’t respond to them.

June 25, 2024
Unprompted review
First Central Group logo

Reply from First Central Group

Hello,

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be.

This review is meant for our 1st Central insurance page for your car insurance. I'll invite you to move this across to the correct page.

When you've received the email, please accept the request. Once the review has moved over to the correct page, we'll reach out to you again to get your policy details.

Alternatively, if you decide not to transfer your review, please respond to Trustpilot's request to provide us with your policy details

Ashley

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

£50 admin fee cancellation within 14 day cooling off period

After receiving my new annual car insurance quote from the company my car is insured with, I decided today to follow up a Quotezone.co.uk cheaper quote with 1st Central Online. Nowhere in the 'invitation to buy' correspondence was there a reference to a £50.00 cancellation fee within the 14 day cooling off period, nor was this charge stated up front with the other important details for purchasing the policy. I attempted to cancel about 1 hour after taking out the policy when my current car insurer decided to offer me renewal on the same terms at the cheaper price. This is when I learnt about the £50 cancellation fee which according to the lady in the webchat was quite clearly cited throughout the process of buying the insurance. This is not so, it might have been cited in some obscure way but I did not see it and it is not regular practice with other insurers I have dealt with. The very lengthy and time consuming webchat merely served for the lady to reinforce her position that I should have seen this admin fee charge and it could not be reversed. I think right from the off this says a lot about this insurance company and the kind of service you might expect from them. Having now cancelled the policy minus my £50 I shall raise a complaint through my credit card company to see if I can get the payment stopped.

May 6, 2024
Unprompted review
First Central Group logo

Reply from First Central Group

Hi Paula,

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be.

This review is meant for our 1st Central insurance page for your car insurance. I'll invite you to move this across to the correct page.

When you've received the email, please accept the request. Once the review has moved over to the correct page, we'll reach out to you again to get your policy details.

Alternatively, if you decide not to transfer your review, please respond to Trustpilot's request to provide us with your policy details

Ashley

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I wrote a review and was advised by TP…

I wrote a review and was advised by TP that I had put it on the wrong company.. should have been first central insurance.. however after changing the review.. I looked up first central group, and they own first central insurance.. so if your thinking of insuring your car with this company please don’t.. Terrible company, customer service is shocking. It’s been 8 months since my elderly fathers car has been stolen still not had any resolve.. they have questioned and questioned him said they were waiting on a police report, that could take months, so we contacted the police they said they haven’t asked or contacted them for anything from either first central or brownsword.. in our opinion this company is a total sham.. honest review be aware !!!

March 17, 2024
Unprompted review
First Central Group logo

Reply from First Central Group

Hi Joanne,

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be.

I can see you have said you have moved a review, but that's because this is regarding your fathers claim. This would be handled fully by the Car Insurance side of the company.

Once Trustpilot have reached out to you to move this, please accept this and we'll reach out again to get his details from you.

Ashley
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Joanne,

I can see Clare has reached out to you on our 1st Central Insurance Trustpilot page. But, I have here also, so if you can provide us with your details, we'll try to escalate your concerns with the relevant team.

Ashley

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Take a HUGE wide birth

Take a HUGE wide birth! Having my car stolen was stressful enough BUT then I had deal with this totally incompetent firm.
It took almost 4 months to receive payment and 6 months in total to resolve. The process made me feel more like the perpetrators rather than the victim. You waste hrs on the phone. I could go on but I have already wasted enough time.

May 22, 2023
Unprompted review
First Central Group logo

Reply from First Central Group

Hi Steen,

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be.

This review is meant for our 1st Central insurance page for your car insurance. I'll flag this to move across and once it's been moved I can look to assist you.

Once Trustpilot have reached out to you to move this, please accept this and I'll reach out again.

Ashley

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Hi it’s me again

Hi it’s me again
Your a disgrace won’t even send me a receipt for my car and you think £300 is ok for not being able to repair my car since may 2022 it’s in a garage lock up at £500 a month waiting for parts and you can’t pay me more than £300 for a complaint joke the petrol in it is worth £60 and yet you keep saying I know where my car is and you won’t send me any documents well your the worst complaint team in the world and I have emailed your ceo in Guernsey and he has a month to look at the complaint you promised to call back today by 5 pm Marc fish complaint executive yet you didn’t and couldn’t be bothered to speak to me just sent an email that I have to make a decision my mental health is unbearable as you have got my anxiety levels so high I can’t go out
Do Not Buy This insurance they are pathetic

November 29, 2022
Unprompted review
First Central Group logo

Reply from First Central Group

Hi Donna,

Thank you for replying. Once Trustpilot reach out to you, please could you agree to move your reviews to our other domain. As they are currently on the incorrect page.

I've responded to your latest review on the relevant page.

Ashley

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Have a claim? Good Luck.....

I was a 3rd party in an insurance claim, my cxar was written off and even though i provided documentation showing the spec of the car and comparable adverts as close as I could get (it was quite a rare spec) they still refused to admit that the value was higher than their engineer had stated, they refused to provide me details of where they have found "comparable adverts" and basically under valued the car by 30% of what was currently on the market at dealers. I got PX quotes and provided them yet this still wasn't good enough and the payout was less than i could get for PX. Then they told me the buy back was worth £795 as a business we bought it back, yet the claims company they use (also as bad) said we can sell the salvage for £250 so what was it was it £795 or £250 absolutely ridiculous when paying out

October 1, 2022
Unprompted review
First Central Group logo

Reply from First Central Group

Hi Ryan,

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be.

This review is meant for our 1st Central insurance page for your car insurance. I'll flag this to move across and once it's been moved I can look to assist you.

Once Trustpilot have reached out to you to move this, please accept this so it moves to the relevant page.

We would like to look into this further for you to help resolve this, please send an email to customer.relations@1stcentral.co.uk with your policy number a summary of your experience similar to your review and we will look into it.

Ashley

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Rip off

Paid 511 pounds for a one year cover in December. Three months later, I needed to change my address (from Edimbrugh to Cambridge) and they asked me 548 pounds, more than 100% of my policy. I don't know where they think I live but definetely not to pay that price.

March 12, 2022
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Awful customer service

They do not contact you at all about anything unless it's telling you they are charging you more money completely out of the blue. Their customer service is disgraceful, the person I spoke to on the phone was incredibly rude. After this I tried their web chat service where they failed to discuss anything with me properly even after multiple occasions of me saying their information doesn't make sense. Now stuck with them for a year or having to pay over £200 to leave. DO NOT USE THEM!!

January 20, 2022
Unprompted review
First Central Group logo

Reply from First Central Group

Hi Shaunna,

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear on this occasion your experience with us hasn’t been as positive as we’d hoped it would be.

This review is meant for our 1st Central insurance page for your car insurance. I'll flag this to move across and once it's been moved I can look to assist you.

Once Trustpilot have reached out to you to move this, please accept this and I'll reach out again.

Ashley

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I insured my car with these con artists…

I insured my car with these con artists they then sent me a letter saying the wanted documents of proof who I am. Driving licence both sides pics of 4 sides of v5 utility bill proof of payment from
Bank statement personal code from dvla and proof of job title I sent various document with caution as thought it was quite invading. I sent in the time scale they sent me. But they was dissatisfied with my document. So I got notification of cancellation with no consultation what so ever. So I rang and got a very rude customer service guy who was adamant he was cancelling then put the phone down then took £90 out of my account for the privalidge of them being absolutely disgraceful never use this company they should be investigated and are scammers

December 18, 2021
Unprompted review

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