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1st Central car insurance

1st Central was founded in 2008. Since then, it has grown to provide car insurance policies to more than a million drivers. The company started out with 62 employees, but now has over 1,000 colleagues working across a range of locations - from Gibraltar to Manchester.

We compare up to 1741 insurers, including quotes from 1st Central. When you compare quotes with us, we match your requirements against the insurer's criteria, to see if they'll offer you a quote. This means you may or may not get a quote from 1st Central.

You can find out more about 1st Central below, or if you're ready to start comparing just click on the quote button.

1Correct as of February, 2024

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What 1st Central customers say

Excellent

4.5 green stars

4.4 rating based on 77831 reviews
as of 28/06/2023

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Why choose 1st Central car insurance?

  • 24-hour claims service online or over the phone
  • Tailor your policy with a range of optional add-ons
  • Up to £1,500 key cover

Who is 1st Central?

1st Central was founded in 2008. Since then, it has grown to provide car insurance policies to more than a million drivers. The company started out with 62 employees, but now has over 1,000 colleagues working across a range of locations - from Gibraltar to Manchester.

1st Central is the motor insurance broker of First Central Insurance & Technology Group, which describes itself as an “innovative group of companies delivering market-leading insurance, underwriting, distribution, finance, technology and legal services.”

Based in Guernsey, the insurance and technology group has a strong ethical foundation. As it says on its website, the group is committed to restoring and maintaining trust in the industry through technology and data. It aims to reduce risk, combat fraud and deliver products for the future.

1st Central has won its fair share of plaudits in recent years. Standout honours include wins at the Insurance Times Awards 2018, the UK National Contact Centre Awards 2021 and the Moneyage Awards Insurance Provider of the Year award for five consecutive years, most recently in 2021. It has also received the prestigious ServiceMark accreditation from the Institute of Customer Service, which was awarded in 2021 for a three-year term and is subject to annual review.

The company has been the recipient of the Insurance Provider of the Year award for six years running at the MoneyAge Insurance Awards. Its also achieved the ServiceMark award from the Institute of Customer Service.

1st Central policy details

Ultimately, to ensure you’re protected, a car insurance policy should include a suite of features as standard, whether you opt for third party, fire and theft or comprehensive, which incidentally, is frequently more affordable than you might think.

1st Central offers a choice of comprehensive or third party, fire and theft (TPFT) cover.

Third party fire and theft cover from 1st Central includes:

  • Fire and theft cover to replace or repair your car, spare parts or any accessories lost or damaged due to fire or theft
  • Liability cover should someone else be injured or killed or their property damaged as a result of an accident in your car. You’re covered for property damage up to £20,000 and legal fees and expenses up to £5,000,000. There’s no limit on the level of liability cover as a result of death or injury to third parties
  • Extended driving abroad cover meaning you can enjoy up to 90 days of driving in the EU, Croatia, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Andorra
  • Key cover for up to £1,500 to pay for replacement locks, keys and any locksmith charges should you lose your keys. They’ll even give you up to 3 days of car hire and any claims won’t affect your no-claims bonus

Comprehensive cover from 1st Central includes everything the TPFT cover does as well as:

  • Accidental damage cover to replace your car, spare parts and any accessories lost, stolen or damaged
  • Windscreen cover to repair or replace a damaged window or windscreen in your car
  • Personal accident cover will pay out £5,000 should an accident in your car result in your death, permanent loss of sight or loss of one or more of your limbs
  • Medical expenses cover up to the value of £100 per person to cover any medical expenses incurred to treat injuries following an accident in your car
  • Courtesy car cover will provide you with a free car to use while your car is being repaired at an approved garage

1st Central offers a selection of car insurance policies, however, not all policies are available through our site and the exact levels of cover and benefits may vary. Before buying car insurance, we recommend you check the cover and benefits included.

1st Central’s car insurance policies are underwritten by its sister companies Skyfire Insurance and Skyfire Reinsurance, which are based in Gibraltar. These brands provide policies that have helped 1st Central establish itself as a trusted supplier on UK comparison websites.

1st Central optional extras

There's a range of optional extras you can choose to add to your policy. Depending on what type of cover you choose, some of these might already be included in a third-party, third-party fire and theft or comprehensive policy.

  • RAC breakdown cover can help you get back up and running when you breakdown. Available in various levels of cover.
  • Personal belongings cover means you're covered for up to £250 for loss of, or damage to, personal belongings in or on your car caused by accidental damage, fire or theft.
  • Liability to others means you’ll be covered for amounts you’re legally liable to pay if someone else is injured or killed, or if their property is damaged as a result of an accident in your car.
  • Medical expenses means you're covered for up to £100 of medical expenses for each person injured in your car if it’s involved in an accident.

Contact 1st Central

If you’d like to get in touch with 1st Central, you can visit their website to find the details of the relevant team you’d like to speak to. Alternatively, a web chat service is available.

You can also write to them at:

Capital House,
1-5 Perrymount Road,
Haywards Heath,
West Sussex,
RH16 3SY

1st Central is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (firm reference no. 483296).

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Page last reviewed: 09/06/2023

Reviewed by: Louise Thomas