anyone got 1st central car insurance?

Boris_the_GSD

Has anybody who has recently taken out car insurance with 1st Central paying by monthly direct debit been asked to sign and return a finance agreement with Premium Credit Limited?

I was not told when I took out my car insurance that I would be taking a loan out for the years premium with a third party finance company. My insurance started at the beginning of February and the deposit payment and a direct debit have come out of my bank account - which is so far okay. This finance company have written to me twice now asking me to sign their agreement. I refuse to do so. Is there any legal reason I should do, and why as the insurance company are getting their money - if they want to take out a loan to cover the premium that is their business, it has nothing to do with me.

I am beginning to wonder if I have chosen a rogue insurance company after reading the other posts written about them....

buzzmonkey

Premium Credit run the financial side of it as far as i'm aware, you pay the money to them rather than to 1st central directly...

1jim

I think its fairly common to sign a credit agreement if you pay monthly, I have done this for years

buzzmonkey

Great News, I have my car back with all the work done, it's great. Bad side to this was that during the whole process the only people who bothered to contact me was the garage that carried out the work, but i have my car so it turned out ok, took a whle month though

Wumpus_2

Update : we're now in mid-March and 1st Central have done absolutely nothing since my last posting.

I emailed them and said I have now referred the matter to the Insurance/Financial Ombudsman, and hey presto, there's suddenly a message on my answerphone asking me to ring them back.
On the 0845/20 minute queue number. During work time, when I'm not supposed to make personal phone calls.
Super.
I wonder what they would have said? =o)


Remember, my accident was in January, and so far they have done nothing except hand me over to a "no win, no fee" type company who promptly handed me straight back as soon as my car was assessed as a write-off.

And they have even told me to write to the other guy's insurance and deal with the claim myself!

Any potential customers, beware.

racquel1x_2

Having been with first central for nearly a year, I have now moved house and recently contacted them to change address.I have also sold my car a couple of days ago, and intended to stay with them and swap policy over to new vehicle.

I have had an email that it will be £100.68 to change address details and further costs incurred to change vehicle.

I have emailed to cancel policy and would rather lose a years no claim bonus than be treated like this. I was with a local company for insurance before and left them to use this more cost efficient company. They would never treat you like this.

I have cancelled my direct debit as am paid until end of month. I wish I had seen this forum before I took insurance out with them and luckily never had to make a claim.

radnic

BIG Warning!!
I have 1st Central and have tried to make a claim.At first the service was really good, I was passed to a sister company who would deal with everything for me including hire car. Then unfortunately the other driver was Un-insured!!!! so they have lost interest.
They dont return calls or e-mails. I have spent up to 15 minutes at a time on hold and have given up in the end.
I still have a car that needs fixing. I have fully comp insurance which cost me £480 last year!

Alan_Hill

Over a month now. It's impossible to talk to anybody. :mad:

bostonspa

I took out my policy in august 09 and it was the biggest mistake ever.
I have had NOTHING but TROUBLE from this company.
first of all it took them over 2 months to get me on the insurance database. then ever since they just been the worst company in 28 years of driving to deal with.
my advice is dont touch them at all go some where else for insurance.
if i was to rate them as a company out of 10 i would give them -100

Wumpus_2

Wumpus wrote: »

Update : we're now in mid-March and 1st Central have done absolutely nothing since my last posting.

I wonder what they would have said? =o)

Well, after the FSA contacted 1st Central it turns out that I can actually keep my car after all, despite what they said initially.

But they decided to attach a whole raft of conditions, which need to be cleared up before we can proceed any further.

Most of the conditions are factually incorrect.
Some of the conditions they want are even probably illegal.
I've written back to them (3 weeks ago) pointing out the mistakes, and of course they haven't replied yet.

It's going to need another letter to the FSA, I suspect.


I can't say it often enough.
EVERYBODY : STAY WELL CLEAR OF 1st CENTRAL INSURANCE!