Cancel 1st Central Insurance the easy way

Core business

1st Central Insurance underwrites motor and home insurance products for private customers across the United Kingdom. It operates brands including 1st Central and Picnic and offers telematics policies under 1st Central Connect.

Product range

Key motor products include Core, Core Extra, Core Premier, Core Legal and Connect telematics. Home insurance is available as an add-on for existing motor customers or as a stand-alone product under their motor and home offerings.

Company facts

Web - Your Account portal

1. Open 1st Central help - cancellations.
2. Log in to Your Account or Picnic account.
3. Go to Your Policy page.
4. Choose "I'd like to cancel my insurance" and then "Cancel my insurance".
5. Confirm the cancellation date and submit. Cancellation is effective immediately on submission.

iOS - 1st Central or Picnic app

1. Open the app and sign in.
2. Navigate to Your Policy or My Policies.
3. Select the policy and follow the cancellation flow, typically labelled "Cancel my insurance".
4. Receive confirmation inside the app; retain screenshot as proof.

Android - 1st Central or Picnic app

1. Open the Android app and sign in.
2. Choose the policy, tap cancel and confirm your requested cancellation date.
3. Keep the in-app confirmation for your records.

Phone

1. Find the customer service number on the 1st Central website or help pages.
2. Call and ask the adviser to cancel your policy from a specified date.
3. Record the cancellation reference and request a confirmation email.

Email

1. Send a clear cancellation email to [email protected] specifying policy number and requested cancellation date.
2. Keep the sent email and any reply as proof.

Post

1. Write a signed letter stating your name, policy number and requested cancellation date.
2. Send by recorded delivery to 1st Central Insurance, 25 - 27 Perrymount Road, RH16 3TP Haywards Heath, United Kingdom.
3. Retain the delivery receipt and request written confirmation from the insurer.

Cooling-off period (first 14 days)

Rule: Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 you have a minimum 14 day cooling-off period starting from the policy start date or the day you receive policy documents, whichever is later. 1st Central refunds premiums for the unexpired period subject to deductions for days insured and possible administration costs. If you cancel within the first 14 days: optional extras are refundable if no claim has been made on them. 1st Central states no cancellation fee during cooling-off but an arrangement fee of up to £25 may be applicable and the cost for days insured will be deducted.

Required proof: policy number and request via Your Account, email or phone. Applicable law: Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.

After cooling-off (after 14 days)

Rule: If you cancel after 14 days 1st Central will refund the unexpired period but optional extras are not refundable and arrangement fee is not refunded. Car insurance cancellation fees listed by 1st Central include: £50 for car insurance cancellation after 14 days; alternative channels may charge lower fees for online cancellations (see fees list). No refund is given if a claim has been made or an incident has occurred that could lead to a claim.

Required proof: policy number and identification; confirm cancellation date. Applicable law: Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies to fairness of contract terms.

Price increase

Rule: 1st Central does not publish a specific unilateral price increase policy in its help pages. If your premium increases due to renewal, contact customer relations to discuss options or cancel. Where renewal terms are unclear or present hard-to-cancel auto-renewal practices, the CMA guidance on fair contract renewal applies.

Required proof: renewal notice or policy renewal documents. Applicable law: CMA guidance on auto-renewal fairness; Consumer Rights Act 2015 where contract terms may be unfair.

Moving address

Rule: 1st Central does not publish a specific cancellation rule for moving address on its help pages. To cancel or update cover due to change of address, contact [email protected] or use Your Account and provide the new address; cancellation terms follow standard refund rules and possible adjustment to premium.

Required proof: new address documentation such as utility bill or tenancy agreement if requested. Applicable law: Not a specific statute; Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 applies if cancellation is within cooling-off.

Death of the policyholder

Rule: 1st Central does not publish an explicit death cancellation procedure in the help pages used for this guide. Contact [email protected] to notify them and request cancellation or transfer of policy. Financial providers typically request a death certificate or probate document before processing.

Required proof: death certificate and policy details. Applicable law: Not cited by 1st Central; standard estate procedures apply.

Legitimate grounds accepted by 1st Central

Rule: Research did not list a specific set of "legitimate grounds" published by 1st Central Insurance. If you believe you have legitimate grounds such as misrepresentation by the insurer or a materially different product at sale, escalate via complaints procedure and the Financial Ombudsman Service if necessary.

Required proof: copies of policy documents, correspondence and evidence supporting the claim. Applicable law: Consumer Rights Act 2015 for services performed with reasonable care and skill.

Before you cancel: negotiate

1st Central has not published a list of retention offers in its help pages. To ask for a retention offer: call customer service during opening hours, use the website chatbot or ask in-app. Mention competitor offers and your target price. If you hold a telematics Connect policy, highlight safe driving data. If you request a refund or free-of-charge change, keep written confirmation of any offer.

What cancelling saves you - concrete example

Known data point: 1st Central reports 10% of customers (excluding Connect) paid £252.27 or less for car insurance between 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2025.

Compare with the cheapest real competitor in our research: Tesco Bank car insurance at £20 monthly or £220 annual.

Calculation 1 - compare annual figures: £252.27 (1st Central example) - £220.00 (Tesco annual) = £32.27 per year saved when switching to Tesco Bank.

Calculation 2 - compare monthly figures: Tesco £20 x 12 = £240 annual. £252.27 - £240 = £12.27 per year saved when switching to Tesco and paying monthly.

Concrete competitor prices used: Tesco Bank annual £220, Tesco monthly £20, Admiral annual £330, AXA annual £310, LV= annual £275, Rias annual £290.

Key UK consumer laws

The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 give a 14 day cooling-off period for most contracts concluded online or off-premises. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires services to be performed with reasonable care and skill and prevents unfair contract terms, including disproportionate cancellation penalties.

Auto-renewal and the regulator

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) scrutinises unfair auto-renewal and hard-to-cancel subscription terms. If renewal terms are unclear or cancellation is difficult, you can complain to Citizens Advice and escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service if the insurer does not resolve the issue.

How to escalate

Step 1: Complain to 1st Central via the complaints process in the help pages or by email to [email protected]. Step 2: If unsatisfied, contact the Financial Ombudsman Service. Step 3: For payments made by card, consider Section 75 or chargeback via your card issuer where applicable. Reference Citizens Advice guidance on cancelling insurance: Citizens Advice - cancelling an insurance policy.

Check final billing and refund

After cancellation, 1st Central will calculate any refund for the unexpired period. Within the first 14 days optional extras may be refunded if no claim has been made; arrangement fees up to £25 may be deducted during cooling-off. After 14 days arrangement fees are not refunded and a cancellation fee such as £50 for car insurance may apply.

Get and keep confirmation

Keep written confirmation from the portal, email or post. If you cancel by phone, request a confirmation email and the adviser reference number. Retain bank statements showing any refund or final charge.

Data and re-activation

If you want to re-activate within the same insurer, contact [email protected] and ask about re-instatement options; re-activation terms and any fees are set by 1st Central. Ask for written terms before agreeing to re-activate.

Use this checklist to cancel and protect your rights.

• Locate your policy number and log in to Your Account.
• Decide cancellation date and whether it falls within the 14 day cooling-off period.
• If cancelling online, follow the Your Account flow and screenshot the confirmation.
• If cancelling by phone, request a confirmation email and note the reference number.
• If sending a letter, use recorded delivery to 1st Central Insurance, 25 - 27 Perrymount Road, RH16 3TP Haywards Heath.
• Keep copies of all correspondence, including emails and chat transcripts.
• Check your bank statements for refunds and for any continuing direct debits; stopping a direct debit does not cancel the policy.
• If you dispute a charge or a refusal to refund, follow the insurer complaints process then escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service.