Hi All & Thank you for your replies!
After 2 hours on twitter messaging with 1st Central, the only way I can purchase the lower quotes that even they (1st Central) have come through via comparison sites is to speak with their renewal teams on phone on webchat on thier site in order to turn off the auto-renewal button! Why we are not able to do this via our 'portals' I do not know! So it seems, that unless I speak with renewals team I will be automatically charged the new higher quote of £270.00...which I think is a bit of a scam as have read messages of people not being able to get through to them after quite some time, either on phone or webchat. However, I will see how this part of the exercise goes.
As for checking the next couple of companies on comparison sites further down the list, they are all pretty much a like for like. It is always the point that quotes come through from comparison sites that are less than renewal and the hassle we all have to go through (or many of us anyway!) in order to gain the same level of cover at some times best part of £100 or more, savings.
So I expect some of my time will be trying to connect with 1st Central renewals turn off auto-renewal & purchase same deal via comaprison site for a few quid less.
I have just over fortnight to deal with this and will return to let you know results. Again, thank you for reading op and your constructive replies. Enjoy rest of the weekend.