Taxi Insurance Explained


Whether you work as a taxi driver or run a taxi firm, you’ll need to have taxi insurance in place.

Below is a guide to taxi insurance, including the types of cover available, the requirements for taking out a policy and some good ways to save money.

Types of taxi insurance

The type of cover you need to get will depend on whether you’re insuring a public hire or private hire vehicle. Below is an explanation of both types of cover –

  • Private hire – Private hire insurance is for taxis that must be pre-booked by phone or app. Minicabs and Uber cabs are both types of private hire vehicles.You can get private hire cover from Clean Green Compare Taxi Insurance.
  • Public hire – Public hire taxis, such as black cabs, are those that can be hailed from the street. Public hire taxis are generally considered at higher risk and therefore public hire insurance is usually more expensive than private hire cover.

With both public hire and private hire insurance, you can choose the level of cover you want to get i.e. third party only; third party, fire and theft; fully comprehensive.

Requirements

In order to take out a taxi insurance policy you’ll need to have the right type of licence, your own vehicle and the ability to drive in the UK.

The requirements for getting a taxi drivers licence will vary depending on the area of the country you want to work. For example the requirements for becoming a black cab driver in London are notoriously strict, with drivers having to pass the Knowledge test before being licenced.

Ways to save money on taxi insurance

  • Secure your taxi – A good way to save money on taxi insurance is to make your vehicle as secure as possible. Driving a taxi can be a dangerous job so you should certainly consider having CCTV installed inside the cab to help prevent any incidents involving passengers.
  • Pay upfront – Another way to save money on taxi insurance is by paying for the policy upfront on an annual, rather than monthly basis. Of course this does mean you’ll have to pay more initially but most providers will offer you a good saving for doing this.
  • Shop around – A very effective way of saving money on taxi insurance is by getting quotes from a lot of different providers. Luckily this is now easier than ever to do.