Private Hire Taxi Insurance

  • Cheap Private Hire Taxi Insurance
  • Compare Specialist UK Brokers

  • Save Time & Money

  • FREE, No-obligation Quotes!

total insurance start rating

What is Private Hire Taxi Insurance?

Private hire taxi insurance is a legal requirement for those operating private hire vehicles to carry passengers. You can choose your level of cover, but it can protect you, your passengers and your vehicle.

Insurance for taxis can be expensive so it’s important to compare quotes in order to help reduce your taxi insurance cost.  Your private hire vehicle is often your livelihood, so it’s vital that cover is suitable for your vehicle and its uses day-to-day.

Compare Private Hire Taxi Insurance Quotes

We know how difficult comparing policies can be. That’s why our trained team are here to help you find dedicated brokers who want to quote you.

Our service is free and impartial with no obligation to buy.

Private Hire Taxi Insurance

What our Comparison Expert Says

‘Private hire drivers are in high demand across the UK currently. We suggest you taking time to compare insurance for private hire drivers that matches that demand!’

How our process works

We’ve worked hard to refine our process and keep it as quick, easy and simple as possible for our customers.

The Types of Private Hire Taxi Insurance

Taxi drivers have a variety of protection options available to them, many of which will be familiar to those who have taken out insurance policies in the past. Some options are cheaper than others but it is very important to balance cost with cover and make sure you are protected.

  • Third Party Only Insurance: A third-party insurance policy will protect you in the case of any harm to a third-party or another vehicle. In the UK, it is the minimum level of insurance required for drivers. It won’t pay for any expenses related to personal injuries or car damage to your own vehicle.
  • Third Party, Fire and Theft: The same coverage is provided with third party, fire, and theft taxi insurance, as well as payments for your own car should it be stolen or damaged by fire. It won’t cover expenses for collision-related repairs to your own car.
  • Fully Comprehensive Private Hire Insurance: The most popular kind of insurance for private hire taxis is fully comprehensive insurance. It safeguards not just you and your own vehicle but also other people and their property. Fully comprehensive insurance typically offers the most complete protection in the case of an accident.

What Does Private Hire Insurance Include?

Private hire taxis can cover a huge area, especially being pre-booked cars often chosen for longer, planned journeys. This can make policies more expensive because drivers are considered to be at higher risk with them driving regularly during unsociable hours.

Most private hire taxi policies will include some sort of public liability taxi insurance. Public liability insurance covers you in the event that a passenger sues you for injuries or damages sustained whilst in your vehicle. It can also extend to cover claims arising from members of the public. It’s a very important inclusion for those driving day-to-day for work.

Suggested Addons For Your Private Hire Insurance Quote

Do I Need Public Hire or Private Hire Taxi Insurance?

The type of taxi insurance you need will depend on the vehicle you drive and most often the way in which you arrange transportation with potential customers.

A private hire cab must be reserved in advance in order to pick up clients; it cannot be called on the street. Both pre-booked taxis and minicabs obtained through services like Uber or Bolt are covered under this and will need a private hire insurance policy.

A car or taxi similar to a black cab, that picks up people from taxi ranks or is flagged down on the street, would be a public hire taxi. Public hire taxis often have a taxi sign on the roof and would require a public hire taxi insurance policy.

It’s crucial to make sure your insurance policy covers your service type and, consequently, any injury to you or damage to your cab that may happen while you’re driving. If you need to file a claim, having the wrong coverage could invalidate your insurance or reduce its level of protection.

Is Insurance For A Private Hire Taxi A Legal Requirement?

If you drive a taxi or hackney carriage for a living, insurance is a legal requirement that protects not only the driver but also the public in the event of an accident.

Providing you have a taxi licence, private hire insurance is quick and easy to arrange so there is no need for an uninsured car to take any chances on the road.

Who Can Get Private Hire Insurance?

Any driver who holds a full taxi licence is eligible for a private hire taxi insurance policy. With this in mind there are some additional factors that can impact costs, these are typically similar factors to those that would impact the cost of a personal vehicle insurance policy. These factors can include age, driving experience, the type of vehicle and any previous motoring convictions.

For taxi’s especially, motoring convictions can make it more difficult to access affordable insurance policies. In unique circumstances where a driver has drunk driving convictions or has previously lost their licence, insurers may be more cautious because there is a responsibility to potential consumers that must be taken into account.

In these instances, it is worth discussing options with a specialist to see what is possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you are an Uber driver, than yes, you will be classed as a private hire driver.

This is because you are effectively pre-booked via the Uber app and not flagged down on the road like a black cab.

More can be found on our Uber Taxi Insurance page.

As you may expect, the price of taxi insurance is often more expensive than that of a personal vehicle. This applies to both public and private hire taxis.

The vehicle you select is one of the most crucial factors to take into account if you’re looking for inexpensive policies. More expensive, luxury cars will cost more to fix and, consequently, cost more to insure. You should also consider things like fuel efficiency and emissions when looking at a vehicle and decide whether this might impact the total costs to run the vehicle.

Taxi fleet insurance can be a good option if you own and operate more than two private hire vehicles. A taxi fleet policy will cover all of your vehicles under a single policy, this can make it easy to make adjustments if your drivers or vehicles change.

If you’re unsure what type of policy is best for you, you can compare taxi insurance quotes or speak to an adviser.

You can still use a registered taxi for personal use, but rules on this will vary by area and policy. Your policy will usually outline whether you are also covered for personal use of the vehicle, so it’s always best to check the terms of your agreement if you need cover before you agree to go ahead with the policy.

Private hire drivers still need a taxi licence so this often means others are not insured on your private hire vehicle unless they also hold a licence. Your licensing authority and policy will be able to clarify whether this applies to you.

Related Insurance

Private Hire Taxi

Public Hire

UBER Taxi

Chauffeur

Minibus