Private Hire Insurance
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Why Compare Cheap Private Hire Insurance Quotes With EasyQuote?
It can take hours to sort through all the different insurance providers in the UK to find a private hire insurance policy to meet your needs. EasyQuote gets rid of the hassle, allowing you to quickly compare quotes from the UK’s leading insurance providers.
What Do You Need To Get A Quote?
You need to provide the following information to get private hire vehicle insurance quotes:
- Vehicle details: Including the make, model and year of the car used as a private hire taxi.
- Driver details: Name, age, driving history and claims history.
- Location: Where the vehicle will be parked when off-duty and overnight.
- Annual mileage for private hire purposes.
- Level of cover: (e.g. third-party only)
- Business details: Which company or ride-hailing app you’re affiliated with.
Who Needs Private Hire Insurance?
Anyone who uses their personal car to pick up pre-booked passengers, whether working for a company or using an app like Bolt or Uber, requires this type of insurance.
What Does Private Hire Insurance Cover?
What is covered will depend on your insurance provider, policy and level of cover.
The following are typically covered under a private hire insurance policy:
- Personal use: Most private hire policies cover personal use as well, however, it might be limited or have a higher excess if personal use claims are made.
- Third-party liability: Covers costs of injuries or property damage to third parties when you’re at fault for the accident.
- Passengers’ liability: Covers the cost of medical bills if passengers sustained injuries during the drive.
- Damage to own vehicle: Covers any repairs to the car in the case of an accident or vandalism.
- Legal expenses: Covers the cost of legal disputes.
- Loss of earnings: Provides financial compensation if you’re unable to drive your private hire taxi due to an accident or if the vehicle is in for repairs.
What is not covered?
The following are typically not covered by private hire taxi insurance:
- Accidents caused when driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Wear and tear.
- Personal belongings stolen from the car.
- Any deliberate acts by the policyholder causing damage to the vehicle or third parties.
Looking for the cheapest Private Hire Insurance? Get your quote today!
Get QuotesWhat Levels Of Private Hire Insurance Cover Can You Get?
There are three different levels of private hire taxi insurance, namely third-party, third-party, fire and theft, and comprehensive cover.
Third-party only
This is the most basic level of cover and also the minimum legal requirement to drive in the UK.
This policy will cover third parties involved in an accident caused by you. It covers the cost of damage to their property, vehicle, or any injuries they sustained.
Note that it does not cover any costs incurred by you, such as medical bills or damage to your own car.
Third-party, fire and theft
This level covers everything included in a third-party-only policy, as well as financial protection should your car be damaged by a fire or stolen.
The insurer would not compensate for car accidents deemed to be your fault, so you’ll have to pay for any damages you suffered in the accident.
Comprehensive
This level of cover offers you the most financial protection. It provides the same benefits as third-party, fire and theft policies, as well as covering medical expenses and legal fees in case of a dispute.
Fully comprehensive cover is a popular option for private hire taxi drivers as it ensures you’re covered for every scenario on the road.
What Add-Ons Are Available For Your Private Hire Insurance Policy?
There are various policy add-ons that private taxi drivers need to consider to ensure they’re covered in all eventualities.
- Breakdown cover: Covers the cost of roadside assistance or towing your car to a mechanic if you break down.
- Replacement vehicle: Temporarily provides a vehicle so you can continue working while your personal car is being repaired.
- Windscreen cover: Windscreens are expensive to replace and not usually included in private hire insurance policies.
- No-claims bonus protection: Should you make a claim, you won’t lose your no-claims bonus.
- Lost keys: Covers the cost of replacing lost or stolen keys.
- European cover: So you can drive throughout the EU while being covered.
- Public liability cover: To protect you if anyone – including your passengers – is injured or suffers damages due to your fault.
- Celebrity carriage cover
- Uninsured driver cover
Looking for the cheapest Private Hire Insurance? Get your quote today!
Get QuotesHow Much Does Private Hire Insurance Cost?
Costs vary between different insurance providers, but you can expect to pay between £1,600 and £1,800 per year.
Which factors impact the cost of my insurance premiums?
- Your age
- Your driving experience
- Your claims history
- The type and value of your car
- Your annual mileage (for private hire purposes only)
- Your location and where the car is parked
- The level of cover
- Policy add-ons
- When you drive (e.g. peak traffic or outside of peak hours)
How Can You Reduce Your Private Hire Taxi Insurance Premiums?
If you think you’re paying too much for your taxi insurance, here are some ways in which you can reduce your premiums:
Pay annually
Paying your insurance premium annually saves you from having to pay interest on monthly instalments.
Shop around
Let EasyQuote help you find affordable insurance policies that still meet your needs.
Don’t modify your vehicle
Modifications can either increase the value of the car or make it riskier to drive, which will leave you with higher premiums.
Install security measures
Dash cams, central locking and CCTV will make you a lower risk to insurance companies.
Get secure parking
Make sure you park your car in a secure place while not on duty to enjoy lower premiums.
Don’t over-insure
Only insure for what you need. Although some of the add-ons may seem like a good idea, make sure you only have cover for what you need.
Telematics insurance
By installing a telematics device in your car (also called a black box), your insurer will receive data on your driving behaviour. They can then lower your premiums if they consider you a safe driver and a lower risk to insure.
How To Compare Insurance Quotes With EasyQuote
To provide you with a quick quote, all you need to do is:
- Fill in our form: Tell us a little bit about yourself, your car, your taxi company, and where you drive.
- Select insurance policy add-ons: Choose which additional cover you want.
- Compare private hire taxi insurance costs: Compare quotes easily with EasyQuote.
- Save money: Find an insurance policy that won’t break the bank but still provide cover that you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Private hire taxi insurance is a type of insurance that taxi drivers who pick up pre-booked passengers in the UK require by law.
This insurance covers drivers who use private vehicles for commercial purposes like transporting passengers.
The insurance protects both the driver and their passengers if an unforeseen event should occur while ensuring they’re fully compliant with UK law while operating as a private taxi driver.
Private hire taxi insurance specifically covers drivers who transport pre-booked passengers. Private hire drivers can’t be hailed from the street or take passengers from taxi ranks. If you do that, your insurance will be voided.
Public hire insurance covers drivers who can be hailed from the street or taxi rank, without the need for pre-booking. This includes the black cabs found in the UK.
To know which insurance policy you need, you first need to know what kind of taxi service you’re providing. If you work on a pre-booked system you will need private hire insurance, this also includes drivers who work for ride-hailing companies such as Uber.
Other insurance policies include:
- Minicab insurance
- Black cab insurance
- Public hire insurance
- Taxi fleet insurance
- London Taxi PCO Insurance
- Uber Taxi Insurance
Not having the correct insurance can invalidate the policy that you have, causing issues if you were to be in a collision.
A private hire insurance certificate is a legal document that provides documentary evidence that you are insured to drive a specific private hire vehicle and carry passengers for hire and reward.