How do I know if I need hackney carriage insurance?

If you drive a licensed hackney carriage, work from taxi ranks or pick up passengers who have not pre-booked, you need specialist public hire cover.

I'm under 25. Can I get hackney carriage insurance?

Some insurers will consider younger drivers, but many set a minimum age for taxi cover. Where a policy is available, younger drivers can usually expect to pay more.

Can't I just buy private hire insurance?

No. Private hire insurance only covers passengers who have booked in advance, so it won't cover you when you're hailed or working from a rank. Alongside your public hire policy, you may also want to consider public liability cover, which can help with claims from passengers injured in or around your taxi.

How can I lower the cost of my insurance?

Paying annually rather than monthly can work out cheaper, because monthly instalments may include interest. Some insurers also offer telematics (black box) policies, which may reward careful driving.

Taxi

Hackney carriage insurance

Hackney carriage insurance covers licensed public hire taxis that can be hailed or use ranks. What you need for a quote and the levels of cover.

Driving a hackney carriage comes with a lot of responsibility. Passengers rely on you day and night, and your taxi is your livelihood, so it makes sense to have the right insurance in place to keep it on the road.

A hackney carriage is a licensed public hire taxi. It can be hailed in the street and can wait at taxi ranks, unlike a minicab, which must be booked in advance. Hackney carriages are licensed by the local council, or by Transport for London in the capital. Because you can pick up passengers without a booking, you need a specialist public hire policy.

You also cover far more miles than the average motorist, which increases the chance of an accident. Your policy needs to reflect the way you work.

With Kompare, you fill in a short form and a specialist FCA-authorised broker from our panel contacts you to talk through your cover and quotes. See our taxi insurance page or read how we work.

What details do I need to provide?

When you ask for a quote, you'll usually be asked for the following.

Details of the vehicle

You don't need to know the exact model of your taxi. Your registration number is normally enough to look up the details.

No claims bonus (NCB)

You'll be asked how many years of no claims bonus you have. Your current insurer can give you proof if you need it.

Named drivers

If anyone else will drive your taxi, you'll need their personal and licence details so they can be added to the policy.

Licence details

You'll be asked what type of licence you hold and how long you've held it.

Previous claims

You'll need to say whether you've been involved in any accidents or made any claims in the last five years.

Driving convictions

If you have any penalty points or disqualifications on your licence, you'll need to give the full details.

What are the different levels of cover?

When you take out hackney carriage insurance, you'll choose one of three levels of cover.

Fully comprehensive

This is the highest level of cover. It includes everything in third party, fire and theft, and also covers damage to your own taxi, even if an accident was your fault.

Third party, fire and theft

This covers you if you're responsible for injury to other people, including passengers, or damage to their property. It also covers your taxi if it's stolen or damaged by fire. It won't pay for repairs to your own taxi if you cause an accident.

Third party only

This is the most basic level of cover and the minimum required by law. It pays for injury to others and damage you cause to other vehicles and property, but there is no cover for you or your taxi.

Not sure which cover you need?

If you're unsure which level of cover suits you, get in touch and we can help with any questions.

Does this not sound like you?

Many roles in the taxi trade overlap. If you drive a minicab or other private hire vehicle, or you run several taxis, our taxi insurance page covers these too. For licensing rules, check with your local council or, in London, TfL.