If you work as a taxi driver then one of the most important things you need to do is make sure you’re covered by getting the right type of insurance.
Below are the different types of taxi insurance you can get as well as the different factors that affect the cost of taxi insurance.
Taxi insurance cover options
- Private hire – Private hire taxis are those that can only be booked in advance i.e. they cannot pick up passengers from the street and also cannot display a taxi sign. Private hire taxi insurance is usually cheaper.
- Public hire – Public hire taxis are able to display a taxi sign and drivers can pick customers up while they’re between fares.
- Road risks – Insurance for road risks is something that every taxi driver must have as a minimum. The lowest level of insurance you can get in order for your taxi to be road legal is third party only. This will protect other road users if you’re involved in a collision where you’re to blame. For more protection for your own vehicle then you should get a comprehensive policy.
- Legal issues – You can get cover for legal issues added to a taxi insurance policy, such as liability claims and legal expenses.
The things that affect the cost of taxi insurance
- Your history – Your driving history and previous convictions will certainly affect how much you pay for taxi insurance. If you have a lot of previous claims or any driving/criminal convictions on your record then you can certainly expect to pay more than someone who does not.
- Type of cover – The type of cover you get will also affect how much you pay for taxi insurance. Private hire drivers will typically pay less than public hire drivers but it’s also about the number of cover options you get. A third party only policy will always be cheaper than a comprehensive policy, all things being equal.
- Excess – Excess is the amount you would pay towards a claim. If you increase the excess you’d pay then you can lower the cost of your premium (monthly/annual cost of your policy.
- How you pay – Most people choose to pay for insurance monthly. However if you pay annually then you’re usually able to make a good saving with most insurance providers.