Public Hire Insurance

Compare Public Hire Insurance Quotes

  • Complete one short form
  • Quickly compare quotes
  • Find a great deal today
Get Quotes

Explore policies & exclusive deals from leading public hire taxi insurers, including:

  • towergate-taxi
  • freeway-insurance
  • county-insurance
  • a-plan
  • abby-insurance
  • quotax
  • zego
  • xyz-insurance
  • taxi-insurer
  • staveley-head
  • riviera-insurance
  • konsileo
  • insurance-revolution
  • coversure
  • abbey-autoline

Why Compare Public Hire Insurance Quotes With SimplyQuote?

SimplyQuote’s online comparison tool takes the hassle out of finding the perfect public hire insurance policy that suits your needs and budget.

Stop wasting your valuable time calling insurance providers and scrolling through endless insurance websites. With SimplyQuote, you’ll receive multiple quotes tailored to your specific public taxi hire requirements within minutes.

What Do You Need To Get A Quote?

To get a public hire insurance quote, we just need a few simple details about yourself, your car, and your public hire taxi business:

  • Your name, age and contact details.
  • The make, model, year, mileage and any additional security features of your taxi.
  • The area you operate in, your taxi licence, your public hire fleet business, and how many taxis you’re looking to insure (if applicable).

 

Who Needs Public Hire Insurance?

If you drive a taxi that can be flagged down or if you pick up passengers from a designated taxi rank, public hire taxi insurance cover is a necessity.

From saloon vehicles and minibuses to London black cabs and hackney carriages, this type of specialised insurance covers all traditional taxi services that don’t require a booking prior to pick-up (such as an e-hailing service like Uber).

Public hire insurance is not only a legal requirement, but it also provides peace of mind that you and your passengers are protected in the event of an accident.

What Does Public Hire Taxi Insurance Cover?

Looking for the cheapest Public Hire Insurance? Get your quote today!

Get Quotes

What Levels Of Public Hire Insurance Cover Can You Get?

There are three levels of public hire insurance cover that you can take out: third-party only; third-party, fire and theft; and fully comprehensive.

 

Third-party only

This is the minimum cover required to legally drive a public hire taxi in the UK. It is also the most basic, covering only the cost of damage you cause to other vehicles, property and third parties should you have an accident.

If you’re on a budget, then this is usually the best level of cover to opt for. However, bear in mind that you won’t be covered for any damage to your vehicle or injuries you incur.

Third-party, fire and theft

Third-party, fire and theft cover includes all the benefits of third-party only cover, as well as cover if your taxi is stolen or damaged by a fire or vandalism.

However, as with third-party only insurance, you won’t be covered for injuries you sustain and damage to your vehicle as the result of an accident.

Fully comprehensive

If you’re looking for extensive cover and peace of mind, then fully comprehensive cover is what you should opt for.

This cover includes that of third-party, fire and theft, as well as the added benefit of cover for you and your vehicle should you get in an accident.

What Add-Ons Can You Get For Your Public Hire Insurance Policy?

How Much Does Public Hire Taxi Insurance Cost?

Looking for the cheapest Public Hire Insurance? Get your quote today!

Get Quotes
orange-coins-stacked

How Can You Reduce Your Public Hire Insurance Premiums?

To ensure you don’t pay any more for your policy than necessary, consider these factors to help reduce your public hire insurance premium:

Compare multiple quotes

Shopping around and comparing quotes from various insurance providers is the best way to reduce your monthly premiums. Use SimplyQuote’s online comparison tool to find a policy that perfectly balances both your needs and your budget.

Regularly service your vehicle

Service your black cab regularly to reduce the chance of any major repairs and hefty insurance claims down the line. Remember, the more you claim from your insurance, the higher your policy premiums may be.

Install a black box tracker

With specialist black box insurance or telematics insurance, a tracking device will be installed in your cab that allows your insurance provider to monitor your driving. The better your driving habits, the more likely you’ll save on your premiums – it’s as simple as that!

Secure parking

Congestion levels, crime rates and road accident statistics of where you park your car off-duty increase your risk of insurance claims. Parking your vehicle off-road, in a private garage or driveway can significantly reduce your premium.

What Should You Consider Before Taking Out Public Hire Insurance?

How To Compare Public Hire Taxi Insurance Quotes With SimplyQuote?

Get a Quote

Frequently Asked Questions

What is public hire insurance?

Public hire insurance, or black cab insurance, is a specialised cover for traditional taxi drivers who pick up their passengers from being flagged down or at a rank.

What is the difference between public and private hire taxi insurance?

Taxis licensed as hackney carriages, which can pick up passengers in taxi ranks or be hailed down by pedestrians in need of a ride, are classed as public hire vehicles and require public hire insurance.

Private hire taxis, on the other hand, provide a service to customers who have booked in advance, for example through a ride-hailing app like Uber. As a result, these vehicles require private hire insurance.

Why is public hire insurance more expensive than private hire insurance?

From the perspective of an insurance underwriter, there are different risks involved for private hire and public hire vehicles, which influences the premium costs.

You’ll usually find black cabs in busy, built-up cities, where the risk of road traffic accidents is very high. As a result, these cabs are at a higher risk of making a claim (compared to private hire vehicles) which pushes up the premium price.