The public hire vehicle can be flagged down by a member of public if the taxi has the for hire sign on. A point to remember is that the private hire licensed vehicles must be pre-booked in advance by the customer and cannot be hailed on the road. Public hire vehicles come in all different forms from saloon cars, six, seven passenger seats or even up to 9 seat vehicles are available. In London the most common make is the London Taxi International (LTI) or the Metrocab and these taxis are known throughout the world as London Black Cabs.

In the UK a minimum of third party insurance cover is a legal requirement before any motor vehicle can be used on a public highway. This also applies to taxi vehicles and a public hire insurance motor policy must be purchased by the cab driver before the vehicle can be used for taxi purposes. Public hire taxi insurance polices differ from standard private motor insurance policies and as such only specialist insurers and brokers that have expert knowledge in the taxi industry offer these types of policies.

A public hire insurance policy is usually not available through the normal comparison sites as the risk questions are different and also the taxi product is a lot more complex to administer. In most cases the taxi insurance brokers will request certain documents from the public hire driver. These documents can include;

• DVLA Counterpart Driving Licence
• DVLA Photo Card Driving Licence
• Public Hire Drivers Licence (known as the ‘badge’)
• Public Hire Vehicle Licence (known as the ‘plate’)
• V5 Registration Document (Log book of the vehicle)

Depending on the public hire drivers individual circumstance the price of the public hire insurance quotes will vary considerably from one taxi insurance company to the next. Taxi drivers with experience will usually get a cheap public hire insurance quote than new taxi drivers. There are many providers of taxi insurance, so do shop and compare public hire insurance quotes online for your taxi vehicle.

• The age of the taxi driver is major factor in the rating process of taxi insurance quotes. The older you are the cheaper the rate as underwriters can assume that you will be a more responsible driver. Also statistics prove that younger drivers especially those aged less than 25 years of age tend to be involved in more road traffic accidents than their older peers.
• The taxi licensing authority also plays a major part in the cost of you taxi insurance premium. Drivers that are licensed in large cities such as London, Birmingham and Manchester etc are perceived to be at a higher risk of being involved in a road traffic accident.
• If you previously have taxi experience and have owned taxi no claims discount then this will be reflected in cheaper taxi insurance price. Some insurers will give introductory discounts on private car no claims bonus for new drivers without any previous taxi experience.
• The number of motor claims, incidents or thefts also greatly affects the price of a taxi car insurance quote. Claims free drivers will obviously receive the cheapest taxi insurance price. Even if you were involved in a non-fault accident these still do need to be declared to the taxi insurance company as this can affect the premium. There some insurers that will not provide a quotation for drivers that have been involved in four or more incidents in the last three years even if all of these incidences were non-fault. Further more failure to disclose any material information or inaccuracies in the information given could invalidate your insurance cover and mean that part or all of your claim may not be paid. If you are in any doubt as to the ambit of the duty of disclosure or whether a piece of information ought to be disclosed, please do ask the insurance advisor.
• Penalty points and fixed convictions also affect the price of a taxi insurance policy. Driving convictions such as careless driving and driving without insurance etc can greatly increase the cost of a taxi insurance policy.

There are other factors that are taken into account when assessing the full risk of a taxi insurance policy such as the vehicle make and model, whether its garaged, marital status of the driver, number of drivers on the policy etc. As it can be seen that the cheapest taxi insurance options are if you are a mature driver with experience and with maximum no claims bonus discount on a taxi policy.

However it doesn’t mean new taxi drivers are not looked after. There are many taxi insurance companies that entice new taxi drivers with special promotional offers and introductory discounts.

The main issue that private hire drivers have with obtaining quotations on the internet is that there is no human touch. There will be occasions when you need to clarify a few points and these can be easily explained over the telephone as opposed to online. The main many benefit of obtaining online private hire insurance quotation is the ease, the speed and the ability to compare many taxi insurance companies relatively quickly and at any time of the day. Minicab drivers can go online at the weekends, evenings or at other time that is appropriate to them and very quickly get many different private hire insurance quotes for their licensed vehicle.

Even though the internet is probably the quickest and fastest way of getting taxi insurance quotes it doesn’t necessarily imply that these quotes will be the cheapest for your particular circumstances. There may be a local insurance broker that has negotiated great rates for the local private hire trade from a specialist hire and reward insurance company. Because these private hire insurance rates are only available for a specific taxi licensing authority the broker may not advertise this on their website. So minicab drivers should still keep their options open as to how they shop for their minicab insurance policy.

I larger cities such as London, Birmingham, Bristol etc, there will be many high street insurance brokers some of them possibly specializing in taxi insurance policies. In the smaller towns and cities such as Litchfield, Burton-on-Trent etc this may not be the case. In this instance the private hire driver needs to rely on the internet, trade publications and word of mouth as the best method of getting cheap private hire insurance quote.

An important point to note is that even though you might obtain ten different private hire insurance quotes, the terms and conditions will vary considerably from one taxi insurance company to the next. Make sure you read all the documents sent to you very carefully and thoroughly. A particular quote may seem cheap initially but with the policy carrying a high excess, high finance charges and high mid term adjustment charges could potentially cost you a lot more than what you initially perceived to be a cheap taxi insurance policy.

All taxi hire and reward cars, mpv and minibus must be correctly insured prior to use on a public highway otherwise you are breaking the law. Even though this is a not a criminal offence it is still an extremely serious offence that is punishable by a fine and conviction points on your driving licence. In some circumstances even a ban from driving may also apply. Not only could this jeopardise your livelihood but also any chance of future work in the hire and reward industry may also be limited.

Without having a valid taxi insurance cover most taxi licensing authorities will not issue a plate Licence or a permit for the vehicle. Without a private hire / public hire plate your vehicle cannot be used for the purposes of hire and reward. In some circumstances there are exceptions to this rule. Further details can be obtained from your local taxi licensing officer.

Most taxi insurance companies offers easy monthly payment options for the annual policies. There are some insurers that also offer monthly and quarterly private hire and public hire taxi policies. There is no excuse for not having the correct insurance cover in place, not only can your jeopardise your livelihood but you can put other road users and members of the public at a great risk.

Whether you are licensed by Stoke City Council, London Public Carriage Office PCO or any other licensing authority in the UK you must have a taxi insurance policy if the vehicle is to be used for public hire. If the vehicle is to be use as a minicab and is licensed under a private hire Licence then a private hire insurance policy needs to be in place.

For a quote on taxi insurance or a cheap private hire insurance policy contact Active Insurance, the leading UK provider of hire and reward insurance cover for licensed vehicles.

The traditional methods of getting taxi insurance quotes were recommendations by fellow taxi drivers, trade magazines, local broker and business directories. Calling a specialist taxi broker still has many benefits to getting an online quotation since many online quote forms may not take into account the individual circumstances of the driver. Also the online quotation may make a lot of assumptions to reduce the question set asked. Many drivers failed to read these assumptions and can get a quotation or cover which is based on an incomplete set of information.

The obvious benefits of an online taxi insurance quote is that many companies can be contacted very quickly and thus enabling you to compare taxi insurance quotations with multiple providers. Most online systems only capture the taxi drivers risk information and do not provide an instant quote and a representative of the taxi insurance company normally will call back with the quote details and may also enquire about any other facts related to the taxi quotation. This enables the taxi driver to explain exactly what their needs are to the taxi broker. They can also clarify any questions that they were unsure of.

The internet is one of getting comparison taxi insurance quotes for people that have access to online services but it does not mean that you will get the best and the cheapest deal for your taxi vehicle. There are specialist taxi brokers that do not have an online presence but have great deals on taxi insurance for drivers all over Great Britain. Some times a recommendation from a colleague may be the better option for your needs. It is best to keep your options open when shopping for cheap taxi insurance quotes.

However the internet is a tool that plays an integral part of our daily life, from shopping online to getting information and staying up to date with friends and family through email or socials sites such as facebook and twitter. The modern taxi driver has a choice of getting taxi insurance quotes as never before but as with anything else you need to keep your options open to other media as well.

For an online taxi insurance quotation please visit Active Insurance website. The specialist taxi insurance brokers for the UK hire and reward trade.

Public Hire and Private Hire Vehicles

Through the UK including London there are primarily two types of vehicles that are licensed to be used as hire and reward. The public hire vehicles are taxis such as the London black cabs and are also known as Hackney Carriages. The public hire vehicles must have a public hire taxi insurance policy in place and these are the only types of vehicles that can be hailed on the street by the public. Also these are the only types of vehicles that can advertise or imply that they are a ‘Taxi’ cab. The private hire licensed vehicles cannot display the sign ‘Taxi’ and can only carry passengers that have pre-booked their journey, usually through a minicab booking office. It is illegal for a private hire vehicle to pick a passenger on a street that have not pre-booked their journey as this would not only contravene the condition of the drivers private hire licence but it may also invalidate their private hire insurance policy.

Private Hire (Minicab) Licensing

After many years of campaigning by various groups, the Private Hire Vehicle (London) Act was passed in to law in 1998. The overseeing body that was given the responsibility of licensing was passed on to the Public Carriage Office (PCO) who also is responsible for licensing London’s black cabs.

There is still a major problem in London where the customers fail to differentiate the difference between a licensed private hire vehicle and unlicensed vehicles who illegally tout for taxi business throughout London and many other parts of the country. These touts tend to prey on tourists in the City or late night revellers at pubs, restaurants and clubs.

Passengers should know that the Public Carriage Office (PCO) issues three types of licenses to the private hire trade.

• The Operators Licence – This license is issued to the minicab company that operates by accepting pre-booked journeys to carry one or more fare paying customers. The private hire operator must display their licence at their place of business. This licence must be displayed in a place where it is easily visible by the public. If the business has an office or a shop front where the members of public can go to and make a booking then they ideally should also have a taxi office public liability insurance cover in place as well.
• Private Hire Vehicle Licence – This licence is issued to ensure that all vehicles used for hire and reward use have been tested and fit for this use. In London private hire vehicles display the licence on both the front and rear windows of the vehicles. The expiration date is visible on these licenses. Customers should query any vehicle that does not have a valid private hire licence. Before the vehicle is issued with a licence, a private hire insurance certificate or covernote must be produced to ensure that the correct insurance cover is in place.
• Private Hire Drivers Licence – For minicab drivers to obtain a private hire licence most licensing authorities have implemented some form of knowledge tests. Also the driver is checked with the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) for any criminal convictions or cautions. Once the licensing authority is satisfied the driver is a ‘fit and proper’ person, they will then issue a licence. Any customer can ask to see this licence before commencing their journey. It is a condition of the licence that it must be clearly displayed whilst they are using their vehicle for hire and reward use.

Certain types of vehicles such as wedding cars and funeral vehicles are exempt from the private hire licensing regulation.

Active Insurance is a UK leading broker offering low cost private hire insurance also known as minicab insurance including vehicles licensed by London Public Carraige Office PCO.

Minicab firms that own and run multiple vehicles for their private hire business, a private hire taxi fleet insurance policy could be an excellent option. Not only could this save you money but also would ease the administration burden with only one renewal date to remember. Some insurers will accept fleet policies from only two vehicles but most tend to offer minicab fleet insurance quotes where there are at least 5 or more vehicles.

It is still a good idea to shop around even if you operate a few private hire vehicles. Some insurers will still be able to provide a quotation online. Taxi fleet policies offer many advantages such as the fleet can be a mixture of different vehicles and different levels of cover can be allocated to individual vehicles. For example some taxi cars can be insure under fully comprehensive cover whereas other taxi cabs can be covered under a third party policy. Also the vehicles can be a mixture of public and private hire cabs.

Another advantage of a private hire fleet insurance policy is that the vehicles can be a mixture of saloon cars, minibuses and taxis all under one policy. Vehicles can be added and deleted on the policy at any stage.

The best way to obtain cheap private hire insurance quotes is by going online and searching for taxi brokers that are specialists in the hire and reward market. A specialist broker will search a range of taxi insurance companies on your behalf to obtain you the best possible quote for your requirements.

By managing your fleet with proper risk management could also save you money on your premium. As a fleet operator you are likely to employ drivers that you have little knowledge about. By taking a few simple precautions and vetting the drivers you can reduce the number of claims. A few examples of this include by taking copies of drivers licences, getting previous references, having a mileage log, putting in place accident procedures and implementing safe driving protocols. Also ensure vehicles are regularly serviced and maintained.

A private hire fleet insurance policy can be taken out on, with any driver basis but by naming individual drivers usually will result in lower premiums. Also all drivers’ claims history and any motoring convictions must be declared.

Active Insurance is an independent insurance intermediary specialising in hire and reward policies for Britain’s taxi drivers. Offering both private hire insurance and public hire taxi insurances, all at great rates for new and experienced drivers.

Off course the internet is not just a tool for obtaining insurance quotes but also it’s a great tool to connect to family, friends and colleagues all over the world 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There are many online forums for taxi drivers that provide a wealth of information and allow the taxi driver to post their thoughts, views and rants.

Finding taxi insurance companies on the web is very easy. A simple term such as ‘private hire insurance’ or ‘taxi insurance’ in a search engine will throw up 10’s of thousands of results. Usually the results in the first page will get you the required information that you are looking for. Sometimes you may have to go a few pages deeper.

Most taxi insurance companies have implemented some form of a web solution. Some have basic static websites, others offer online taxi insurance quotes. Some also allow full user interaction where a taxi driver can participate in a live chat with a taxi insurance advisor. Any questions the taxi driver may have will usually be answered instantly by the advisor at the taxi insurance company through this online chat facility.

Another great place to look for taxi insurance quotations is via a taxi forum. There are many discussion forums available online. Some of these are setup up by individual taxi drivers, others by taxi organisations and taxi companies. These are great sources to interact with other taxi drivers to find out where they have obtained their taxi insurance policies from. This way you are able to get first hand information about the price and service of a taxi insurance company.

More and more taxi blogs can be found on the web. These are great sources of information for taxi drivers. Not only will you we able to find information on taxi insurance companies but also information on taxi vehicles, taxi meters, security and other useful industry related articles. Currently there are not many taxi insurance comparison websites available that offer instant online quotes. The main reason for this is the complexity of this type of insurance product.

The most important source of information for the taxi driver is the specialist taxi insurance brokers. They usually have access to most of the largest taxi insurance companies and thus are able to offer some of the cheapest taxi insurance quotes available.

With these online options available to the taxi driver it is easy to find a great deal by simply shopping around online from the comfort of your own home. Not only can you compare taxi insurance quotes from multiple sources but this can be achieved relatively quickly.

Active Insurance is UK based taxi insurance brokers offering a wide range of insurance products for the professional taxi driver including cheap taxi insurance quotes.