Flexible public hire insurance cover to suit your needs
When you depend on your vehicle for your livelihood, finding a robust taxi insurance policy is vital to protect one of your most important assets. We’ve designed our cover around the specific needs of public hire vehicle drivers for added peace of mind.
Plus, with access to a panel of numerous specialist taxi insurers, we can help you find a competitive quote. Premiums can be paid monthly or annually depending on your situation, and with plenty of optional extras – such as breakdown cover, excess protection and public liability cover – we can help build a public hire insurance policy that’s right for you.
Looking for private hire or app-based insurance?
If you drive for Uber, Bolt, a local minicab firm, or a chauffeur service, you’ll need a private hire policy. We offer cover for these types of vehicles too, as well as for decommissioned taxis used for SDP use. Just get in touch for a quote.
The benefits of getting a public hire vehicle insurance policy with Sterling Insurance
- Like-for-like replacement vehicle if yours cannot be used – including black cabs and accessible vehicles
- Public liability cover up to £10 million
- £100,000 of legal cover included with every policy
- Cover for all hackney carriage taxi drivers, including PCO and black cab drivers in London
- Insurance for all models, including LEVC electric taxis, older LTI TX models, and more conventional vehicles used in or outside of London
- Wide range of optional extras available, including breakdown cover, gadget cover, excess protect, keycare and misfuelling cover
- 24/7 claims helpline
Claims hotline is open 24/7
Sterling’s claim line is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you need to make a claim, we will be here for your call.
All hackney carriage models and black cabs can be covered
Whether you’re navigating London’s strict zero emission capable (ZEC) rules in the latest LEVC TX, a Mercedes-Benz Vito Taxi or the fully electric Dynamo, we can cover you. We also provide specialist cover for Euro 6 LTI TX4s and retrofitted Euro 5 TX4 models.
For drivers outside of the capital, we’re able to cover any hackney carriage vehicle. As long as you have a hackney cab licence that allows you to use a taxi rank or accept street hails, we can insure you, whether you need London-style black cab insurance, or if you drive a more standard saloon, a hatchback, WAV or MPV.
Wide range of optional extras available
Our flexible hackney cab insurance cover can include any number of the optional extras we offer. This includes breakdown cover, keycare, excess protection, misfuelling cover, gadget cover and more.
24/7 claims helpline
When you work irregular hours as a taxi driver, we know how vital it is for you to have around-the-clock support from a public hire insurance specialist if the worst happens. Our claims helpline is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week so you can be sure we’re always just a call away.
Frequently asked questions
What is public hire insurance?
Public hire insurance is a specialist form of hire and reward cover. If you’re a taxi driver in London, you might be more familiar with the term PCO insurance. This is another term used for taxi insurance that covers vehicles to be hailed on the street or pick up from a marked taxi rank.
While standard car insurance protects you for personal use, taxi insurance is a legal requirement if you carry passengers for a fee.
At Sterling, we provide dedicated cover for all areas of the trade. This particular policy is built specifically for the unique risks involved with driving a hackney carriage, i.e. those that can be hailed on the street or that can pick up passengers at a taxi rank.
Does public hire taxi insurance cover passengers?
When you take out our public liability cover alongside your policy, this includes cover for any passengers who get injured while travelling in your vehicle or entering and exiting it. It will also cover any damage to properties.
How much is public hire PCO insurance?
The cost of your public hire insurance depends on a number of factors, including the type of vehicle you own, your driving history and where you typically drive. If, for instance, it’s your first year of driving a taxi, you might find that your premium is more expensive than those with more experience.
To get a better idea of how much your policy will be, speak to us for a quote.
How can I get affordable public hire and reward taxi insurance?
There are a number of ways you can reduce your premium. This includes:
- Add extra security: a dash cam can help verify any claims you make, while a Thatcham-approved alarm system can help prevent your vehicle from being stolen.
- Gain extra driving qualifications: if you’re new to driving, passing additional driving qualifications such as IAMRoadsmart can help you improve your driving skills and reduce your premium.
- Build up your no claims bonus: having a claims-free driving history is one of the best ways to reduce your premium.
- Pay yearly: you’re more likely to pay less when you pay for your insurance upfront rather than throughout the year
What is public liability insurance for a taxi?
It is a type of add-on you can include with your taxi insurance policy. It covers compensation claims and legal fees if a member of the public is injured, or their property is damaged, and they believe you are at fault.
Do I need public liability insurance as a taxi driver?
Although it isn’t a legal requirement, this type of cover is highly recommended to public hire taxi drivers. You might also find that taking out public liability insurance is a licensing condition from your local council for any hackney carriages operating in the area. This is true for councils such as Lambeth and Buckinghamshire.
