Hire and reward cover for licensed hackney carriages, rank work, street pickups and pre-booked fares, including black cabs.
Hire and reward cover for licensed hackney carriages, rank work, street pickups and pre-booked fares, including black cabs.
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Public hire insurance is taxi cover for licensed hackney carriages. Unlike a private hire car, a hackney carriage can be flagged down in the street or picked up at a rank, not just pre-booked. Insurers rate that as a higher risk than private hire, and the policy must include hire and reward use.
Flag downs and rank work mean more short, unplanned journeys, which is why public hire costs more than pre-booked private hire.
Your public hire insurance depends on:
Which council licensed youHow long you’ve held your badgeCity centre or town workYour vehicle and its valueWheelchair accessible or saloonAnnual mileage
Is public hire cover right for you?
Is public hire cover right for you?
Black cabs, saloon hackneys and wheelchair accessible cabs are all insured as public hire, but rated differently by vehicle and area.
Black cabs, saloon hackneys and wheelchair accessible cabs are all insured as public hire, but rated differently by vehicle and area.
Black Cabs
Purpose-built hackney carriages, including London taxis.
Saloon Hackneys
Standard cars licensed as hackney carriages outside London.
Wheelchair Accessible
WAV hackneys carrying passengers in wheelchairs.
Rank & Street Work
Drivers relying on ranks, flag downs and night-time trade.
Mixed Work
Hackney drivers who also take pre-booked and account jobs.
Multiple Cabs
Owners running more than one licensed hackney.
What could go wrong on a hackney shift?
What could go wrong on a hackney shift?
Rank and street work brings short, unplanned journeys, late-night trade and more passenger contact, which is why hackney claims look different to private hire.
Rank and street work brings short, unplanned journeys, late-night trade and more passenger contact, which is why hackney claims look different to private hire.
What a claim could mean for your cab
What a claim could mean for your cab
A single incident can touch several parts of a hackney policy. These examples show which cover responds to what.
A single incident can touch several parts of a hackney policy. These examples show which cover responds to what.
Collision on shift
You’re hit while carrying a fare through town.
Cover that may respond
Comprehensive + Passenger Liability
Passenger injury
A passenger is hurt getting in or out at a rank.
Cover that may respond
Passenger + Public Liability
Damage overnight
Your cab is vandalised while parked at home.
Cover that may respond
Comprehensive Cover
Off the road
Repairs leave you unable to work for weeks.
Cover that may respond
Replacement Vehicle
Anyone licensed as a hackney carriage driver needs public hire cover. A private hire policy won’t cover you to pick up off the street or from a rank.
This cover may be suitable for:
Licensed hackney driversBlack cab owner-driversSaloon hackney driversNight-time and rank workersOwners renting cabs to drivers, on a fleet policyWhat public hire cover can include
What public hire cover can include
Public hire cover starts with hire and reward and passenger liability, then adds the protection rank and street work needs.
Public hire cover starts with hire and reward and passenger liability, then adds the protection rank and street work needs.
Hire & Reward Cover
The core cover that lets you carry fare-paying passengers legally.
Passenger Liability
Covers injury claims from the passengers you carry.
Public Liability
Covers claims from outside the vehicle, such as luggage or a slip at the kerb.
Replacement Vehicle
A like-for-like cab while yours is repaired after a claim.
Breakdown & Recovery
Roadside help and recovery so a breakdown doesn’t end your shift.
Legal Expenses
Help with legal costs and recovering losses that aren’t insured.
Public hire insurance has no fixed price. It depends on your badge history, the council area you work in, the cab you drive, your mileage and your claims and convictions record. It usually costs more than private hire.
Your badge history
How long you’ve held your hackney licence, and any previous taxi policies.
Where you work
City centre and late-night rank work is rated higher than small-town driving.
Your cab
A purpose-built black cab is valued and repaired differently to a saloon hackney.
Mileage
Insurers rate on the miles you cover each year.
Claims and convictions
Accidents, points and convictions all push hackney premiums up.
How to get public hire insurance
How to get public hire insurance
Tell us about your badge, your cab and the work you do, and we’ll compare specialist taxi insurers.
Tell us about your badge, your cab and the work you do, and we’ll compare specialist taxi insurers.
Tell us about your licence
Which council licensed you and how long you’ve held your hackney badge.
Share your cab and mileage
The vehicle you drive, your area and annual mileage.
We compare specialist insurers
We search hackney insurers you won’t find on comparison sites.
Get covered and earning
Choose your policy and receive the certificate your council needs.
UK-based specialist advisersAccess to specialist insurersNo obligation, just expert helpTrusted by thousands of drivers across the UK
Trusted by thousands of drivers across the UK
From new badge holders to black cab owner-drivers, our customers trust Insurance Revolution to find the right cover and expert support when it matters.
From new badge holders to black cab owner-drivers, our customers trust Insurance Revolution to find the right cover and expert support when it matters.
Public hire and hackney guides
Public hire and hackney guides
Practical advice for licensed hackney drivers on cover, cost and licensing.
Practical advice for licensed hackney drivers on cover, cost and licensing.
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What Is The Difference Between Private And Public Hire Vehicle Insurance?
The difference lies largely in the difference between public and private vehicles. A public hire vehicle is a taxi that is licensed for use as a hackney carriage, such as a black cab that you can flag down and do not have to pre-book. In contrast, a private hire vehicle is a taxi or Uber that a customer must book in advance.
Public hire insurance FAQs
Public hire insurance FAQs
Straight answers on hackney cover, cost, licensing and rank work.
Straight answers on hackney cover, cost, licensing and rank work.
Public hire insurance is taxi cover for licensed hackney carriages. It includes hire and reward use and covers you for rank work, street pickups and pre-booked fares, which a private hire policy doesn’t.
Still not sure what cover you need?
Our taxi specialists can match cover to your badge and the work you do.
