Public hire insurance for black cabs and hackney carriages
Public hire insurance from a panel of trusted UK insurers
A better way to insure your public hire vehicle
Public hire insurance covers vehicles that can be hailed directly — black cabs and hackney carriages that pick up on the street, wait on a rank, or take pre-booked jobs.
Public hire insurance is a type of taxi insurance built for drivers who can accept street hails, not just pre-booked work. Because you can carry any passenger at any time rather than only those who’ve booked ahead, insurers rate public hire risk differently to private hire, and you’ll need a policy built for it.
At insurd, we’re an FCA-regulated specialist broker with over 50 years of experience arranging cover for black cab and hackney carriage drivers across the UK. We work with a panel of leading UK insurers to match your Hackney Carriage licence and the work you take on. And we don’t insist on black boxes or dashcams to quote you — we’d rather get to know your business.
24/7 claims service
A cab off the road is lost income. Our claims team is here round the clock to sort things quickly.
Fairer prices for cab drivers
Whether you’re working ranks, street hails or pre-booked jobs, we search our panel to find the right price for your kind of cab work.
World-class support
You’ll get your own UK-based person looking after your policy from start to finish, not a new contact every call.
Street hails, ranks and pre-booked work
The defining feature of public hire is flexibility: you can accept a street hail, pick up at a rank, or take a booking, all on the same vehicle. Your cover reflects all three. You’ll need a Hackney Carriage licence from your local authority, and as with any taxi policy your cover includes hire and reward so you’re legally able to carry paying passengers.
Do I need “PCO insurance”?
No — and this trips a lot of drivers up. “PCO insurance” is the London term for private hire cover, named after Transport for London’s Public Carriage Office. If you drive a black cab or hackney carriage and can pick up street hails, you need public hire insurance, not PCO insurance.
If you only take pre-booked jobs, see our private hire insurance page instead.
Public liability for contracts
If you hold local authority or school-contract work, public liability cover matters more than for most drivers, because you can be responsible for a passenger right up until they reach their destination. Up to £10 million of public liability cover is available as an optional extra.
For full details regarding the insurance policy — what’s covered, optional extras, and the factors that affect what black cab and hackney carriage drivers pay — including our table of average premiums by licensing authority — see our complete taxi insurance page.
Public hire insurance frequently asked questions
What's the difference between private hire and public hire insurance?
Private hire insurance covers vehicles that must be pre-booked, such as minicabs or ride-hailing cars. Public hire insurance covers vehicles that can be hailed immediately on the street or at a taxi rank. Read our full guide to private hire vs public hire insurance, or find out more about our private hire insurance and public hire insurance policies.
Can I use my black cab for social and private use?
Yes. All of our public hire policies include social, domestic and pleasure use as standard, so you're covered to use your black cab or hackney carriage for personal journeys as well as for work.
Are wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAVs) covered?
Yes. Many hackney carriages are wheelchair-accessible, and we can arrange cover for WAVs as standard. Just give us the vehicle details when you quote so we can make sure your policy reflects the type of cab you drive.
Why do I need public liability cover?
Your public hire insurance policy automatically covers you for damage to other people’s property or if you injure someone while driving your taxi. However, especially for local authority or school contracts, you’re still responsible for your fare until they actually reach their destination and public liability insurance will cover you if you’re sued for damages.
Do I need a licence to get public hire insurance?
Yes. To obtain public hire insurance you must hold a valid hackney carriage licence issued by your local licensing authority. Without a valid licence, insurers will not provide hire and reward cover. Your licence must remain valid for the duration of your policy — if it lapses, your cover may be invalidated.
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