Monthly Archives: December 2009

Finding the Right Taxi Insurance

Finding the right taxi insurance, or private hire insurance, is really not a hard task to complete once you know what to look for from the taxi insurance offers you get. There are also several insurance companies and insurance experts specialising in private and public hire insurances, offering their service to tailor-make your taxi insurance to best suit your needs. This might not be necessary, or probably will be too expensive, in some cases. Some aspects you need to put into consideration; by knowing which, you will find it easy to spot the best taxi insurance for your vehicle. These aspects are: quotes, benefits, and customer or claim service.

It is only natural to compare quotes before getting an insurance policy. It might consume a bit of your time, but it will be well worth it since you get the best possible fees-benefits ratio. What you need to remember is not to look for the lowest quote, but the one giving most benefits with an affordable premium. It would also be better if you can review your insurance policy prior to getting it. You will be able to spot terms and conditions, as well as several minor requirements that might exist, and make sure you are fully protected.

Next, see what benefits you get from a taxi insurance policy. Make sure your taxi insurance provides public liability cover, with an indemnity limit of at least £5 million, for your best interests.

The government is regulating public liability cover as a requirement; therefore, you must make sure this is part of your taxi insurance plan. Breakdown and recovery assistance will help you maintain smooth day-to-day operations, especially when they include “Homestart” or similar coverage that will help you start your car. This would be very useful should your car not start for some reason. A 24/7 free phone line, for both assistance and claims, is definitely a plus. You should be able to contact them anytime you need, as filing a claim or requesting assistance should be done directly after an accident occurs. Besides, it is nice to know there is someone out there standing by 24/7 to make sure you get what you need. Several other benefits such as uninsured loss recovery and no claim bonus will also be great additional benefits.

Lastly, you need to make sure it is not hard to file a claim. You must be able to contact them directly (which is why the 24/7 free help line is important) after you are involved in an accident, to get guidance regarding what measures to take. In this case, you will also get mechanical assistance should your car be non-operational after the accident. Instant claim handling and approval will enable you to operate your taxi again as soon as possible after an accident, since the insurance company will ensure repairs as fast as possible to get you back on the street.

Once you understand these factors, and consider which ones you need the most, it will be easy for you to spot the taxi insurance suitable for your needs.

Fleet Insurance – What is the Difference?

Fleet insurance is formulated to provide mandatory road risk coverage to a wide array of vehicles ranging from cars, buses, taxis to coaches, lorries, transit vans and agricultural vehicles. A fleet insurance policy enables an individual or a company to insure a number of vehicles of any categories under one single policy.

A fleet insurance policy generally only provides road risk insurance. This policy can be of two types, namely, Third Party Fire And Theft and Comprehensive Coverage. Breakdown insurance is generally the only optional extra available in case of a fleet insurance policy.

Car Fleet Insurance

The premium of a car fleet insurance policy will depend on

a) The number of cars being insured

b) The types of the cars

c) The accident records of the cars.

Insurance companies vary in their definition of a “fleet of cars”, i.e. some companies will issue a fleet insurance policy only if there are two or more cars while others may require five or more cars to be able to issue a fleet insurance policy. Thus they vary on the minimum number of cars that can be termed as a “fleet”. But, presently, most insurance providers classify a group of five or more cars as a car fleet.

Insurance companies generally offer complimentary and additional products when a car fleet insurance is taken. These products can be free of cost or can have some minor expenses attached.

Though, a car fleet insurance can be taken by an individual who owns a number of cars, generally it is taken by companies who own and use a host of cars for business purposes.

Why should one go for a car fleet insurance?

A car fleet insurance comes with a huge volume of discount if the accident record of each of the vehicles in the fleet is appreciable. This discount is quite big compared to what is possible in case of standard individual car insurance. People going for car fleet insurance can save as much as sixty-seven percent on their insurance expenditure.

Disadvantage of car fleet insurance

The greatest disadvantage of car fleet insurance is that in case of an accident of one of the vehicles, the premium of all the vehicles covered under the policy gets affected.

How to overcome this disadvantage

Often some vehicles are found to be highly susceptible to accidents. If one car in the fleet is found to be an accident-prone one, it is better to insure it under an individual car insurance policy and insure the remaining the cars under a car fleet insurance policy. This ensures that any future claim for the accident-prone vehicle does not increase the premium of the fleet policy.

The present-day insurance providers who specialise in fleet insurance perceive that dealing with fleet insurance is not only about quoting premiums. They also try to provide assistance with a host of fleet insurance services that actually lower the expenses and risks attached with the maintenance of a fleet of vehicles.

One, who is planning to go for a fleet insurance policy for his vehicles, needs to do a thorough research of the natures of coverage available, additional services offered, and premiums quoted, by different insurers, before finally signing up.

Choose Safety, Ride a Safe Taxi

The taxi can be considered as one of the most convenient means of transportation compared to other passenger vehicles. People opt to ride on cabs because it’s faster and it’s much comfortable than any carriers.

Cab Driver’s Responsibilities

Drivers of taxis are required by the state to take extra care and be more cautious while driving at road. It is because they are carrying passengers and it is their duty to secure the public’s safety.

When a taxi got involved in an accident, it is assumed that the driver acted without due care and attention. This is constituted in the Contract of Carriage.

What about contract carriage?

Contract of Carriage is a special contract or agreement between the driver and the commuter. This compels the taxi driver to ensure safety at any time a passenger rides his cab. He must also assure to drive along the right destination keeping the passenger safe and unharmed.

However, contract of carriage does not apply in all circumstances. It also has exemptions such as:

• Accidental causes or actions that are inevitable and out of the driver’s control.

• Enemies along the road- co-drivers, big trucks

• Faulty and defective goods

Guidelines for taxi operators

Aside from obliging drivers to be diligent while at road, they are also required to follow certain guidelines.

Taxi operators need to have a professional driver’s license because this will assure that they are trained. Cabs are also required to be insured and are subject to assessment and inspection of the city.

These requirements are in utmost importance to avoid accidents. This is because, Los Angeles’ roads are becoming crowded and swarmed by more taxis and other vehicles.

According to the Department of Transportation, there are more than 2, 400 taxis operating in the city. And a lot of them are not observing traffic rules and regulations.

Further, there are great numbers of cab drivers who are operating illegally. There are also taxis that have no license or proper insurance.

From these violations, accident may be the result.

While you ride a taxi for comfort and convenience, you are on the other hand not sure of your safety. Accidents may happen anytime, at an unexpected time.

If involved in a taxi accident, you may seek the assistance of respective and proficient lawyer. It is better that he is a taxi accident lawyer.

Your attorney will determine your claim and how are you going to recover what has been lost due to the accident. This may include:

• Medical bills for your treatment

• Loss of wages due to inability to report for work

• Other expenses related to the accident

Avoiding Accidents

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation advices the commuters to follow the following tips if you do not want to risk yourself in an accident:

• Do not ride in a taxi if it does not have the seal of Department of Transportation.

• Do not ride a taxi if you are not comfortable with the driver’s actions and behavior.

• Make sure that when you ride a cab, you remember the name of the taxi company or if possible, know the name of the driver

• It is better if you will ride among the authorized franchise taxis in the city

Here is a list of taxi service companies:

1. Bell Cab

2. United Checker Cab Company

3. Beverly Hills Cab

4. City Cab

5. Checker Cab

6. Yellow Cab

7. Independent Taxi

8. United Independent Taxi

9. United Taxi of San Fernando Valley

Tips to Find the Best Taxi Hire North Wales

A lot of travellers make the mistake of hiring a taxi without planning ahead. There are a lot of car rental companies who are into taxi hire North Wales and they have different varieties of vehicles with them. You have to make sure that the vehicle you travel in can hold you and your party, and the price for a taxi from a taxi firm can vary wildly.

During holiday season & busy times such as weekend evenings you need to book taxis well in advance as there would be a lot of demand for taxi hire North Wales. Once you book the taxi make sure that you are getting complete information about all hidden costs involved in the taxi hire – though these have been reduced significantly since government legislation has been brought in, unscrupulous taxi hire North Wales firms can still apply hidden charges. Most of the car hire companies would be have a lot of rules and requirements before releasing a taxi to ensure the safety of the driver and the passengers, so make sure that you are aware of all those rules before hiring a taxi.

Most, if not all taxi companies have valid insurance, but it’s still best to make sure that the taxi that you are hiring is having a valid insurance. Usually they have a complete fleet insurance which covers the entire company.

Before you decide on hiring a taxi from a particular company, make sure that you have information about all companies who are into taxi hire North Wales. Certain companies specialise in certain things. For example, some companies may only do runs to and from the airport, other firms may only offer to do short trips for nights out, others may have larger fleets of vehicles.

Different companies offer different facilities, different rates and different procedures for taxi hire. You can find information about different firms offering taxi hire in North Wales by doing an online search in the Internet.

Suburban/Green & White Taxi Accident, St. Paul

Hailing a Taxi Accident Attorney

Despite the growing car culture in the United States and other parts of the world, taxi remains one of the most convenient ways to move back and forth for the majority of commuters.

Sometimes in the process, the cab people are riding in cannot avoid but figure in an accident – a taxi accident.

Taxi drivers and taxi companies for that matter owe the public the utmost duty of care to bring them to our desired destination.

Taxis are denominated as common carrier by the law, and as such, required to exercise a special degree of care and diligence for the safety of their passengers.

Taxi accidents may result to serious personal injuries and even wrongful death. For these injuries, the law allows corresponding compensation for the victim or his family from any one, or in combination of some, of the following depending on circumstances.

• taxicab driver

• taxicab company

• other driver who caused collision

• entity who owns roads & streets in dangerous condition

• taxicab manufacturer and supplier

• any negligent person who contributes to the injury

A taxi accident attorney can help you go after those mentioned if necessary. A more meticulous lawyer of this type will immediately conduct an investigation of the accident. This is done not by the lawyer himself but by a professional investigator under his/her employ.

As police report sometimes lack necessary details to make the case stronger, it is a practical investment to hire the services of an accident reconstruction expert upon the advice of the lawyer. Such expert witness will validate the accuracy of the police report.

A reconstruction lawyer may clear things and other aspect of the accident, which are not covered by the police report.

Persons who witnessed the accident shall also be needed. A good taxi accident lawyer always exerts efforts to locate all possible witness to the accident. Failure or neglect to do so would greatly jeopardize the victim’s case.

A couple of hours after the accident, it is not surprising to see insurance company investigator to appear at the scene in an instant. In this regard, a help from the taxi accident lawyer must immediately be had to prevent making statements, which may be used against the victim in the end.

A taxi accident lawyer will negotiate with the insurance company for the best possible settlement of compensation. But reality shows that insurance companies seldom give adequate and proper settlement to the victims. In this regard, it is time to file a case before the court.

During the proceedings, the victim must prove the necessary elements of negligence. A taxi accident lawyer has the necessary expertise and knowledge in doing the same thru years of practice and experience in this kind of cases. Once this is established, compensation may be ordered.

Compensation for taxi accident generally consists of the following:

• past medical expenses

• future medical expenses

• past wage loss

• future wage loss

• past and future pain and suffering

With the taxi accident attorney’s help, punitive damages may also be recovered if the act, which produces the accident, is malicious, willful and fraudulent. The victim’s spouse may also go to court and ask to recover damages for “loss of consortium”.

If you or your loved one has been involved in a taxi accident, the soundest legal advice may be sought from our Los Angeles attorneys. For details on how to avail their services, visit our website and have your case assessed.

Make A “Black Cab” Driver Your Guide To London

Drivers of the classic Black Cab spend most of their daily lives trundling through the streets of London. They are a rare breed and the cars they drive are just as full of character and personality as the cabbies who drive them.

Taking the sage advice of a Cabbie is the perfect way to locate any destination. A Cab driver’s suggestions can uncover off-beat routes and help you get the feel for a city. Remember, they are the folks who hear and see everything!

Travelling in a traditional taxi is a unique, convenient and easy method of getting from place to place throughout the convoluted maze of London.

So why are Black Cab Drivers the best travel guides to London? The Reason; Cabbies are famed for possessing a detailed understanding of the city, known simply as “The Knowledge”.

“The Knowledge”

All of the official London cab drivers are required to pass a test called “The Knowledge”. What the Knowledge is, can sometimes hard to define. Taking from between 2-4 years to acquire, some say it comes from having an extraordinary memory. London taxi drivers are said to have a part of the brain governing spatial and visual information that is double the size of an average persons.

The fact is, London taxi drivers have a detailed knowledge of at least 25,000 streets, coupled with a general knowledge of all the major arterial routes running throughout London.

The Knowledge also stems from a constant Interaction with London’s people which means they are extremely connected with what is happening in the life of the city.

If it’s out there, the Cabbie knows!

A Cabbie can find any Street!

The Cabbie’s thorough knowledge of London includes the location of streets, squares, clubs, hospitals, hotels, theatres, government and public buildings, railway stations, police stations, courts, diplomatic buildings, important places of worship, cemeteries, crematoria, parks and open spaces, sports and leisure centres, places of learning, restaurants and historic buildings; in fact everything you need a driver to know in order to get you to your destination by the most direct route possible.

Men and Women of Impeccable Character

It is no coincidence that black cab drivers have a reputation for providing the best taxi service in the world. The credentials of each driver are a spotless reflection of their character and each applicant is the subject of a criminal record check before being issued with a cab driver’s licence.

Beware of Fraudsters and Hustlers

Beware those who claim to have passed the ‘Knowledge of London’ examinations, yet who’s cars are not marked with the official markings.

There are many drivers who illegally solicit business around prominent tourist attractions. They operate without insurance, fare meters and often in vehicles that are not roadworthy.

The difference between an official Black Cab and a private taxi is that private hire journeys must be pre-booked through a licensed operator. Private hire vehicles are not by law able to ply the streets without these operators.

Take a Black Cab Journey through London:

Buckingham Palace

Traditionally, the first place a Black Cab driver will take you to see is Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guards. The Cabbie always knows the best times to visit and all the cunning ways of avoiding London’s tedious traffic.

London’s Theatreland

Go to see a musical, play or comedy in London’s Theatreland by Black Cab. Again, you’ll avoid the traffic, enjoy the company of a driver who knows all about the theatre and you will arrive at the venue in the unique style only the Black Cab can afford.

Museums

Looking at a map of London you will notice that several museums and places of interest are to be found scattered around the London area.

Westminster Abbey, The Royal Academy of the Arts and Big Ben are separated by a large expanse of city, which would be difficult to navigate if it where not for “The Knowledge” of the London cab driver.

How to arrange a cab:

If the orange “for hire” light is lit up the cab can be hailed from the street. Black Cabs can be located on designated ranks, situated at prominent places, including many mainline rail, underground and bus stations. Most taxis carry five people plus luggage tipping at about 10% is expected.

Remember, when requesting a cab from your hotel; insist on a licensed London cab with a fare meter. Hotel staff at a few of London’s hotels will attempt to persuade you to use a “car service” that they recommend. The staff often receives bribes from unlicensed minicab drivers.

Cab Driver’s Tip

Travel safe – It is a very good idea to arrange a password with the dispatcher, which the driver should provide you with when heshe arrives. In addition to this, the driver should already know your name and destination. London’s Public Carriage Office recommends: “Always sit in the rear of the cab, and always carry a mobile phone”.