Monthly Archives: January 2012

Taxi insurance UK

The first step in becoming a cab driver involves you in making a choice in between whether you would like to operate a hackney carriage or a private hire taxi.
Hackney Carriage vehicles are referred to as taxis casually. They are fitted with a fare meter and can stop on the side of roads to pick and drop passengers; they are also fitted with a taxi top light. Private hire taxis on the other hand work differently; these taxis are only permitted to take customers who have booked them before hand to their desired destinations. They may have a fare meter fitted into them and unlike Hackney Carriages they cannot ply for hire.

Now once you have made your decision as to which kind of taxi driver you would like to be you then have to know the three types of driving licenses that exist. Firstly there is a Hackney Carriage license, then a Private hire license and lastly a combined license which allows you to be able to operate both kinds of vehicles. Next of, the applicant, that is you, must of age 21 or above to be able to even apply for an application pack which is the first brick in the road towards becoming a taxi driver. There is a standard driving test which is at a slightly higher level than that of a learners test. You will also be asked random Highway codes and traffic signs to test your road knowledge verbally.
Next you will need to produce a disclosure document which you can get by contacting the Criminal Records Bureau. Since they need a full disclosure the police and several other agencies will be involved in this procedure. Next you need to hand in a medical certificate which shows your health and any type of ailment which you maybe suffering from. After handing all required documents, the applicants have to pass a knowledge test of the geography of the district.

Remember, without taxi insurance none of all the above would matter since taxi insurance is the most important thing in the UK and without you can not be a taxi driver

What defines a mini cab?

Minicab in England is used to refer to a private hire car and “private hire” is used in Scotland. As the name suggests these are passenger vehicles which can accommodate either 4 passengers in its 4 door saloon/hatchback or 5-8 passengers in its licensed MPV’s and can only be hired on pre-booked basis. It started off its operation in the 1960’s in direct competition to Hackney carriages which can cater to passengers without pre-bookings.
Starting 2001, the minicabs have been regulated in London and are now licensed under the Public Carriage Office, renamed as London Taxis and Private Hire (LTPH). The drivers need to undergo a Topographical test in order to obtain the Private Hire drivers license.
Owners of any type of vehicle; be it heavy and light weight motors, personal or public taxis have to have insurance before taking their vehicle on the road. It is the responsibility of the driver, be it public or private Hire to have the insurance while driving on the road. Safe drivers are aware of the risks involved and Taxi insurance is important for their livelihood’s security.
Taxi insurance is aimed at the cab drivers or those who operate the taxi business. Insurance not only speculates the drivers’ risk but also insures the passengers. Due to increased competitiveness in the insurance industry, there are separate policies for the drivers and the taxi owners for their convenience. To make it easier for the drivers and the owners, insurance companies have started their online ‘quote’ system where they make it easier for the insurer to get a quote on the insurance policies offered by them.
The Mini Cab and the public hire have different quotes available by different insurance companies. There are different policies, different number of people to be insured on the same vehicle. Due to increased competitiveness there is a minor difference between the insurance of private and the public Hire vehicles. It is important for you to know the difference between the policies to ensure that you get the best insurance for your minicab

Black Cab Insurance

Black taxi cab is truly an icon. It is a symbol of UK itself and there are not many streets in U where you wont come across one black cab. But for a driver, black cab is not only an icon but also a source of income. If you are driving a black cab in UK then you will have different needs than other taxi drivers driving in other cities. That is why you need to get a black cab insurance to accommodate your needs and to be mentally at peace that everything is under control.

Black cab insurance is there to protect you and your passengers in case of accidents. It also provides cover for repair work or any other expenses paid. But for your total protection, insurance is required which cover things like medical and legal expenses. Extra coverage of breakdown assistance, replacement vehicle cover and windscreen replacement cover is worth thinking.

There are a growing number of brokers in UK that deals only in black cabs. They offer insurance policies, give you convenient options and are ready to help you with queries. They would advise you respecting the general areas where you can operate your black cab business effectively. While searching for an accurate black cab insurance policy, the first thing you should look for is that your insurance provider includes UK under their area of coverage. Also make sure that you are covered against all likely risks to your vehicle and business. Some black cab risks include:

• Risk of damage by customers that is covered by third party insurance.
• Risk of fire and theft, coverage of which is included usually in all black cab insurance policies.

Black cab insurance is not hard to find, because these days there are plenty of firms and companies that offer necessary protection and cover for your black cab.
Choice Quote Insurance Services has been providing black cab insurance since 1995. In UK they have established a reputation of offering excellent taxi insurance cover and professional services. But most of their policies for public and private hire black cab taxi drivers, offers cover to full time taxi drivers with minimum of 2 years taxi no claim bonus. Drivers must not have more than one ‘at fault’ accident and two minor traffic offences. Other schemes are also available.

MCE insurance is famous for giving cheapest quote for your black cab insurance by comparing insurance prices with more than a dozen leading companies. As MCE Insurance works with leading UK’s black cab insurance companies, they protect no claim bonus for small premium in case of theft or accident. They also provide 24 hours breakdown service.

Taxi Protection also compares the rate of UK’s top specialist taxi insurers, providing best possible taxi insurance quote. It gives choices of three level of cover: comprehensive, third party fire and theft and third party only available. It also gives 24 hours UK based claims service.
By searching online you can compare different black cab insurance policies and select the most beneficial of all, letting you get on road in confidence

Compare Taxi Insurance

Taxis are like our paid- for service car. Black cabs, public hire taxis, chauffeurs and private hire taxis are the different kinds of taxi business. Like other business, proper protection in the form of insurance is required for taxi business also. Insurance policies are changed or upgraded with the passage of time, but if you compare taxi insurance, you can find a proper and best option in the market.

All vehicles in UK are required legally to have insurance, whether it is a personal car or a taxi service. By the help of comparison websites, Internet has brought together many insurers in UK who give a comprehensive list of what to expect from different policies. They present their covers on one page, which saves you from trawling through different brokers site. For a better comparison of taxi insurance you needs to:

• Choose a specialist provider or website:
For the comparison of taxi insurance, a specialized provider is the best option. A dedicated provider knows the unique risks and benefits associated with taxi business. Online taxi comparison in UK consists of three different kinds of sites: the phone quote site, the call back form, and those that provide full online quotations.
Bollington: it is an example of the phone quote site. It does not require your information. Instead, you can browse information about insurer’s policies and covers they offer. And after getting all the information you can give them a call later, providing them with your particulars. Then they will provide you with a quote and the details of the policy that was offered.

Quote my cab: it is a website that has a call back form where you can fill the details of your taxi and your driving history. Then the site’s administrator contact various insurance brokers. After finding an appropriate quote for your taxi, brokers will come back to you.

MCE: this site is for those people who do not want to do anything over the phone. Instead, they prefer online process for their taxi insurance. This site provides comprehensive forms, which is submitted online and accurate quote or policy is offered to you.
• Check policy details:
Focusing on the price alone is not a right thing when you are dealing with taxi insurance online. You should go beyond price and study the details of policy carefully, so that you can keep a check if you are getting the value for money properly. For example, what type of cover is being offered if you taxi s damaged or stolen? Or does it include cost for fixing broken windscreen, doors or windows?

• All information at hand:
When you are ready to make comparison and get insurance for your taxi you should make sure that you have all the details to hand. Registration number, age, model of your taxi, claims history and accidents etc should be answered fully. Misrepresentation of such facts can void the policy later.
So if you want best insurance deals, always remember to compare taxi insurance policies to see what you are getting for your money