Book Your Private Hire Insurance Now to Avoid Disappointment!

The UK currently has two pre-eminent forms of taxi service; namely private and public. There is a lot of confusion amongst the public as to what differentiates them and many would indeed be unable to point out the unique points of each to you. Primarily, private hire operators must be pre-booked before a pick-up is commenced whilst you can hail down a public licensed driver anywhere, provided he or she is within their geographical jurisdiction.

With this in mind, the rules and regulations to acquire a private hire licence can be a challenging labyrinth which you have no choice but to negotiate, within which is the important necessity of sourcing private hire insurance.

Whereas getting hold of a licence may be deemed to be an exercise in patience, finding a private hire insurance policy at a ‘Del Boy’ price but of imperious excellence need not be as exhaustive or combative. UK licensing requirements include the need for the applicant to be of sound mind and body, as well as hitting the academic targets set out in numerous assessments and tests.

Once you have got through these initials throngs of seemingly inconvenient and long-winded processes, your apparent path to perdition should come to an abrupt and welcomed end. Yes, you will still be asked a number of questions by underwriters but these are the same across the board and they are all designed with the ultimate aim of making sure that you end up with a cheap minicab insurance deal that will protect you like a Seven Seas tablet does your health.

With your peace of mind, we’ve put together a step by step guide of how to go about obtaining the best, cheapest and hardest working private hire insurance policy on the market today. Take heed!

• Make sure you have all the information a broker could possibly want before you even get online or on the phone. From knowing exactly what the specific risks are that you are looking to safeguard yourself from, to digging up all your past driving records get everything together in one place. This should also include any requirements laid down by your local council and take into consideration that your model of vehicle may need certain extra add-ons in order to keep it secure. You should also factor in a rough idea of how many hours you will be spending on the road a week – the more it is, the greater the risk – as well as thinking about some sort of public liability insurance, often overlooked by many in the industry.
• Get your finances in order. You will be amazed at how surprised many individuals are when quoted a price and that’s because they don’t do their research thoroughly enough or mistakenly believe that they can a lot for very little. Remember, it is a risk to insure a risk so there will be a rangy cost involve – do not be caught out.
• OK, so you are now ready to get price searching. Get online and get tinkering, specifically on price comparison portals. There is a dearth of them out there these days so there is no need to look far. A word of warning though. Try not and get involved with companies that either offer a stack of products (specialism goes out the window) or those offering prices that seem to be too good to be true – they often are. Your private hire insurance is massively important to you as it is effectively the Robin Hood of your own entire income, so try and go with someone trustworthy.
• Once you’ve received quotations (they will come quickly, so be prepared) it is decision time. Do not, at any cost, make price your number one determining factor. Remember, this is the number one protector of your livelihood so treat it that way – nothing should be too burdensome. Read and double read the policy document and query anything that you’re not sure of as it may be something that will burn a hole in your pocket later on as you don’t really need it.
• Time to get haggling. Because the hire and reward insurance industry is awash with a fortune of providers, competition is fierce. Discounts only come to those who and, well, if you don’t ask then you know how the old saying goes.
• After everything is said and done and you are happy, head to the checkout. Do not cut corners and think it won’t happen to you. Get all the cover you deem applicable to you and comply with all regulations from councils and licensing authorities. In the long run, it’ll be worth it.

The road to cheap private hire insurance needn’t lead to perdition. Get proactive instead of reactive!