FAQs

Patons Insurance is an independent, family-owned and FCA regulated insurance broker specialising in Taxi Insurance.

Owned by the Patons Group, with over 65 years’ trading history, we use our experience to find you the right insurance for all areas of the taxi trade such as Public Hire, Private Hire & Taxi Fleets.

Our teams are committed to providing a professional and straight-forward experience for our customers. With 8 offices in key regions across the UK, our teams’ local knowledge is unrivalled by any other nationwide Taxi Insurance provider so you can be confident of dealing with experts.

We can offer Single Taxi Vehicle, Fleet and Motor Trade Insurance.

By filling in our online quote form, one of our experts will give you a call to discuss your Taxi Insurance requirements or, you can ring your local office or drop in for an instant quote. Our addresses can be found here.

Your documents will be uploaded to your online account straight away and are available via the Patons Insurance app or through your online existing customer area . A certificate or cover note is issued straight away so you are immediately insured to drive the vehicle

You can download the Patons Insurance app on Google Play (for Android Phones) or from the Apple App Store (for iPhones).

The Patons Insurance app allows you to upload documents to us, view your policy documents, report a claim, sign documents, recommend your friends and get a quote.

You can download the Patons Insurance app on Google Play (for Android Phones) or from the Apple App Store (for iPhones).

To reset your password, visit the password reset page on our site. If you’ve forgotten both your username and password, just give us a call on 0333 015 6886.

We use a wide panel of specialist Taxi Insurance companies to provide the best cover and deal for you.

Quotes are valid for 30 days.

It’s vital that your policy is accurate and up to date. Just let us know what needs to be changed and we’ll provide a new quote for you.

You will need to speak to the relevant team to cancel your policy. Please call us on 0333 015 6886.

At Patons Insurance, we take our commitment to customer service very seriously. If you feel our standards have not met your expectations, you can make a complaint to us and we will investigate.

Sending us details of your complaint is easy, please visit our complaints page on our site.

Telematics allows you to see how your vehicles are being driven. These scores are updated daily, giving you the opportunity to view the previous day, week and month’s driving scores.

To view your driver score you will need to log in to your Patons app or online account using your username and password. Simply, click ‘Check My Driving’ and you will be presented with your driver scores along with a detailed breakdown for acceleration, braking and speed.

If you have any questions about your Telematics scores, please call us on 0333 015 6886.

It’s difficult to determine individual insurance premiums due to the number of factors taken into account, including the age and experience of the driver, the age of the taxi, whether it is Private Hire or Public Hire and the licensing authority.

Start your Taxi Insurance quote now.

We’ll take the time to discuss your needs with you. We’ll take all the relevant information and search our taxi insurer panel to find you the cover which best fits your needs. We aim to provide the right cover at the best price.

The cheapest premium doesn’t mean it’s the best policy. Saving a few pounds on taxi insurance could cost you more in the event of a claim.

Start your taxi insurance quote now.

Taxi Insurance is specialist insurance that covers you and your vehicle when operating for hire and reward. As a taxi driver, your vehicle is your livelihood and you can’t do your job without one!

When you take out a Taxi Insurance policy, whether you are Private Hire or Public Hire, you need to ensure that it covers everything you need. You may need a policy for just one driver to be insured or numerous drivers and you may have a requirement for an additional Breakdown policy. You may also need to consider if a Fleet policy is more suitable if you have 2 vehicles or more.

For more information about taxi insurance, you can start your Taxi Insurance quote today!

Public Hire Insurance and Private Hire Insurance are more expensive than insuring the same vehicle for domestic use only. This is because they spend more time on the road in areas of higher risk, and they are being used for business.

In the event of an accident, an insurer will have to consider the taxi, the driver, any passengers and property, as well as any third-party vehicles involved. Domestic insurance policies do not cover a vehicle to be used as a taxi.

For more information, you can start your Taxi Insurance quote now.

Different types of Taxi Insurance including Private Hire Insurance, Public Hire Insurance, Minibus Insurance, Taxi Fleet Insurance and Chauffeur Insurance.

As well as having the appropriate insurance in place, your vehicle must be licensed by the local licensing authority.

For more information, you can start your Taxi Insurance quote now.

Public Hire Insurance is for taxis that can be flagged down in the street and do not have to be pre-booked, whereas Private Hire taxis must be pre-booked through an operator or app.

For more information, you can start your Taxi Insurance quote now.

As with domestic vehicles, taxi insurers typically provide three levels of cover – third-party, third-party, fire and theft and fully comprehensive. The legal minimum requirement is third-party cover, which all drivers have to take out in order to operate a taxi.

For more information, you can start your Taxi Insurance quote now.

Both Private Hire and Uber drivers are licensed in the same way as they operate via advanced bookings only and the insurance is the same for both.

For more information, you can start your Taxi Insurance quote now.

The Public Carriage Office is responsible for licensing Public Hire and Private Hire vehicles in London. PCO Insurance is a term given to insurance for taxis operating within London, whereas Taxi Insurance is relevant to any taxi driver in any part of the UK.

For more information, you can start your Taxi Insurance quote now.

Almost any vehicle can be used as a taxi but should have enough room for four passengers as well as luggage. Drivers often choose saloon or estate cars as they provide more comfort and space than compact family cars, especially for longer journeys. Some firms have minibuses for larger groups of passengers and airport runs, as well as luxury cars for executive travel.

A Taxi Fleet Insurance policy might be best for those with more than one vehicle, but we might be able to find a better deal another way. Our specialist Fleet Team will be able to help on 0333 015 6866.

Buying the right policy for your business is crucial as you need to ensure you are covered in the event of an accident, and to stay on the right side of the law.

Some insurers allow drivers to exchange their private car no claims bonus for an introductory discount, helping them to reduce their Taxi Insurance premiums.

It depends on the insurer and the policy you choose. Before you take out a policy, it’s worth checking whether there are any restrictions so you don’t get caught out.

You cannot use your car as a taxi with a domestic insurance policy, but Taxi Insurance includes personal use cover as standard, providing insurance when the vehicle is not being used as a taxi.

Vehicles that are not used as taxis must have separate insurance policies.

Single vehicle policies only cover the individual vehicle that is insured, whereas Taxi Fleet policies allow for multiple vehicles and drivers to be named.

Named drivers on your Taxi Insurance policy are fully insured to drive your vehicle as long as they’re a taxi driver themselves and are licenced by the same local authority.

You can insure a number of named drivers on a single policy but the exact number depends on your insurer.

Taxi drivers in the UK do not have to wear seatbelts, but their passengers do. It is the responsibility of the passenger to ensure that they are wearing their seatbelt and failure to do so does not affect the driver’s insurance.

We can help get drivers on the road almost immediately. Complete our online quote form, call us on 0333 015 6886 or visit your local Patons Insurance office and we can help straight away.

Taxi drivers may require Public Liability Insurance, Breakdown, Excess Protection, Legal Expenses Insurance and Gap cover for added peace of mind. Our advisers will help you decide what you need.

While the minimum requirement is third-party cover, a taxi is a driver’s livelihood and taking out extra options can help to keep their vehicle on the road or avoid large, unexpected bills.

Public Liability cover protects taxi drivers if a passenger or member of the public is injured or their belongings are damaged, as a result of an accident that does not directly involve the insured vehicle. Some companies automatically include Public Liability as part of their cover, but it is often an optional extra.

Public Liability Insurance protects taxi drivers in the event of accidents and incidents involving the general public – and the claims for damages and legal costs that follow.

Protecting your No Claims Bonus enables you to keep your No Claims Bonus if you’re involved in an accident meaning you can use it again when you renew your policy. This varies depending on the insurer and number of claims you have.

Dash-cams can play a vital role in showing who was at fault in a collision and can be a great way of protecting yourself. They can also deter vandalism and vehicle thefts – two factors that can affect insurance premiums. Some insurance providers offer reduced premiums for taxis fitted with dash-cams as they can provide vital evidence in non-fault collisions.

Insurance companies may reward safe drivers with lower premiums. Typically, a year’s motoring without any claims or endorsements would be considered proof of good driving.

But telematics devices accurately monitor drivers’ performance and habits in real time and could lead to lower premiums for safer driving.

This depends on the type of policy and the insurer. A vehicle may be provided but it will not be a licensed taxi.

Having a telematics box or an dash-cam fitted to your vehicle has the potential to reduce your Taxi Insurance premium at renewal.

There are no specific qualifications to drive a taxi, but you do need an appropriate Public Hire or Private Hire licence. Those wanting to drive a taxi in London need to pass ‘The Knowledge’ to obtain a Public Hire licence (to drive a black cab).

Whatever your age, many Taxi Insurance providers will require a driver to hold a licence for at least 12 months before offering Public Hire Insurance or Private Hire Insurance. Even for those over 25, an inexperienced driver is a much higher insurance risk. Those that are able to obtain Taxi Insurance quotes will probably find they are too expensive to go ahead with.

We can offer cover for first-time taxi drivers with no prior experience.

Being refused cover can make obtaining a policy more difficult or more expensive. As an insurance broker, we can consider your individual circumstances and can find suitable cover.

Some insurers allow drivers to insure their taxis for weeks or months at a time. This is especially useful for those just starting out in the industry to see if it will become a career, or for those who might be away or take their taxis off the road for extended periods.

For those who see their future driving taxis, it is more cost effective in the long run to take out annual policies.

As with domestic insurance, this is the part of each claim that you agree to pay in the event of a claim.

This depends on both the compulsory and voluntary excess specified by your insurer, which is affected by your age, experience, driving record, the vehicle and the area in which you operate.

Because you need Taxi Insurance in order to operate, we recommend that you don’t leave renewing your insurance until the last minute, in case there are any delays which might force you to stop working.

Whether you are taking out a new policy or renewing existing cover, we recommend you arrange it up to two weeks before you want the policy to start.

Taxi Insurance products and providers change regularly so the best way is to go through an insurance broker who will be up to date with the available policies and requirements.

We work with a large panel of established insurers to get the best cover for taxi drivers at the right price. There is no one-size-fits-all and we work with drivers and insurers to make sure everyone knows what cover is required.

If the taxi company owns the vehicle – then generally yes, it is the taxi company who will insure the vehicle and this is usually on a Fleet Insurance policy. But drivers who own their own cars will need to take out their own insurance.

Young and newly qualified drivers face higher insurance premiums whether they have their own car or want to be added to their parents’ vehicle. Assuming you pass your driving test at 17, it is not until you reach the age of 25 with a clear driving record that most people notice a dramatic decrease in their premiums. So when it comes to driving a taxi, it is no surprise that younger, less-experienced drivers are considered higher risk and many Taxi Insurance providers are unwilling to offer cover.

While there are a couple of firms who might be willing to insure a driver under 25, the cost of the premiums is likely to be unaffordable.”