Hackney carriage cover
Public hire taxi insurance for hackney carriage drivers
Public hire taxi insurance covers hackney carriages that pick up from ranks and street hails as well as bookings. Here is what the policy needs to include and what shapes the price.
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Ranks, hails and bookingsWhat public hire taxi insurance covers
Public hire taxi insurance covers a licensed hackney carriage while it carries fare-paying passengers, including passengers who hail it in the street or join it at a rank.
A hackney carriage is licensed by one council, or by TfL in London, to ply for hire within that area. Because the driver does not know who will get in, insurers treat rank and street work as its own risk, separate from pre-booked private hire.
Public hire in numbers
Sources: Department for Transport (13 August 2026). Full list at the bottom of this page.
How public hire work differs from private hire
Councils explain the difference simply: a hackney carriage can be flagged down or wait at a rank, while a private hire vehicle has to be booked in advance through an operator[2]. Fares for hackney carriages are usually set by the council and shown on a meter.
That freedom changes the risk. Rank and hail work brings more short journeys, more late-night passengers and more time in town centres. Insurers price public hire on those patterns, which is why a public hire policy is not the same as private hire taxi insurance.
Many hackney drivers also take bookings by phone or app. Some public hire policies include pre-booked work; it is worth confirming that the certificate covers both if you do both.
What a public hire policy usually includes
- cover for passengers, other road users and their property
- your own taxi, if you choose comprehensive cover
- meters, roof signs and partitions, if declared
- cover while waiting on a rank, not just while driving
Optional extras often include a licensed replacement taxi, loss of earnings while your cab is repaired, legal expenses and taxi breakdown cover. For London purpose-built cabs, see the separate guide to black cab insurance.
Public hire licensing areas and where you can work
A hackney carriage can only ply for hire in the area that licensed it, but it can take pre-booked journeys elsewhere. Insurers ask where you are licensed and where you usually work, because a city-centre rank and a market-town rank carry different risks.
The government consulted in January 2026 on moving taxi and private hire driver licensing from 263 bodies to 70 local transport authorities and setting national minimum standards[3]. If licensing areas change, it is worth checking your policy still reflects where you work.
What insurers look at
What affects the price of public hire taxi insurance
Every insurer weighs these differently, which is why quotes for the same driver and car can vary.
- Licensing areaLarger towns and cities usually carry more claims than rural areas.
- Hours workedLate nights and weekend trade are rated differently from daytime work.
- Vehicle typePurpose-built cabs, saloons and wheelchair accessible vehicles differ in repair costs.
- Taxi claims historyInsurers look closely at claims made while working.
- Years with a badgeExperience on the rank is often taken into account.
- SecurityOvernight parking, dashcams and CCTV can all be relevant.
FAQs
Public hire taxi insurance questions
What is public hire taxi insurance?
It is taxi insurance for hackney carriages, the vehicles licensed to pick up passengers from ranks and street hails. It also covers bookings if the policy includes them.
Is public hire insurance different from private hire insurance?
Yes. Public hire covers rank and street-hail work, which private hire policies exclude. Insurers rate the two differently.
Does public hire insurance cover pre-booked jobs?
Many public hire policies also include pre-booked work, but not all. It is worth checking the certificate if you take bookings or app jobs.
Can I use a public hire policy for Uber?
Not always. Uber says it does not accept policies that only cover public hire or hackney carriage use[4], so app work usually needs private hire cover on the certificate.
Do I need public liability as a hackney driver?
It is not part of the motor policy. Public liability covers injury or damage outside the drive itself, such as when helping a passenger with bags, and some drivers add it.
Sources
Figures on this page come from the sources below. Each was checked on 11 November 2026; figures may change when a source is updated.
- Department for Transport, Taxi and private hire vehicle statistics, England: 2026, published 13 August 2026.
- Stockport Council, Hackney carriage or private hire, accessed 11 November 2026.
- Department for Transport, New proposals set out to reduce out-of-area working for taxis and boost passenger safety, 8 January 2026.
- Uber, Uploading your documents, accessed 11 November 2026.
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