App drivers
FREENOW driver insurance for taxi and private hire
FREENOW driver insurance is the public hire or private hire cover you need to take bookings through FREENOW. Unlike most apps, FREENOW is built largely around licensed taxis.
- Online form
- Free to use
- No obligation
Black cab and private hire bookingsWhat insurance do FREENOW drivers need?
FREENOW drivers need taxi insurance that matches their licence: public hire for black cabs and hackney carriages, private hire for private hire vehicles. App bookings are pre-booked journeys, so the policy needs to cover pre-booked work as well as any rank work.
FREENOW became part of Lyft when Lyft completed its acquisition on 31 July 2025[1]. CoverMyTaxi is independent and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, any app named on this page.
FREENOW in context
Sources: Lyft (press release via Nasdaq) (31 July 2025) · TaxiPoint (20 August 2026). Full list at the bottom of this page.
A taxi-first app
FREENOW describes itself as a taxi app first. In the UK it works with licensed taxi drivers in cities including London, Manchester and Birmingham[3], alongside private hire in some areas. That means many FREENOW drivers are black cab or hackney carriage drivers who take app bookings between rank and hail work.
For those drivers, the policy needs to be public hire taxi insurance that also covers pre-booked jobs. Most public hire policies do, but it is worth checking the certificate rather than assuming.
Private hire on FREENOW
Where FREENOW offers private hire, drivers need private hire taxi insurance and a private hire licence. In London that means a PCO car that meets TfL's zero emission rules for first-time licensing.
Many FREENOW drivers also work Uber or Bolt. One policy can usually cover them all if the broker knows about each.
Black cab drivers and app work
London's cab trade is shrinking and ageing. TfL records show 16,172 licensed taxi drivers in January 2026, with 59.2% aged 56 or over[2]. App bookings help fill quieter hours, and the insurance question is simply whether the cab policy covers them. See black cab insurance for cover on purpose-built cabs.
What insurers look at
What affects the price of FREENOW driver insurance
Every insurer weighs these differently, which is why quotes for the same driver and car can vary.
- Licence typePublic hire cab or private hire vehicle.
- Work mixRank, hail and app bookings.
- VehiclePurpose-built cab, electric cab or private hire car.
- AreaLondon and city work compared with smaller towns.
- ExperienceYears with a badge and claims history.
- DriversSingle-driver or shared cab.
FAQs
FREENOW driver insurance questions
What insurance do I need for FREENOW?
Taxi insurance that matches your licence. Black cab and hackney drivers need public hire cover that includes pre-booked work; private hire drivers need private hire cover.
Is FREENOW now part of Lyft?
Yes. Lyft completed its acquisition of FREENOW on 31 July 2025, and the app operates as FREENOW by Lyft.
Can black cab drivers take FREENOW jobs on a public hire policy?
Usually, as most public hire policies include pre-booked work, but it is worth confirming on the certificate.
Can I use FREENOW and Uber on one policy?
If you hold a private hire licence, one private hire policy can usually cover both. Tell the broker about each app.
Can I get FREENOW driver insurance online?
Yes. Say whether you work as a black cab or private hire driver on the app, because the cover differs. The form then passes you to MyMoneyComparison.com and brokers who handle both.
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.
- Lyft (press release via Nasdaq), Lyft goes global: FREENOW acquisition complete, 31 July 2025.
- TaxiPoint, London taxi retirement timebomb as six in ten cabbies are now aged 56 or over, 20 August 2026.
- TaxiPoint, What happens next for FREENOW drivers in the UK after Lyft acquisition, 17 April 2025.
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CoverMyTaxi is a trading style of Mymoneycomparison.com Ltd. It is an information website and is not an insurer or an insurance broker. Quotes are provided through MyMoneyComparison.com and the brokers it works with, subject to insurers' acceptance criteria.