Just got your badge
New taxi driver insurance: your first policy
New taxi driver insurance covers drivers who have just been licensed and have no taxi claims history yet. Here is what insurers ask and how to prepare.
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First year with a badgeInsurance for newly licensed taxi drivers
New taxi driver insurance is public hire or private hire cover for drivers in their first year or so of taxi work. Without a taxi claims record, insurers lean more on your driving licence history, age and the work you plan to do.
Some insurers take a private car no claims bonus into account for new taxi drivers; others do not. It is worth having proof of it ready.
Getting licensed
Sources: Transport for London (11 November 2026) · Department for Transport (13 August 2026). Full list at the bottom of this page.
Before you apply for insurance
You usually need your taxi or private hire driver licence before an insurer will offer cover, or at least proof the application is under way. London applicants go through TfL's own checks on age, driving experience, criminal record, medical fitness and local knowledge[1], and councils elsewhere run their own versions. The PCO car insurance page sets out the London steps in full.
TfL's own guidance lists hire and reward insurance among the costs to research before applying, and it is worth doing that early. Our taxi earnings calculator helps you see what the work pays after insurance, fuel and licence fees.
What insurers ask new taxi drivers
- your age and how long you have held a full UK licence
- any penalty points, convictions or claims in recent years
- the licence type: public hire, private hire or both
- the apps, operators or contracts you will work for
- the vehicle and whether it is owned, financed or rented
- where the car is kept overnight
Younger new drivers may also want to read young taxi driver insurance, as some insurers set their own minimum ages above the licensing minimum.
Ways new drivers start out
Many new private hire drivers rent a licensed car with insurance included for their first months, then move to their own policy once they have some taxi history. Others join a firm and drive on its fleet policy. Others start part-time around another job. Each route has its own insurance questions, and the broker can explain what fits.
What insurers look at
What affects the price of new taxi driver insurance
Every insurer weighs these differently, which is why quotes for the same driver and car can vary.
- AgeSome insurers set minimum ages above 21.
- Licence historyYears holding a full UK licence.
- Points and claimsRecent convictions and claims on private cars.
- Type of workPublic hire, private hire or app work.
- VehicleValue, repair costs and security.
- AreaWhere you are licensed and work.
FAQs
New taxi driver insurance questions
Can I get taxi insurance as a new driver?
Yes. Some insurers accept newly licensed taxi drivers with no taxi claims history, usually with more questions about the driving licence and the work.
Will my car no claims bonus count?
Some insurers take a private car no claims bonus into account for new taxi drivers. It is worth having proof ready.
Do I need my badge before getting insurance?
Insurers usually want to see the taxi or private hire driver licence, or proof it is being processed, before cover starts.
What is the minimum age for a taxi licence?
TfL's minimum age for a private hire driver licence is 21. Councils set their own minimums, and insurers may set higher ones.
Can I get new taxi driver insurance online?
Yes, including while your badge application is still being processed. Tell the form when you expect the licence and what private car experience you have, and brokers met through MyMoneyComparison.com can explain what they need to go on cover.
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.
- Transport for London, Apply for a private hire driver licence, accessed 11 November 2026.
- Department for Transport, Taxi and private hire vehicle statistics, England: 2026, published 13 August 2026.
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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.