Public Liability

Public liability has always been a grey area for taxi drivers:

• do i need it?
• have i got it?
• what is it?
• what does it cover?

These are questions private/ public hire operators often ask. This section will provide you with all this information and show you the advantages of having such a policy.

Normal insurance

Private/Public hire policies usually have unlimited passenger liability for all occupants whilst the taxi is being driven so everyone is protected in an accident. Public Liability covers possible claims resulting from your negligence and most Local Authorities for instance will insist on you having this kind of policy if you are undertaking any school or council contract.

Public Liability

This provides you the operator cover for any claim that can be made against you by a customer for any injury that arises to the them through your negligence. The sort of things that lead to claims include:

• a passenger leaves you vehicle and you run over their foot
• a disabled passenger and he falls from his wheelchair getting into the cab
• a passenger tripping over a loose mat while leaving your cab and injuring themselves

The potential for a claim is very high as you are in constant contact with the general public.

Some taxi insurance companies will now include this cover on request for no charge or a very small premium. If it is not included, you can purchase the cover separately for a very low cost , the cover you can purchase usually starts at £2 Million but this can be increased right up to £10 Million if you require.

Employers Liability

Operators who have even just 1 employee require this cover by law. Not having this cover means you are breaking the law and exposing your business to a giant risk - these claims can run into millions of pounds.

You cover for yourself against any employee injured whilst carrying out his duties. This covers normal road traffic accidents and incidents like an injury while changing a tyre.

This cover is relatively inexpensive and is great value for money because if somebody does try to claim against you, the claim can bankrupt your business unless you have the right cover.