Chauffeur Insurance

Chauffeur car insurance covers an executive car and its driver for pre-booked passenger work, such as corporate, airport and event jobs. Most chauffeur cars are licensed as private hire vehicles, so the policy has to match that licence and the work you do.

Which chauffeur cover fits your work?

Chauffeur jobs vary a lot, and so do the policies. Find the row that sounds most like you.

Licences a chauffeur needs in England and Wales

Most chauffeurs need private hire licences. The Department for Transport’s guidance note says most chauffeur and executive car operations fall under the private hire licensing regime, even in a higher quality car.

GOV.UK sets out what a driver licence usually takes:

• A full British or Northern Ireland driving licence, usually held for at least 12 months
• The right to work in the UK
• Passing the “fit and proper person” test, which may include an enhanced DBS check
• Possibly a medical, a knowledge test or a driving test, depending on the council

The car needs its own vehicle licence, and bookings need an operator licence. GOV.UK says the driver, vehicle and operator must all be licensed by the same authority. A driver licence is usually issued for 3 years.

Plates on executive cars

Many clients prefer an unmarked car. The DfT best practice guidance says some councils grant executive hire vehicles an exemption from showing a licence plate. They should only do so when satisfied the car is not used for normal private hire work.

Chauffeur work in London

Transport for London says any vehicle with up to eight passenger seats that is available for hire with a driver needs a private hire vehicle licence. TfL adds that every licensed private hire driver must work for a licensed operator. Our London private hire page covers the PCO side in more detail.

Scotland and Northern Ireland

The rules above are for England and Wales. GOV.UK notes there is a different licensing process in Scotland and in Northern Ireland, so check with the licensing authority where you work.

Private chauffeurs and personal drivers

A personal driver employed by a family or an executive is a different case. If you drive your employer’s own car and nobody pays a fare, the car is normally insured on the owner’s policy.

MIB says you must be a named driver on a car you drive regularly that is not yours. It adds that business use covers work driving beyond a commute to one place of work, so the owner will need that use on the policy.

If you also take paid bookings from other people in that car, ask the insurer before you do. Fares move the car into hire and reward territory.

Owner-driver or working for an operator: pros and cons

What you need before you get a chauffeur insurance quote

Looking for cheap chauffeur insurance? Gather these details first, because accurate answers give you prices that fit the work.

• The car’s registration, make, model, value and passenger seat count
• Your private hire driver, vehicle and operator licence numbers and the licensing council
• Names, dates of birth, licence details and claims history for every driver
• The jobs you do: corporate accounts, airport transfers, weddings, events or tours
• Whether you work for your own clients, an operator, or both
• Where the car is kept overnight and your rough yearly mileage
• Any staff, so you can arrange employers’ liability cover alongside the motor policy

Keeping chauffeur cover valid

A policy only helps if its details stay true. These checks catch most problems before a claim does.

• Declare all the work you do. MIB reminds drivers to tell the insurer how the car is used and to give a realistic yearly mileage.
• Update the insurer when you change car, add a driver, move or take on a new type of job.
• Check the record. The free MIB Check Your Vehicle tool shows whether a live policy is on file.
• Know the minimum. GOV.UK says third party cover is the legal minimum on UK roads, though paid passenger work needs the right use class too.

Tiger.co.uk compares chauffeur insurance UK-wide from a panel of 120+ providers, so owner-drivers and chauffeur firms can see several quotes from one form.

Ian Wilson, Managing Director at Tiger.co.uk, says: “Chauffeurs often do a mix of airport runs, weddings and corporate work. Put every one of them on the form, because the use you declare shapes what the policy covers.”

Compare chauffeur car quotes with Tiger.co.uk

Tiger.co.uk is a trading style of Big Cat Ventures Ltd, an Introducer Appointed Representative of Seopa Ltd. Seopa Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 313860), and you can check any firm on the FCA Financial Services Register. Policies vary on drivers, excess and extras, so read each quote before you choose. Our big cat is happy to do the prowling around for prices while you get back on the road.

Get chauffeur insurance quotes on Tiger.co.uk. Back to limo insurance, or see private hire insurance for standard minicab work. You may also want public liability insurance for event jobs, and breakdown cover for long airport runs.

How much is chauffeur insurance?

There is no single price. Quotes depend on the car and its value, the drivers and their records, where you work and the type of jobs you take. Comparing quotes with your real details is the only way to see what you would pay.

Do chauffeurs need a private hire licence?

Usually, yes. Department for Transport guidance says most chauffeur and executive car work falls under private hire licensing. In England and Wales you apply to your local council, or to Transport for London if you work in London.