Licensed by the council, judged by your doctor
To drive a hackney carriage or private hire car you need a licence from your local council or licensing authority, and most of them ask for a medical before they grant or renew it. Many apply the same standard the DVLA uses for lorry and bus drivers, which is stricter than an ordinary car licence.
That means a condition like diabetes on insulin, a heart problem, a seizure or worsening eyesight could take you off the road for a while. You also have to tell the DVLA about notifiable conditions. Income protection can keep money coming in while you wait for treatment or a licensing decision.
Paid by the fare, with costs that never stop
When you are self-employed, a week off is a week with nothing coming in. Meanwhile the car payments, taxi insurance, plate fees and operator or radio rent all keep going. Some drivers pay for a vehicle on a weekly hire and keep paying even when it sits outside the house.
Statutory sick pay does not apply to self-employed drivers. Universal Credit may help in some circumstances, but it is means-tested and depends on your household's savings and income, so many drivers with a working partner or modest savings would get little or nothing.
Night shifts, passengers and long hours
Sitting for long shifts leads to back and hip trouble over the years. Night work and irregular meals affect sleep and weight. Some drivers deal with aggressive passengers, and an assault can bring physical injuries and anxiety that keep you off the road for a long time.
Mental health problems such as stress and depression are a common reason for income protection claims across all jobs. A good policy covers them in the same way it covers a broken bone, as long as a doctor confirms you are unfit to work and you meet the policy terms.
- Back, hip and neck problems from long hours seated
- Road accidents
- Assaults and the anxiety that can follow
- Medical conditions that fail the licensing medical
Life insurance when you have no employer benefits
Employed people often get death in service through work. Taxi drivers almost never do, so if you died tomorrow your family would have whatever savings you have and nothing more. A life insurance policy fills that space with a lump sum chosen to clear the mortgage and cover living costs for a few years.
Some drivers also use cover to pay off vehicle finance, so the family is not left with a liveried car they cannot use or sell easily. We can work out a sum that covers the debts and leaves something over.
How Hi Tomorrow sets up cover for taxi drivers
We look at your earnings from your tax returns, your outgoings and what savings you could live on, then help you pick a deferred period and benefit that make sense. Insurers put taxi driving in an occupation class that affects price and how they decide if you are unfit to work, and we explain the differences in plain English.
We can also arrange life insurance for your mortgage or family and help you write it in trust. We explain how each policy would treat you as a licensed driver before you commit. Every policy is subject to the insurer's underwriting.