Europe, Finance, Fintec, Industry, United Kingdom

Taxi Insurance Quotes Can Be More Than Three Times Higher Depending on Where a Driver Is Licensed, New Insurd Data Shows

4 November 2026

Editorial Brief

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New data from insurance broker insurd reveals significant variations in taxi and private hire insurance quotes based on where drivers are licensed in the UK. The analysis shows that the average quote for the five most expensive licensing authorities is £4,929, compared to £1,519 for the five cheapest, with London among the higher-cost areas. These differences highlight the importance of location and driver factors in determining insurance costs.

EDITORIAL INSIGHT: Context, industry insight and market perspectives of this news story

Significant regional disparities in taxi and private hire insurance quotes are highlighted by new data, pointing to a complex picture for drivers depending on their licensing authority. While some variation is expected, the scale of difference revealed here is notable, with average quotes in the most expensive areas more than three times those in the cheapest. The findings underline how licensing location, rather than simply where a driver lives or works, can have a marked impact on insurance costs.

For drivers and operators, these differences can affect competitiveness and take-home pay, particularly in areas with higher premiums. The data also reflects broader industry complexities, including cross-border licensing and the importance of individual driving history. With insurance often one of the largest fixed costs for taxi drivers, the need for careful comparison across providers is reinforced by the wide range of quotes identified in the analysis.

Story Ideas

Economic impact

Regional Disparities in Taxi Insurance Costs Highlighted by New Data

New data reveals significant disparities in taxi insurance costs depending on the licensing authority, with some areas charging more than three times the amount of others. This raises questions about the fairness and economic impact on drivers who may not work in their licensing area.

Target audience: who would cover this
Story potential: 7/10

Consumer impact

Impact of Insurance Cost Variances on Taxi Drivers’ Earnings

The variance in insurance costs across different regions significantly affects taxi drivers' net earnings, potentially influencing where they choose to operate and how they price their services.

Target audience: who would cover this
Story potential: 6/10

Press Release

November 3, 2026

Across the 100 most-quoted licensing authorities, the five dearest averaged £4,929, against £1,519 for the five cheapest

New quote data from specialist insurance broker insurd shows a big gap in the average annual taxi and private hire insurance quote depending on where a driver is licensed. Across the 100 most-quoted licensing authorities in summer 2026, the five dearest averaged £4,929 and the five cheapest £1,519, a gap of 3.2 times.

The analysis covers more than 100,000 quotes from the 100 most-quoted licensing authorities. That is 88% of all the quotes in insurd’s data for the period across 370 authorities.

Drivers don’t always work in the area that licensed them. Some licensing authorities license large numbers of drivers who live and work elsewhere, so these averages reflect the drivers quoting for each licence, not just local conditions.

Who is quoting also makes a difference. For drivers with at least four years’ No Claims Bonus, the average quote across all authorities was £2,166. That is about a third (£1,023) lower than the £3,189 average for all drivers. The gaps between authorities remain for these drivers too.

London is among the higher-quote areas. Drivers licensed by the Public Carriage Office averaged £4,588, the fifth highest of the 100 authorities and about 44% above the £3,189 average for all drivers.

The gaps also appear within regions:

South Yorkshire: drivers licensed by Doncaster average £5,342. That is £3,073 more, or 2.4 times as much, as the £2,269 average for those licensed by Sheffield.
Lancashire: drivers licensed by Blackburn with Darwen average £4,818. That is £2,795 more, or 2.4 times as much, as the £2,023 average for those licensed by neighbouring Hyndburn.

“These figures show how much taxi insurance quotes can vary across the UK. Location plays a big part, meaning where you live and where the taxi is kept overnight, but insurers also weigh who is driving, how far they drive and the taxi itself. When quotes can differ this much, comparing a wide panel matters. We work with some of the top-rated insurers, including Admiral, KinetiQ, Q, Inshur, KGM, Eridge, Collingwood, Markerstudy, SEIB, Sabre, Trident and ERS. We search them for each driver, and this summer 8 different insurers on our panel were the cheapest option for at least one driver.”

Craig Shaw, Director, insurd

Notes to editors

About Data: Based on insurd quote data for summer 2026: more than 100,000 taxi and private hire insurance quotes across 370 licensing authorities, provided by insurers on insurd’s panel. Figures are the average annual quote by licensing authority. Public service vehicle (bus and coach) quotes are excluded. The headline compares the average of the five cheapest and the five dearest of the 100 most-quoted licensing authorities. One authority with an unusually high average, more than a third above the next highest, was excluded and the next most-quoted authority was included in its place. Authorities that license many drivers who work in other areas are included in all figures but not highlighted individually. The table of the 100 authorities is at https://insurd.co.uk/taxi-insurance/cost-by-licensing-authority/, with a CSV on request. About insurd: insurd Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm Reference Number 308508), based in Flint, North Wales, with over 50 years’ experience arranging taxi insurance across the UK.

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