Taxi Driver Online

Trying to sort out my insurance and it's as if the companies don't want the business.

Filled in a form on Quotiva and NOT ONE company has contacted me since last Friday.
Spent the last couple of days phoning round (8 companies so far), one isn't currently doing taxi insurance (Cabline), two kept me on hold for over ten minutes each and I still didn't get through to an operator, four have told me they will phone back with the quotes and after 48 hours haven't and only one (Cabshield) were able to give me a quote there and then.

I'm used to filling in online forms or phoning brokers and getting instant quotes for non taxi insurances, is it normal for taxi brokers to take so long to respond ? All the companies concerned are from the TDO homepage BTW.

One wonders exactly what insurance they do do?

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IDFIMH

I usually get the latest copy of PHTM and go through the ads if they are advertising then they want the business

Swinton will always quote you ( usually a bit on the high side) Tradex, Insure taxi ( I had problems with these and ditched them) PJ weller and sons are usually good at phoning you back and there are many more another one that doesn't advertise in PHTM are coversure but they work through a network of local offices

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

I use a broker from Leeds. They used to be called wheels but I think they are now called Avant Garde. Their number is 0113 277 0707. I deal with a chap called Raj.

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Grandad,

Another four companies phoned, and another four 'we'll phone you backs'. Another day gone and still no contact from the first companies that promised to phone back with quotes.

So out of ten so-called taxi insurance specialists I've spoken to so far just two have given a price.

I used Cabshield this year but I've been with Freeway for years, you shouldn't have any problems with either

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

I've just finalised our insurance for the next 12 months. We have actually had a reduction this year from £1175 per vehicle to £1095 per vehicle.

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Grandad,

I've gone with Cabshield, not only were they the only ones that gave an instant quote they were also the cheapest. Tried Freeway but after 15+ minutes of listening to 'your call will be answered shortly' I gave up.

Still waiting for promised call backs from the others including two that I phoned again 'cos they hadn't got back to me, promised they would call back in 10 minutes - that was yesterday. Too late now, their loss.

Sasha

Few good points here. In case it missed you, I am an insurance broker dealing in taxis but also for my sins, am a part time Hackney and PH driver. I will NEVER reveal which broker I work for nor will I ever advertise, just to make the point clear.

However, my insurance broking job pays my mortgage so I have to run with it. The firm I work for susbscribe to Quotiva and I would like to know if we were one of the firms that failed you. I will then know whose rear end to kick, even if its my own. If you are willing, if you would PM your post code and reg no I can look it up. We may not have got your enquiry cos they only get sent to 5 brokers. Each broker can set up a series of filters so they don't get enquiries for drivers they can't or don't want to quote for. TBH we do not buy enquiries for drivers in the major cities as our rates are no good for the big cities. (London, Birmingham, Manchester etc).

In terms of the speed in doing the quotes, this is the bain of my life. It is mainly an IT issue. Ordinary car insurance is easy. For taxis, we have to key the same data in up to 5 times in that many different systems in order to get quotes from all our panel. It can take 20 minutes to do a quote for a pretty straight forward enquiry - you wouldn't want to hang on that long.

You mentioned Freeway and the wait on hold. I wondered why you didn't use their on line quote facility? Gives you instant on line quote.

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Nobody told me to use my initiative. To err is human to arr is pirate.

Thanks for taking the time to explain 2 Jobs.

I didn't have to wait 20 minutes for any quote (only a couple were able to give a price there and then), although some took that long to take all my details. My main gripe is that most never phoned me back after taking my details, in fact I'm still waiting for some since my first enquiry despite contacting them again - that's nearly two weeks.

Didn't know Freeway did instant online quotes or I would have used it ! Just grabbed phone numbers off the TDO homepage.

PM'd my details, let me know if you were one of the sinners

I've just had a quote from my local broker, he's never really been interested in quoting my cab, but all over me with my own car, as "its generally too much hassle" but now he says he has access to Aviva Taxi which gives him a quote in minutes and gets documents printed in his office. Whilst the price wasnt the cheapest it was better than most and at least its a company that I have heard of

I suspect the product is the TFP Schemes policy underwritten by Aviva. TFP are based in Cardiff and they are a very good bunch of people. Buy with confidence! Make sure to report claims within 24 hours as in most cases this reduces your excess.

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Nobody told me to use my initiative. To err is human to arr is pirate.