Taxi Driver Online

Taxi company slash insurance bills with CCTV


A North East taxi company whose insurance has doubled in the last three years is set to save thousands by installing state of the art CCTV in its fleet.

C&D Taxis, which operates across Tyne and Wear, appointed Sunderland-based Hadrian Technology to install cameras in its cars, which record both inside and outside the vehicle.

The Cygnus cameras that Hadrian Technology install have a front facing camera to record the driver’s view of the road and a rear facing camera to record the inside, and behind the vehicle. The CCTV cameras record images that can help protect against staged accidents and false whiplash claims, driving offences and traffic allegations. Some insurance companies are offering discounts on premiums to taxis with CCTV set-up.

Chris Waterstreet, owner of C&D Taxis said: “CCTV will provide me with evidence of what happens in my taxis. After the initial installation costs, I will re-coup the cost in just one or two years. I won’t get bogged down with lengthy and expensive investigations when someone makes a claim and hopefully my insurance premium will stop rising each year. At the moment when someone makes a claim, we have no evidence to find out the truth and my insurance company always has to pay out. One insurance company is knocking £500 off taxi insurance premiums if you have CCTV installed. My colleagues and customers will feel safer when I have these cameras in. For me, I will be saving money and hassle every day. I would certainly recommend it to other taxi drivers out there.”

Gary Trotter, general manager at Hadrian Technology said: “Local councils around the UK are discussing legislation that will require all licensed vehicles to install CCTV, ensuring the safety of passengers.

“Unfortunately serious offences like assault and sexual abuse, as well as accident claims relating to taxis come up again and again. A system like ours acts as a deterrent and a way of providing hard evidence when allegations are made against the passenger or driver. Cameras installed by Hadrian Technology capture footage that cannot be destroyed, even if someone rips the camera unit off from the car - the images that have been recorded are stored elsewhere in the vehicle. C&D Taxis will now have the evidence they need to avoid significant and avoidable losses. I hope we can help other businesses to tackle similar problems.”

http://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/2013/9/ ... ctv/48291/

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I think sooner or later insurance companies are going to insist on cameras being fitted and then it will be black box recorders

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

I was talking to my insurance broker this morning and he was telling me that there is a new insurer entering the market who have cheaper premiums than most at the moment but you have to have the black box fitted.

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Grandad,

Until it's common practice then premiums will creep back up to pre Black Box levels to boost their profit levels.

Admiral have been doing it for the last year.

Another sensible operator.

Just think we have numpties down here that hate the idea of CCTV, even when the outlay can be re-couped within a year or two.

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IDFIMH

I must be a numpty then as I hate any form of CCTV!

As do the crooks and the thugs.

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IDFIMH

Me to...especially the Street/Road CCTV of the Big Brother variety.

Do Admiral insure taxis?

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Grandad,

Never said they did, I was using them as an example within the insurance world, it's not a new idea it's been about for a while.

Westminster have also started cutting premiums if you have one of their cameras + black boxes installed. If anyone falls for their patter they're off their rocker, one false move and your premiums will sky rocket.

The thing is with cctv and black boxes they are a two edged sword for all the positives there are a few negatives not least of which is most police forces would be happy to use them as evidence against you but very reluctant to use them as evidence for you as thqat guy in was it Dartford found out

Black boxes can also be used to check if you are sticking to the speed limit all the time which when you are under pressure at busy times is not always helpful

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

Ah, you mean like some of the big minicab barons? (allegedly)

just a pity some of the councils don't agree,

Glasgow City Council threatened to remove the plates of anyone found with a cctv system installed in their vehicles

Maybe someone should ask them why they have CCTV in their offices?

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IDFIMH