Chauffeur fleet insurance for executive, corporate and wedding car firms
Prestige saloons, luxury SUVs and wedding cars on pre-booked work, insured on one policy that reflects what the cars are worth and the standard clients expect. A single short form connects you with specialist brokers who arrange cover for UK chauffeur businesses.
- Pre-booked executive and wedding work
- High-value prestige cars
- Replacement cars of a similar class
Chauffeur fleet insurance in brief
Chauffeur fleet insurance is motor cover for a business running several executive or prestige cars, driven by its chauffeurs on pre-booked journeys for paying clients. Corporate travel firms, executive car hire companies and wedding car businesses use it to insure every car, and everyone who drives them, on one schedule.
Because clients always book ahead, the cars are normally insured for private hire rather than for picking up passengers in the street. Chauffeur work is one of the passenger trades covered under fleet insurance by trade.
Types of booking
What kind of chauffeur work does the fleet carry out?
Insurers rate a chauffeur fleet partly on its booking mix. A car on a corporate account covers very different miles and hours from a vintage car booked for weddings.
Licensing and use
How does private hire licensing fit with a chauffeur fleet policy?
Chauffeur cars carrying paying passengers are usually licensed as private hire vehicles by the local council, and the chauffeurs hold private hire driver licences. Insurers expect the policy to match the licences held.
- Private hire: Carrying paying passengers on journeys booked ahead, which is the main use on any chauffeur schedule.
- Wedding and ceremonial use: Cars used only for weddings or funerals may be licensed and insured on different terms, which is a question for both the council and the broker.
- Business use by staff: Office staff or managers driving the cars to a valet, garage or client meeting without passengers.
- Social, domestic and pleasure: Chauffeurs taking a car home between bookings, where the business allows it.
Cars that queue at ranks or accept street hails need public hire cover, explained on taxi fleet insurance.
Prestige cars
Why prestige car values change how a chauffeur fleet is insured
Executive saloons, luxury SUVs and classic wedding cars cost more to repair and can spend longer in the workshop, often waiting for manufacturer parts.
Approved repairers and genuine parts
Some prestige cars need a manufacturer-approved repairer to protect the warranty and the finish.
- Worth asking who chooses the repairer
- Genuine parts or alternatives
- Rare models can take a long time to fix
Vintage and classic wedding cars
Older cars are often insured on an agreed value, because a market value can be hard to pin down.
- Agreed value terms are worth asking about
- Limited mileage terms are common
- A locked garage is often expected
Leased and financed cars
Many executive cars are leased, so the finance company has an interest in any total loss.
- Gap cover is worth asking about
- Lease terms may insist on comprehensive cover
- The lessor may need noting on the policy
Keeping the standard
Keeping bookings running with a replacement of the same standard
A client who booked a prestige saloon expects one at the door. An ordinary courtesy hatchback is little use to a chauffeur firm when a car is off the road.
Replacement of a similar class
Some policies supply a replacement executive car while a damaged one is repaired.
- Ask which class of car is supplied
- It needs to be licensed for private hire
- Ask how many days it is supplied for
Presentation and interior damage
Stained leather or a torn headlining can take a car out of service even when it drives perfectly.
- Interior cover varies between policies
- Damage caused by passengers is worth raising
- Valeting after a claim may not be included
Chauffeur experience
Dress, manners and discretion are part of the service; insurers focus on driving records and experience.
- Years of private hire driving
- Advanced driving qualifications may be noted
- Self-employed chauffeurs in your cars
Before a quote
What does a broker ask a chauffeur business before quoting?
A chauffeur fleet quote balances valuable cars against careful, pre-booked work. These are the points likely to come up.
- Car values and modelsMake, model and value of each car, and how costly it is to repair.
- Booking mixCorporate accounts, private bookings, weddings and events.
- Council licencesPrivate hire licences for the cars, the chauffeurs and the operator.
- Chauffeur recordsAges, private hire experience, convictions and claims.
- GaragingLocked garages, secure yards or chauffeurs' homes overnight.
- Hours and mileageLate finishes after events and the miles each car covers.
How it works
One quote form, specialist fleet brokers
Insure Fleet is an information site, not an insurer or a broker. We link you to MyMoneyComparison.com, a comparison service that gives businesses a gateway to brokers who arrange fleet insurance every day.
Start your quote
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Describe the chauffeur fleet
The form asks about the vehicles, the work they do and who drives, so you can be matched with a specialist fleet broker.
Compare and decide
A broker contacts you with options, subject to insurers' acceptance criteria. There is no obligation to buy.
Before you buy
Questions worth asking about a chauffeur fleet policy
Two chauffeur quotes can differ most in what happens after a claim. These points are worth settling before the busy season.
- Is the replacement car of a similar class?A basic courtesy car may not suit an executive booking.
- Who chooses the repairer?Prestige cars may need an approved workshop.
- Are wedding cars on agreed value?Classic cars are hard to value after a total loss.
- Is interior damage covered?Spills and tears can keep a car off the road.
- Are self-employed chauffeurs included?Some insurers want every chauffeur approved.
- Is gap cover offered on leased cars?A total loss can leave a balance on the lease.
FAQs
Chauffeur fleet insurance questions
What is chauffeur fleet insurance?
Chauffeur fleet insurance is a motor policy covering several executive, prestige or wedding cars that a business uses to carry paying clients on pre-booked journeys. It lists each car, the chauffeurs allowed to drive and the type of use, with one renewal date for the fleet.
Do chauffeur cars need private hire insurance?
Usually, yes. Cars carrying paying passengers on booked journeys are normally insured for private hire and licensed by the council. Cars that never carry clients, such as the owner's own car, are a different risk and may sit more naturally on car fleet insurance for company and pool cars.
Can wedding cars go on the same policy as executive cars?
Often, depending on the insurer. Classic and vintage wedding cars are commonly insured on agreed value with mileage limits, so some firms keep them on a separate schedule. A broker can say whether one policy can hold both.
What happens if a car is damaged just before a booking?
That depends on the replacement terms. Some policies supply a car of a similar class that is licensed for private hire, others offer a standard courtesy car or nothing at all. For a chauffeur firm this is often the most important difference between quotes.
Does the policy cover airport collections?
Occasional airport pickups are usually part of private hire use. Firms whose work is mostly airport runs in people carriers face different risks, such as long waits and luggage, covered on airport transfer fleet insurance.
Can a new chauffeur business get fleet insurance?
Often, yes. With no claims history to go on, insurers focus on the chauffeurs' driving records and the value of the cars. The page on start-up fleet insurance for new businesses explains how insurers treat a firm with no fleet history.
Does Insure Fleet sell insurance?
No. Insure Fleet is an information site and an affiliate of MyMoneyComparison.com, a comparison service that gives businesses a gateway to specialist brokers. When you start a quote you continue to MyMoneyComparison.com, and we may be paid a small commission if you are matched with and speak to a broker.
Ready to get your chauffeur fleet covered?
One form, specialist passenger fleet brokers, no obligation.