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Taxi insurance in Germany: taxis and private hire cars with a driver

Driving passengers for money in Germany needs a licence under the Passenger Transport Act and a motor policy written for that use. Private car policies expressly carve out taxis and private hire cars, many insurers do not write the trade at all, and a standard comparison site rarely finds a tariff. Taxi insurance combines motor liability, own damage cover and protection for the days the car stands still.

The question almost everyone asks first

Can I drive for a ride app on my private car insurance?

No. In Germany, app rides with a driver are private hire (Mietwagen mit Fahrer) under the Passenger Transport Act and need a licence plus a policy that names this use. Several insurers expressly exclude taxis and private hire cars from their private car terms, and a wrong declaration can lead to recourse or reduced payment after a claim. The legal minimum cover is the same as for a private car as long as the vehicle has no more than nine seats besides the driver.

Taxi or private hire: the licence shapes the policy

German law distinguishes two forms. A taxi must operate, must carry anyone within its compulsory area and must charge the official fare there, and it may wait at taxi ranks. A private hire car with a driver takes bookings through its registered base and has to return there after each trip unless a new booking has come in. The Federal Court of Justice has confirmed this return duty for trips booked through apps as well.

For the insurer, what counts is the use stated in the policy. Taxi and private hire are rated separately, and a wrong declaration can cost you cover after an accident. If you drive both or work through platforms, make sure that is written into the contract.

Why few insurers want this business

Taxis cover long distances, often at night and in heavy city traffic, so many motor insurers decline them or route them to a specialist subsidiary. Private policy wordings regularly exclude taxis, private hire and self drive rental cars from features such as occupant cover or roadside assistance.

In practice this means your claims record is your most valuable asset. A driver who has been cancelled once has very few options left.

When the car stands still

If the other driver was at fault, their insurer pays your loss of earnings. For a commercial vehicle such as a taxi there is no flat daily loss of use payment, only the lost profit you can actually prove. You may hire a replacement taxi, but the courts measure the hire cost against the earnings you would otherwise have lost.

If nobody else was at fault, nobody pays. Only your own add on, a daily allowance during downtime or business interruption cover, closes that gap.

Passengers, drivers and the day's takings

Injured passengers are covered by the taxi's motor liability, even if your own driver caused the crash. The driver is not covered there when at fault; that is what driver protection is for, and employed drivers also have statutory accident insurance. Occupant accident cover pays fixed sums regardless of fault and is optional.

Robbery and violence against drivers are a real risk in this trade. Whether takings, the taximeter, the till system or a camera are covered depends on each insurer's taxi clauses.

What is covered

  • Motor liability for damage to third parties and to your own passengers
  • Partial cover for theft, fire, glass, storm and collisions with game
  • Comprehensive cover for at fault accidents and vandalism
  • Taxi equipment such as roof sign, taximeter and radio, depending on the policy
  • Daily allowance during downtime after an accident, as an add on
  • Roadside assistance with onward travel for passengers
  • Occupant accident cover and driver protection as extras
  • Several vehicles in one contract for licensed operators

What is not covered

  • Trips without a valid licence or without the passenger transport driving permit
  • Any use other than the one stated in the policy
  • Driving under alcohol or drugs, with recourse under the liability cover
  • Wear, operating damage and brake damage under own damage cover
  • The driver's own injuries when at fault, without driver protection
  • The agreed excess

Who needs it

  • Taxi operators with their own licence, from one car to a small fleet
  • Private hire operators with drivers, including those working through ride apps
  • Operators doing patient transport, school runs or wheelchair accessible trips
  • Newcomers taking over an existing licensed business
  • Drivers who also use their taxi privately

Who does not need it

  • Employed drivers whose employer insures the vehicles; driver protection matters more to them
  • Car sharing among friends where only costs are split

Wheel of misfortune

Spin the wheel of bad luck

Six things that really happen. The wheel picks yours and shows who pays.

See all six cases
  1. Rear end crash, two passengers hurt, compensation and treatment, often five figures. Budget policy: pays, Strong policy: pays. This is what motor liability is for. Passengers are covered even if your driver caused the crash.
  2. Passenger wrecks the back seat, cleaning and upholstery, a few hundred euros. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: pays in part. Only a taxi policy that names damage by passengers pays, often up to a limit.
  3. Taxi in the garage for two weeks, two weeks of takings. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: pays in part. Without another party at fault only your own daily allowance pays, after waiting days and up to the agreed rate.
  4. Taximeter and roof sign stolen, equipment and fitting, easily four figures. Budget policy: pays in part, Strong policy: pays. Partial cover pays fitted parts, but taxi equipment only if the wording includes it.
  5. At fault crash, car written off, the value of the vehicle. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: pays. Only comprehensive cover replaces your own car, less the excess. Liability alone pays the other side only.
  6. Driver without passenger permit, your entire own loss. Budget policy: does not pay, Strong policy: does not pay. Liability still pays the victims but recovers the money from you, and own damage cover does not pay.

What it costs

A taxi costs considerably more to insure than a private car because it drives further and has more claims. One large insurer advertised taxi liability from EUR 800 a year including insurance tax in 2016, with an example of about EUR 1,600 including comprehensive cover. These figures are old and apply to clean records only, so read them as an order of magnitude, not a price.

What drives the premium

  • No claims class and claims history of the business
  • Taxi or private hire, city and registration district
  • Vehicle model, seats and new value
  • Number of drivers, their age and years since passing the test
  • Sum insured, excess and repair shop binding
  • Add ons such as daily allowance, assistance and occupant cover
  • Number of vehicles in the contract

The premium is only fixed in the quote, once the insurer has reviewed vehicles, drivers and past claims.

The policy levels on the market

01

Taxi liability

The compulsory cover with a high single limit, passengers included. For older vehicles where own damage cover no longer pays off.

02

Liability plus own damage

Partial or comprehensive cover with an excess, taxi equipment and glass included. The usual choice for newer and financed cars.

03

Taxi package with downtime cover

Adds a daily allowance, assistance with onward travel, driver protection and no claims protection. For businesses where a car off the road means lost revenue at once.

How to recognise a good policy

CriterionMinimum standardStrong policyWhy it matters
Liability limit statutory minimums EUR 100m single limit with a high cap per injured person A serious crash with several passengers quickly exceeds the minimums.
Use stated taxi only or private hire only taxi, private hire and app trips named A wrongly stated use puts cover at risk.
Taxi equipment not mentioned roof sign, taximeter, radio, till system and camera included Private own damage wordings do not know these parts.
Damage by passengers not covered soiling and vandalism inside the car included Common in the trade, and the culprit is rarely known.
Daily allowance none fixed daily rate with few waiting days Without another party at fault, nobody pays for downtime.
Drivers named drivers only changing and employed drivers without naming In shift work the driver changes all the time.
Assistance none, or private assistance with a taxi exclusion help from kilometre 0 with onward travel for passengers A breakdown at the rank is the most common case.

Insurers on the German market

Far fewer insurers write taxis and private hire cars in Germany than private cars. Listed are insurers where we found taxi products or policy wordings with a taxi section. This is a market overview, not a statement about who we work with.

InsurerBackground
Württembergischededicated taxi insurance for business customers with liability and own damage cover
KRAVAGtransport insurer of the R+V group, which handles the group's taxi and private hire business
SIGNAL IDUNAgroup with its own taxi assistance cover for taxis and private hire cars
Allianztaxis under the business section of its motor terms, agents and brokers
ALTE LEIPZIGERmotor terms with rules for taxis, broker distribution
AXAcommercial motor insurance, agents and brokers

Compare the wordings of all tariffs Taxi insurance 4 tariffs from 4 providers, as of 24 October 2026

From the BaFin register

106

106 insurers supervised by BaFin, the German regulator, are licensed for this class of insurance.

(Kraftfahrzeug-Haftpflicht, Kraftfahrzeug-Kasko)

Show all 106 names from the register
  • ACM Versicherung AG
  • ADAC Autoversicherung AG
  • ADLER Versicherung AG
  • Allianz Direct Versicherungs-AG
  • Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SE
  • Allianz Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • Alte Leipziger Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Ambra Versicherung AG
  • andsafe Aktiengesellschaft
  • ARAG Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • AXA easy Versicherung AG
  • AXA Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • BA die Bayerische Allgemeine Versicherung AG
  • Badischer Gemeinde-Versicherungs-Verband
  • Baloise Sachversicherung Aktiengesellschaft Deutschland
  • Barmenia Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • BavariaDirekt Versicherung AG
  • Bayerischer Versicherungsverband Versicherungsaktiengesellschaft
  • BGV-Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • CG Car-Garantie Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • Concordia Versicherungs-Gesellschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Continentale Sachversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Cosmos Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • DA Deutsche Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • DARAG Deutschland AG
  • Debeka Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft Sitz Koblenz am Rhein
  • DEVK Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • DEVK Deutsche Eisenbahn Versicherung Sach- und HUK-Versicherungsverein a.G. Betriebliche…
  • Dialog Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • ERGO Direkt Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • ERGO Reiseversicherung AG
  • ERGO Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • EUROPA Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Fahrlehrerversicherung Verein auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Feuersozietät Berlin Brandenburg Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • GARANTA Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • Generali Deutschland Versicherung AG
  • Gothaer Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Gothaer Versicherungsbank VVaG
  • Great Lakes Insurance SE
  • GVO Gegenseitigkeit Versicherung Oldenburg VVaG
  • GVV Direktversicherung AG
  • GVV-Kommunalversicherung, Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Haftpflichtgemeinschaft Deutscher Nahverkehrs- und Versorgungsunternehmen Allgemein (HDNA) VVaG
  • Hamburger Feuerkasse Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • HanseMerkur Allgemeine Versicherung AG
  • HanseMerkur Reiseversicherung AG
  • HDI Global SE
  • HDI Global Specialty SE
  • HDI Haftpflichtverband der Deutschen Industrie Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • HDI Versicherung AG
  • Helvetia Schweizerische Versicherungsgesellschaft AG Direktion für Deutschland
  • Helvetia Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • HUK-COBURG Haftpflicht-Unterstützungs-Kasse kraftfahrender Beamter Deutschlands a.G. in Coburg
  • HUK-COBURG-Allgemeine Versicherung AG
  • HUK24 AG
  • Hübener Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • Itzehoer Versicherung/Brandgilde von 1691 Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Janitos Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • KRAVAG-ALLGEMEINE Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • KRAVAG-LOGISTIC Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • Landschaftliche Brandkasse Hannover
  • Lifestyle Protection AG
  • Lippische Landesbrandversicherung AG
  • LVM Landwirtschaftlicher Versicherungsverein Münster a.G.
  • Mannheimer Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Markel Insurance SE
  • Mecklenburgische Versicherungs-Gesellschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • MÜNCHENER VEREIN Allgemeine Versicherungs-AG
  • NEH Neue Hildener Versicherung AG
  • Neodigital Autoversicherung AG
  • Newline Europe Versicherung AG
  • nexible Versicherung AG
  • NV-Versicherungen VVaG
  • NÜRNBERGER Allgemeine Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft
  • NÜRNBERGER BEAMTEN ALLGEMEINE VERSICHERUNG AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
  • OKV - Ostdeutsche Kommunalversicherung auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Provinzial Nord Brandkasse Aktiengesellschaft
  • Provinzial Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • R+V Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • RheinLand Versicherungs Aktiengesellschaft
  • Rhion Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • S DirektVersicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • SAARLAND Feuerversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • SIGNAL IDUNA Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Sparkassen-Versicherung Sachsen Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Stuttgarter Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • SV SparkassenVersicherung Gebäudeversicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • TRIAS Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • uniVersa Allgemeine Versicherung AG
  • Versicherer im Raum der Kirchen Sachversicherung AG
  • Versicherungskammer Bayern Versicherungsanstalt des öffentlichen Rechts
  • Versicherungsverband Deutscher Eisenbahnen-Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Verti Versicherung AG
  • VHV Allgemeine Versicherung AG
  • Volkswagen Autoversicherung AG
  • Volkswagen Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • VOLKSWOHL-BUND SACHVERSICHERUNG AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
  • Waldenburger Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • WERTGARANTIE SE
  • WGV-Versicherung AG
  • WWK Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Württembergische Gemeinde-Versicherung auf Gegenseitigkeit
  • Württembergische Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft
  • Zurich Insurance Europe AG
  • Öffentliche Feuerversicherung Sachsen-Anhalt

Source: BaFin company database, 18 September 2026; EU insurers without a German office excluded.

Legal basis and sources

Products and add-ons

Taxi motor policy

Liability and own damage for one vehicle used as a taxi, rated on the business's no claims record.

Small fleet policy

Several taxis or private hire cars in one contract. From a certain size the claims record of the business counts rather than each car.

Taxi assistance

Breakdown and accident help for commercial passenger transport, including at the rank, with onward travel for passengers.

Occupant accident and driver protection

Fixed sums for passengers and separate cover for a driver who caused the accident.

Myth or truth

True or false?

Five things people say about this insurance. Guess first, then see the answer.

Taxis need a higher legal minimum cover than private cars.

This is false.

No. The minimums only rise for vehicles with more than nine seats besides the driver. A normal taxi has the same minimum as a private car, but should be insured well above it.

Passengers are covered by the taxi's motor liability.

This is true.

True, even if your own driver is at fault. The driver is not covered there when they caused the accident.

After a not at fault crash the other side pays a flat daily loss of use rate.

This is false.

For private cars yes, for taxis no. Commercial vehicles get the proven lost profit, so keep records of your takings.

A private hire car has to return to its base after each trip.

This is true.

Yes, unless a new booking has come in. The Federal Court of Justice confirmed this also for app based trips.

Private car insurance is fine if you only drive passengers on the side.

This is false.

No. The declared use must be correct, and several private wordings exclude taxis and private hire cars. After a claim you risk recourse and reduced payment.

Common mistakes

  • Insuring a taxi or app car on a private policy or with the wrong use
  • Not declaring platform trips or private hire operations
  • Letting new drivers work without checking who is covered
  • Failing to document lost earnings after a not at fault accident
  • Hiring a replacement taxi at any price without comparing it with the lost earnings

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

How much is taxi insurance in Germany?

Clearly more than for a private car.

One insurer advertised taxi liability from EUR 800 a year in 2016 and gave an example of about EUR

1,600 including own damage cover;

operators with claims or without a no claims record pay several times that.

The real premium is only known from a quote.

Are my passengers insured?

Yes, through the taxi's motor liability, even if your own driver caused the accident.

Occupant accident cover pays fixed sums on top, regardless of fault.

What licence do I need to drive for an app?

The operator needs a private hire licence under the Passenger Transport Act,

and each driver needs the permit for passenger transport on top of the normal licence.

The insurance must state the private hire use.

Who pays when my taxi is off the road after a crash?

If the other side was at fault,

their insurer pays your proven lost profit or a reasonable replacement taxi.

If you were at fault, only your own daily allowance or business interruption cover helps.

Can I take my no claims discount from my private car?

Some insurers transfer it fully or partly, others rate taxis on their own tables.

It is worth comparing, because the rating drives the premium for years.

Why use a broker?

Because few insurers write taxis and their taxi clauses differ widely on equipment, drivers,

downtime and rating.

We obtain quotes and compare the wordings.

The insurer pays our commission.

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