Minibus Club Article Archive

Nobody wants to be in accident but sometimes it is unavoidable. When driving a minibus the first concern should be for your passengers’ safety.

Assess your passengers. If any are injured do not move them unless there is an immediate risk from other vehicles or fire. If the minibus must be vacated move the passengers to a safe location as far from the vehicle as possible. Be aware of approaching traffic when exiting the minibus.

If there are any injuries or the road has been blocked or damaged by the accident, call the emergency services immediately.

To help with any minibus insurance or legal claims that might follow collect the following information:

1) Driver details
Collect the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the other drivers involved in the accident. Try to obtain the name of their insurance company and policy number. If you have any suspicions that they may not be telling the truth, it is worth noting a short description of the driver and any distinguishing features.

It is the law that drivers exchange details after an accident. If a driver fails to stop or refuses to give their details, notify the police immediately.

It is advisable to keep details of your minibus insurance in your vehicle to give to the other drivers.

2) Vehicle details
Gather as much information about the vehicles involved as possible. This will include registration, make, model, colour and any modifications that have been made to the vehicles.

3) Time and date of the incident

4) Driving conditions
Note what the weather was at the time of the accident. Include information about visibility and road condition.

If it was dark record details of the lighting conditions including street lighting.

5) Damage
Make a detailed record of the damage to your minibus and to the other vehicles involved.

6) Injuries
Gather information about the injuries to your minibus passengers and anyone other persons involved in the accident. This may include pedestrians.

If a dog or farm animal has been injured you are required by law to report the incident to the police. This does not apply to cats or wild animals but check the animal is not injured or suffering.

7) Emergency Services
Record any details of the emergency services attending the scene. Request an accident report number from the attending police services.

8 ) Accident Scene
Take a photograph of the accident scene and draw a sketch of the vehicles positioning prior to and after the incident.

Make a note of the road type and any significant road markings, signs or obstructions such as a skip.

Record the estimated speed of the vehicles involved and whether headlights or indicators were being used.

You may not be able to record all this information at the time of the accident. In this case return to the scene as soon as possible, while the incident is still fresh in your memory.

Being involved in an accident is a stressful situation. But by staying calm and recording as much information as possible, it will assist your minibus insurance provider with any claims or legal disputes that may follow. To gather this information it is helpful to carry a pen, paper and disposable camera with you in your minibus.

Remember to inform your minibus insurance provider as soon as possible. Most good providers will have an advisor available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to assist you with your claim.

Article Resource
The Minibus Club is a specialist minibus insurance provider and has offered UK minibus insurance quotes since 1997. Visit their website to get a free quote for charity minibus insurance or call their hotline on 0845 609 0323. See how much you could save on your minibus insurance.

Many charities rely on the versatility a minibus can provide in allowing them to take large numbers of passengers on journeys that may not have been easily achieved by using public transport.

Good minibus insurance providers offer charity minibus insurance for non-profit making organisations to keep their vehicle running costs to a minimum.

A Section 19 or Section 22 permit will be required to prove to the insurance provider that the minibus is being used for charitable and non-profit activities.

Section 19 permits can be applied for by charities and volunteer groups whose activities are seen to be beneficial to a community. Profit making minibus operators will need a PCV/PSV licence.

Minibus drivers with a Section 19 permit can either be a volunteer or be paid. The permit also allows a small charge to be made to cover the vehicles operating costs.

A Section 22 permit can be applied for if the minibus is being used as a non-profit bus service. For this permit the driver must be an unpaid volunteer.

There are three types of minibus insurance available: Comprehensive, Third Party Fire and Theft, and Third Party Only.

Third Party is the minimum level of insurance cover as required by law. It will cover liability for death or injury to third parties, liability for damage to other people’s property and legal costs in connection to claims against your policy.

With Fire and Theft the minibus is covered for damage when stolen or by fire.

Comprehensive is the highest level of minibus insurance and will cover most of the possible risks. These may include providing medical expenses after an accident, replacing personal effects lost after a theft or accident, and insuring against damage to the minibus’s windows and windscreen.

Although it is the most expensive, Comprehensive is often the popular choice for charity minibus insurance. It is always better to be ‘safe than sorry’, especially as there is the extra responsibility of transporting passengers. Comprehensive insurance covers most risks and a specialist insurance provider will tailor the policy to your organisation’s specific needs.

Other benefits that the charity minibus insurance should include are:

1) 24 hour/365 days freephone helpline.

2) Accident recovery facilities.

3) UK administration / call centres.

4) Optional breakdown and recovery assistance.

5) Optional uninsured loss recovery which includes cover for an appointed lawyer, legal costs up to £100,000 and vehicle hire costs if part of the claim agreed.

6) Instalment facilities.

7) Prompt documentation turnaround.

A charity minibus insurance policy is normally valid for 12 months unless a shorter or longer period is negotiated with the provider. If for any reason you change your mind the policy can be cancelled 14 days after the documentation is received.

The benefit of using specialist insurance providers is that they will understand your specific needs. In most cases alterations can be made to your policy while it’s in operation as long as you inform the provider of the change in circumstance at the earliest possible date.

If a claim does have to be made the minibus insurance provider will have an incident manager on hand to offer help and advice. As the minibus is liable to be used by a number of different drivers keep a copy of the policy in the vehicle in case it is required.

A minibus operator must have insurance by law. But with charity minibus insurance your organisation will benefit from lowest price available without leaving it vulnerable to the risk of an unexpected cost after an accident.

Article Resource
The Minibus Club is a specialist minibus insurance provider and has offered UK minibus insurance quotes since 1997. Visit their website to get a free quote for charity minibus insurance or call their hotline on 0845 609 0323. See how much you could save on your minibus insurance.

Many taxi operators use a minibus or MPV as a taxi because of the adaptability of the vehicle to carry more passengers and extra luggage.

There are two types of taxi use: public or private hire. Public hire allows the taxi to be hailed by customers, who can then be picked up on the roadside. Private hire operators require the customer’s journey to be arranged before they are picked up.

Insurance cover is compulsory by law. The minimum requirement is to cover a driver against injuries they might cause to other people and damage to their property. A taxi operator will require additional insurance for the “carriage of persons for hire or reward”, irrespective of whether they are private or public hire.

The three types of insurance available are:

Third Party
This is the minimum cover required by law. It covers injury to third parties and their property, and some legal costs.

Third Party Fire and Theft
The additional cover with this policy is for damage or loss of the taxi operator’s minibus by fire and theft.

Comprehensive
The highest level of minibus insurance, covering damage to the vehicle after an accident irrespective of whether it was the policy holder’s fault or not. Other cover may include new vehicle replacement, windscreen/window breakages, replacement locks, medical expenses and loss of personal effects.

Public liability can be included with the taxi minibus insurance policy. Public liability is required to satisfy local government requirements. A minibus taxi operator will need an indemnity limit of at least £5 million.

Another useful addition to a taxi minibus insurance policy is uninsured loss recovery. This will cover the cost of an appointed lawyer, legal costs up to £100,000 and vehicle hire costs if part of the claim is agreed.

Other benefits that a taxi operator should consider before choosing minibus insurance include:

a) A freephone helpline available 24 hours all year round.
b) Accident recovery facilities such as the AA.
c) A protected no claims bonus.
d) Option to pay by instalments
e) Prompt document turnaround

Taxi minibus insurance usually provides cover only for the licenced operator. Be aware that if the minibus is also used as a family vehicle, a spouse or partner may not be insured to drive unless they possess a valid taxi driver’s badge.

It is likely the insurance provider will want to know if two way communications are used in the provision of the taxi service and if regular contracts feature in the taxi operators work schedule. These typically include regular school transport or hospital visits.

Every taxi operator provides a different level of service. A specialist minibus insurance provider will be aware of the factors required in providing a taxi service and can give advice about the best level of cover required. The insurance advisor will tailor a policy to suit the operator’s particular requirements at the right price.

Another benefit of using a specialist insurance provider is the availability of an advisor 24 hour a day, to help if you have had an accident or breakdown. This minimises the time the minibus is off the road and reduces the potential financial loss to a taxi business.

Article Resource
The Minibus Club is a specialist minibus insurance provider and has offered UK minibus insurance quotes since 1997. Visit their website to get a free quote for taxi minibus insurance or call their hotline on 0845 609 0323. See how much you could save on your minibus insurance.

Minibuses are large, passenger carrying vehicles. Because of this extra responsibility the driving regulations regarding licensing, servicing and minibus insurance are a lot stricter than a normal car.

This article is a guide to the frequently asked questions about driving a minibus.

What is a minibus?

The classification for a minibus is a vehicle that has between 9 to 16 passenger seats. With more than16 passenger seats the vehicle is classed as a coach.

What is a Section 19 Minibus Permit?

If a minibus is being driven for hire or reward then a Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) licence is required. Certain organisations such as volunteer groups, whose activities are beneficial to a community, can apply for a Section 19 Permit. This allows a small charge to be made to cover the vehicles operating costs without the need of a PCV licence.

A driver of a Section 19 permit minibus can either be a volunteer or be paid. If the minibus is being used as a non-profit bus service a Section 22 permit can be applied for. However with this permit the driver must be a unpaid volunteer.

Minibuses used by schools and educational establishment that do not charge their pupils do not normally require a Section 19 permit.

Section 19 permits are only valid within the UK.

Do minibus passengers have to wear seatbelts?

Seatbelts requirements for minibuses vary according to the age of the vehicle, passenger carrying capacity, type of passengers (i.e children or wheelchair users) and type of seat fitted. A general rule is that if a minibus is fitted with seatbelts then they must be worn.

It is compulsory for a minibus driver to wear a seatbelt.

What are the Driving Licence requirements for a minibus?

Driving licences issued after the 1st January 1997 require a category D1 classification, which can be obtained by applying to the DVLA and passing a Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) test.

There are exemptions to this regulation that will allow a minibus to be driven with a full category B (car) licence, but the following conditions need to be met:

1. The minibus is used for a social purpose but not for hire and reward.

2. You must be over 21 and have held your Category B license for more than 2 years. If you are over 70 then you are required to meet the health standards for driving a D1 vehicle.

3. No payment can be accepted for driving the minibus.

4. The minibus cannot weigh more than 3.5 tonnes or 4.25 tonnes with special equipment for carrying disabled passengers.

5. Towing a trailer of any size is prohibited.

6. The minibus can only be driven in the UK. Driving in Europe will require a D1 licence.

What are the speed limits for driving a minibus?

Speed limits for a minibus on UK roads are:

30 mph in urban and residential areas
50 mph on A class (single-carriageway) roads
60 mph on dual-carriageway roads
70 mph on motorways

If the minibus is towing a trailer the speed limit on motorways is reduced to 60 mph and the fast lane cannot be used for overtaking.

Minibuses registered after 1st January 2005 must now be fitted for with a speed limiter, restricting their maximum speed to 62 mph.

What are the regulations for driving a minibus in Europe?

A ‘waybill’ or an ‘own account certificate’ must be carried regardless of whether the minibus is being used for hire or reward. The MinibusClub.co.uk has more information about these documents.

Other documents that need to accompany the vehicle include a minibus insurance certificate, European accident form and Vehicle Registration document. A specialist minibus insurance provider will be able to advise whether a Green Card is also needed.

When driving in Europe a GB sticker or EU style GB sticker must be prominently displayed on the minibus at all times.

More information about minibus driving regulations can be obtained from the Directgov website or the Minibus Club.

Article Resource
The Minibus Club is a specialist minibus insurance provider and has offered UK minibus insurance quotes since 1997. Visit their website to get a free quote or call their hotline on 0845 609 0323. See how much you could save on your minibus insurance!