When choosing a VIP transport service, most clients ask about the vehicle, the price and availability. The question of insurance rarely comes up — because the topic seems technical and unexciting. That's a mistake. Insurance says a great deal about how professionally a company approaches its business.
Three types of insurance in transport — what do they mean?
Third-party liability (OC — compulsory motor insurance)
Third-party liability (OC) is the legal minimum. It protects third parties — pedestrians, other drivers, passengers in other vehicles — from the consequences of an accident caused by the insured driver. Every vehicle on a Polish road must have it.
OC is a starting point, not a distinguishing feature. If a company boasts of OC alone as its protection — that's a red flag.
Comprehensive cover (AC — Autocasco)
AC is insurance for the company's own vehicle — against damage, theft, vandalism or a random event. For VIP transport clients, AC above all means that the company doesn't operate vehicles with unrepaired damage, and doesn't carry passengers in a car whose repair would be a financial problem for it.
A professional VIP fleet always has AC. The insurance is bought at registration, so its absence points to deliberate cost-cutting — which says more about the owner's priorities than any advertisement.
Passenger accident insurance (NNW)
This is the insurance passengers know least about, yet it directly concerns them. Passenger NNW covers the medical costs and compensation for the people travelling in the vehicle in the event of an accident — regardless of the driver's fault.
Standard OC covers passenger losses only when the driver is at fault. Passenger NNW works more broadly — it also covers situations where an accident results from no-fault or external causes (e.g. hitting an obstacle, unpredictable conditions).
At EliteMotion, every vehicle carries full passenger NNW insurance. On request, we make the policy documents available.
Insurance and business activity — what changes?
A private vehicle and a vehicle used commercially to transport people have different insurance requirements. Many "taxi-like" companies use standard private-vehicle OC policies — which can mean the insurer will not pay out in an incident if the vehicle was being used for commercial activity at the time.
This isn't theory — it has happened in practice. The question "does the vehicle have insurance suited to the commercial carriage of passengers?" is entirely legitimate.
Questions worth asking before booking
Below is a list of questions you can — and should — ask a transport company before your first booking:
- Does the vehicle have OC, AC and passenger NNW?
The expected answer: yes, all three. - Do the policies cover the commercial carriage of passengers?
Standard private OC may not cover commercial activity. - What is the sum insured for NNW?
The higher, the better. The minimum is PLN 100,000 per passenger; professional companies carry more. - Is the driver employed, or a subcontractor?
Subcontractors may have their own policies — or none at all. - Can I see the policy documents?
A reputable company has no problem with that.
Certificates and additional safeguards
Passenger transport licence
In Poland, a company providing paid passenger transport (other than taxis and Uber, which are regulated separately) should hold the appropriate permits and be entered in the business register. The absence of these documents may mean operating in the grey economy — with consequences for the passenger in the event of an accident.
The vehicle's service history
Insurance covers the consequences of an accident — not the consequences of a breakdown caused by service neglect. A vehicle regularly serviced at an authorised dealer is a guarantee that you aren't getting into something that could be technically dangerous.
Transparency as a standard
A professional transport company should have no problem answering any of the questions above. If the answer is evasive, vague or delayed — that's a signal.
At EliteMotion, all vehicles have full OC/AC and passenger NNW insurance, authorised-dealer service records and a passenger transport licence. On request, we send the documents before booking. Ask us on +48 728 978 399.
Premium chauffeur service based in Poznań, Poland. We provide luxury chauffeured transport for private, business and corporate clients across Poland and Europe.
