Picking up guests from airport

[Aldo]

Does anyone know whether one needs to have a special car insurance when picking guests up from the airport?

[joddle]

Will depend a lot on if you are charging them or not! Also is your insurance for "business" purposes? - you will need to check the small print.

[greenbarn]

If the situation is the same as in the UK, you need more than just appropriate insurance; you'd be regarded as providing a taxi service (whether paid for or not) so you need a taxi operating licence, taxi specific insurance, taxi specific MOT test on the vehicle, and lots more red tape I've probably forgotten.

It's a different situation if you are "helping out in an emergency" on a one-off basis, but that wouldn't apply if you had agreed in advance to pick them up.

[Margaret]

We checked on this when we came to Germany. Here, it doesn't need special insurance to go to and from the station (1 km away). We would need special insurance if we wanted to offer day trips out to guests.

[brenda]

Here too you would need special insurance and, to be legal, a taxi license which is nigh on impossible to get.

Because of this we do not offer airport transfers.

[Aldo]

I have now checked with my insurance and it seems that here there is no need unless you are charging specifically for the service. A private car insurance will do just as well.

[limousin-cottage]

Obviously this is something that will vary greatly from country to country. Anyone know the position in France?