Informatie auteur: dit artikel werd geschreven en/of inhoudelijk gecontroleerd door gecertificeerd autoverzekeringsexpert Ruud de Laat.
When you are an inhabitant of the Netherlands and you own a car, you have to insure it: a car insurance is required by law. It may not always be easy though. Insurance companies can make some demands depending on your situation. In this blogpost, we will clarify some of the demands and policies that insurance companies may have. Besides that, you can always call our English-speaking customer panel at 073 – 54 30 830. They can assist you and offer price quotes for certain insurances.
Requirements for a car insurance in the Netherlands
It is required by law to insure your car if you own one. But just having a car isn’t enough to be able to insure the vehicle. There are three more basic requirements aside from possessing the vehicle. First of all, the applicant has to live in the Netherlands, permanently. Without a permanent residency in the Netherlands you do not qualify for insurance. Furthermore, the registration number on the licence plate has to be Dutch.
Lastly, you will need a valid driving license. Don’t worry, there are other options if you do not own a Dutch license. A driving license that has been acquired in a country within the European Union is valid to insure your car. For example, if you obtained your driving license in Germany or Poland, you are able to insure your car in the Netherlands. However, Dutch law indicates that you are obligated to change your foreign (EU) driving license for a Dutch one within ten years.
Comparing insurance companies
The easiest way to learn more about the different possibilities of car insurance in the Netherlands is to call our English-speaking customer service at 073 – 54 30 830. If you can fulfil the aforementioned basic requirements, we can help you further. We will ask for some personal information such as your registration number, zip code and the date of birth.
In case that you have insured your car in the Netherlands before, it is possible that you have earned some claim-free years. You earn a claim-free year for every insured year without (claimed) damage. This only counts when you are responsible for the claimed damage. The more claim-free years you have, the bigger the discount you will receive on your insurance.
Different kinds of insurance
As stated before, it is required by law to insure your car in the Netherlands. Although, there are different kinds of insurances. The most basic insurance is the liability insurance. In Dutch it is called a ‘WA-verzekering’, which is short for ‘Wettelijke Aansprakelijkheid’. This kind of insurance covers damage to other people and their property you (or your vehicle) caused. This option is the most affordable.
Besides the moderate WA-insurance, you can choose to expand your WA-insurance with ‘beperkt casco’ coverage. This extra insurance not only covers damage to other vehicles or persons, but also covers your own car in certain situations. For example, damage caused by fire, vandalism or the weather will be reimbursed.
Finally, there is a ‘all-risk’ possibility. This one is more expensive than the aforementioned options, but this kind of insurance offers the most extensive coverage. This insurance covers most damage, even if you are responsible. Costs of fixing a car can increase rapidly in the Netherlands. With this kind of insurance, you generally do not have to worry about paying for expensive repairs yourself.
Tip: vul hier het kenteken van jouw auto in…En vind direct een goedkopere autoverzekering!
Insure your car with English support
After we have helped you choose the right kind of insurance for your car, we need to inquire about your (driving) history. For example, to determine any insurance premium, we need to know if you have ever had a driving license suspension or a criminal record. Every insurance company needs to be familiar with this kind of information. If you want to prevent trouble with insurances or gain information about it, just give our company a call at 073 – 54 30 830.