Putting together affordable car insurance
A motor policy has a handful of dials that determine the premium. You can turn four of them yourself without your cover suffering.
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Work out for yourself what it would cost.
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- We compare the offerings of several insurers
- An adviser checks whether the cover suits your situation
- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
- Independent advice
- Several insurers
- Switching arranged
- Help with claims
In brief
The biggest saving lies in the type of cover. Comprehensive cover is intended to protect the value of your own car; as soon as the market value falls to an amount you could manage without if you had to, that cover becomes expensive for what you get back. Third-party, fire and theft then keeps out the risks you cannot control: broken glass, fire, storm, theft and collision with an animal. The difference is set out under comprehensive cover and Third-party liability with fire and theft.
The second dial is the excess. A higher amount per event lowers the premium immediately, but only if you can genuinely bear that amount at the moment you need to. Watch the variations here: glass repair often carries a lower excess than glass replacement, and repair outside the insurer's network a higher one. The third dial is the payment frequency; paying monthly is more expensive than paying annually with almost every company.
The fourth dial is clearing out. Legal expenses cover for traffic matters is often already included in a family legal expenses policy, assistance sometimes runs through a roadside assistance membership, and personal accident cover can overlap with another policy. Anyone who puts three policies side by side will almost always find something that runs twice. What a motor insurance premium is typically made up of is set out under what motor insurance costs.
This page deals with one situation. The full overview is on Compare car insurance.
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Get coveredWhy arrange it through Finass Verzekert?
We look at the terms as well as the premium, and stay your point of contact when there is a claim.
Independent
We are not tied to one insurer and compare on the basis of an objective analysis of several companies.
One fixed adviser
You call or email someone who knows your file. No menu options, no changing call centres.
Switching without hassle
We cancel your old policy and align the start date, so you are never a day without cover.
Help with claims
We report the claim and monitor how it is handled. In urgent cases you can reach us on the emergency line.
What to look out for
Four choices that save money, and one line you should not cross.
Match the cover to the market value
Ask for the current market value each year and set it against the own-damage premium. There comes a point at which you pay more in premium than the car would yield if it were written off. Do mind the intermediate step: third-party, fire and theft keeps theft, fire and glass damage covered, which with an older car is often the sensible middle way.
Keep mileage and use accurate
If you drive less than when you took out the policy, tell the insurer; many companies have premium bands by mileage class. But never declare too low a figure to push the premium down. If it emerges after a claim that your actual use differs, the insurer can reduce the payment proportionately under Articles 7:928 and 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code.
Declare accessories and modifications
An audio system, towbar, alloy wheels or a charging facility fitted later are only covered above a limit stated in the conditions if you have declared them. Not declaring them saves hardly any premium and, if they are stolen, costs you the full value of those parts. Keep purchase invoices; when you claim, that is your evidence of presence and value.
Where saving goes wrong
Three savings almost always lead to problems: putting the policy in the name of someone who is not the actual driver, concealing that the car is also used for deliveries or hire through a car-sharing platform, and leaving out a claims history. All three touch the duty of disclosure and can cost you cover at the moment you need it.
What does your premium depend on?
- Type of cover: the largest single element of the premium
- Excess: per event and different for glass damage
- Payment term: paying annually is almost always cheaper
- Mileage band: based on your actual annual mileage
- Additional modules: assistance, legal expenses and passengers
- Composition of the package: several policies with one company
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
What is covered
| Situation | Third-party liability + fire and theft | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|
| The battery is damaged because you drive through a flooded tunnel | No | Yes |
| Your charging cable is taken while you are charging at a public charge point | Provided that | Provided that |
| Hail puts dents in the roof of your car on the driveway | Yes | Yes |
| You hit your own home charge point while reversing into a parking space | No | Provided that |
| The range falls off after five years because the battery loses capacity | No | No |
| Your car is hit in a car park by someone who drives on | No | Yes |
With most insurers the battery, charging cable and charge point follow a module of their own, so ask about it expressly before you compare on premium.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
When should I switch from comprehensive cover to third-party, fire and theft?
There is no fixed age. The rule of thumb is that you switch as soon as you could bear the market value of the car yourself if it were written off. Set the annual premium for own-damage cover against that market value and allow for the excess that still comes off when you claim. With a car on finance the position is different, because the lender usually requires own-damage cover.
Is a higher excess always worthwhile?
Only if you can pay the amount without difficulty. The excess applies per event, so two claims in a year means paying twice. Work out how much premium you save a year and compare that with the increase. With a small premium saving and a much higher excess, all you are really doing is shifting risk to yourself.
Does a package with one insurer save money?
Often it does, but not automatically more than separate offers from other companies. A package discount applies across several policies at once, while one keenly priced standalone policy elsewhere can beat the advantage. We compare both options. Note the other side as well: with a package, all the policies are tied to one cancellation date and one acceptance policy.
Can I get a discount without no-claims years?
Starting without no-claims years means starting on a low step, which is noticeable in the first few years. Some insurers do accept experience gained abroad or a lease statement from your employer. Keep those documents. More about the options is set out under insuring a car without no-claims years.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
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