Genuinely compulsory
- Health insurance for residents
- Third-party liability for car, motorcycle and scooter
- Article 2 WAM also applies when the vehicle is stationary
- A fine if you are not insured
Does everyone have insurance?
No. In the Netherlands only a small proportion of insurance is required by law. You take out all other cover voluntarily. Below you can read which policies are compulsory and what it means if you leave something uninsured.
- several insurers compared objectively
- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
- AFM licence 12016589
- Personal 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 9–17
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Work out for yourself what it would cost.
Enter your details; you will receive a proposal within one working day.
- 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 short answer is no. There is no general obligation to insure. Required by law are the health insurance for everyone who lives in the Netherlands or pays wage tax here, and the Third-party liability cover for motor vehicles under Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM). On top of that, when you take out a mortgage the lender will almost always require buildings insurance; that is not a law but a contractual condition which you will find in the mortgage deed.
All other cover is voluntary. Nobody has to take out liability, home contents, travel or legal expenses insurance. Even so, most households have several, for one simple reason: the risk you cannot carry yourself. Damage you cause to someone else under Article 6:162 of the Dutch Civil Code can run to amounts that far exceed your savings.
There are also people with no voluntary insurance at all, and sometimes not even health insurance. That last point is not without consequences: the government can impose a fine and later an administrative premium. Anyone driving uninsured risks a fine, recovery by the Waarborgfonds Motorverkeer and registration. See also which insurance is compulsory.
Independent, personal, sorted quickly
We compare your personal liability insurance (AVP) across dozens of insurers, explain where the real differences lie, and arrange the switch from start to finish — without you having to chase it yourself.
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Compulsory, semi-compulsory and voluntary
Three categories together determine what almost everyone has and what they do not.
Required by someone else
Not a law, but a condition set by your lender, your landlord or your client.
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) with a mortgage
- Liability in tenancy agreements
- Professional indemnity for assignments
- Often laid down in the deed
Your own choice
Everything that is not compulsory you weigh against what you can carry yourself.
- Personal liability
- Home contents and valuables
- Travel and cancellation cover
- Legal expenses
What is covered
| Situation | Compulsory | Voluntary |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance for people living in the Netherlands | Yes | No |
| Third-party liability cover for a registered motor vehicle | Yes | No |
| Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) as a mortgage requirement | Provided that | Yes |
| Personal liability insurance (AVP) | No | Yes |
| Home contents, travel and legal expenses insurance | No | Yes |
| Own-damage or comprehensive cover on the car | No | Yes |
What is actually covered, including exclusions, limits and the excess, is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) that you receive before taking out the policy.
What does your premium depend on?
- Type of cover chosen: limited, extended or comprehensive
- Sums insured: limits and sums insured
- Excess: higher excess, lower premium
- Household composition: single person or family
- Postcode area: burglary, storm and water risk
- Claims history: previous claims count
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
How we arrange it
- You request a quoteWe take stock of your situation, risk and wishes.
- We compareseveral insurers, on premium as well as conditions.
- You receive a proposalWith an explanation of the differences and the exclusions.
- We arrange the switchIncluding cancellation, so there is no gap in cover.
Why 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.
9.5New policy
9.8Claims handling
Customers rate our service on four aspects: personal service, service delivery, availability and the outcome. The reviews are collected and published by NH1816 and come from customers who have actually taken out a policy with Finass Advies B.V. or reported a claim.
What happens if you are not insured
Two points that show the difference between not being insured and not being covered.
Uninsured means paying yourself
Without insurance you carry the loss yourself, and where you are liable the other party's loss as well. The basis for that is set out in Article 6:162 of the Dutch Civil Code; for a building there is also the strict liability of the owner under Article 6:174 of the Dutch Civil Code and for animals the liability that follows from Article 6:179 of the Dutch Civil Code. If you drive uninsured, the Waarborgfonds Motorverkeer will pay the victim's loss, but then recovers it from you.
Having a policy is not the same as having cover
Having insurance says nothing about whether your loss falls under it. Excluded everywhere are intent and recklessness (Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code), wear, deferred maintenance and design faults, and damage arising from profession or business on a private policy. Anyone who withholds information when taking out the policy also runs into Articles 7:928 and 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code: the payment can be reduced or refused.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Which insurance is genuinely compulsory in the Netherlands?
Two. Health insurance for everyone who lives here or pays wage tax, and third-party liability cover for motor vehicles under Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM). The latter applies even when the vehicle is standing still, as long as the registration is in your name and has not been suspended. All other insurance is voluntary, unless a contract prescribes it.
Is buildings insurance compulsory for a home you own?
Not by law, but it is. Almost every lender includes in the mortgage conditions that the security must be insured against fire and other perils. If you do not do so, the bank can take out the insurance itself and charge you the cost. Without a mortgage you are free, but you carry the rebuilding risk yourself.
What happens if I do not take out health insurance?
The government traces uninsured people through the records of the Sociale Verzekeringsbank (the Dutch social insurance bank). You first receive a reminder to take out insurance after all, then a fine, and if you remain in default an administrative premium is withheld from your income. In the meantime you pay all your healthcare costs yourself. If you have just come to live in the Netherlands, arrange this within the statutory period.
Does everyone have liability insurance?
No, it is not compulsory and not every household has one. It is, however, the cover with the most lopsided relationship between premium and risk: the premium is modest, while personal injury you cause can run to very high amounts which are for your account under Article 6:162 of the Dutch Civil Code. The policy usually applies to all family members living at the same address.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
- Compare personal liability insurance (AVP)The main page
- Which insurance is recommended?Liability, home contents, legal expenses
- Insurance for expats in the NetherlandsDuty of care, compulsory third-party cover, liability
- Which insurances are the most common?Compulsory, conditional, voluntary
- Which two types of insurance are compulsory?Health insurance, third-party motor liability ·. The rest is contractual
- Is everyone insured in the Netherlands?Duty to insure, WAM, uninsured
- Insurance in the NetherlandsCompulsory, customary, supervision
- Does everyone need buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)?Owner, VvE, mortgage requirement
Want to know what you really need?
Request a quote without obligation. We will set out the compulsory and the voluntary cover for you.
Prefer to call? 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 09:00–17:00.
Claim on the road? Emergency line 06 - 55 20 40 72.
About our service
Finass Verzekert is a trading name of Finass Advies B.V. We advise on and arrange non-life insurance on the basis of an objective analysis of several insurers, and receive commission for this from the insurer, which is included in the premium. You pay no separate advice fee. Before you take out cover, we establish your wishes and needs.
You will find our licence, KvK and Kifid details and our complaints procedure at the foot of every page.
This page was compiled by Finass Verzekert (LinkedIn). Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.