Account of events · not an admission of fault · both signatures
The European Accident Statement
The European accident statement is not a declaration of fault but a snapshot of what happened, completed at the only place and the only moment at which both drivers are still looking at it together.
The calculator and the quote form below are in Dutch. Prefer to do this in English? Email info@finassverzekert. nl or call 072 - 509 24 56 and we will take it from there.
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 activities
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
In brief
The form has the same structure throughout Europe: the details of vehicle A on the left, those of vehicle B on the right, seventeen numbered boxes in the middle and a sketch of the situation at the bottom. That middle block is the most important part. The boxes ticked determine how both insurers read the account of events, and after that they rarely see more than this sheet of paper.
You sign for the factual course of events, not for liability. Who is at fault is assessed by the insurers on the basis of the traffic rules and the boxes. That judgement is not for you or for the other party to make. At the same time: what you tick is fixed. Correcting the form after the other party has driven off is almost never possible.
Reporting is also a policy obligation. Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code requires you to report the loss as soon as possible and to give the insurer the information it needs. If you deliberately report incorrectly, the right to payment lapses. See also the explanatory notes to the form and why insurers set store by it.
The structure of the cover in three parts, with an overview per situation below.
The basics
Liability
AVB for property damage and injury, BAV for professional errors.
Damage to third parties
Employers' liability
Care, custody and control as an extension
Your business
Assets and continuity
Business contents, goods and lost turnover during downtime.
Business contents at replacement value as new
Goods at cost price
Business interruption or additional costs
If you employ people
Staff
Sickness absence, accidents and the traffic risk.
Continued pay for 104 weeks
Group personal accident
WEGAS for traffic risks
What is covered
Situation
AVB
BAV
Cyber
Injury to a visitor or customer
Yes
No
No
Damage to a client's property
Sometimes
No
No
Financial loss caused by an advisory or calculation error
No
Yes
No
Downtime after a ransomware attack
No
No
Yes
Data breach involving personal data
No
Sometimes
Yes
Damage to property in your care
No
No
No
This overview is general in nature and is not personal advice. What is actually covered, including exclusions, limits and the excess, is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) of the insurer; you receive both before you take out cover. Taking out cover without advice? Then read what execution only means for you.
Where things go wrong in practice
Four points that make the difference between a policy that pays out and one that does not.
The seventeen boxes weigh more heavily than the text
Tick only what actually applied and count the number of boxes ticked at the bottom. That number prevents anything being added later. A box such as was parking, was reversing or was changing lane steers the question of fault directly. Read the other party's column through before you sign: you are also signing for what is stated on the other side, and that is not changed after your signature.
The sketch determines the rest
Draw the layout of the road, the direction of travel of both vehicles with arrows, the point of impact, traffic signs and the road markings. Add the street names. Also take photographs of the final position of both cars before you move them, of the damage and of the road surface. Those photographs are not part of the form but carry equal weight in a dispute.
Note down witnesses immediately or never
Enter the name, address and telephone number of witnesses at question five. A witness you call an hour later can no longer be traced. Also note whether the police attended and under what reference number. Where there is injury, a hit-and-run or a driver without valid documents, a police report is the only document with which you can still substantiate the account of events.
Sign, separate the copies and send it on straight away
Both drivers sign and each takes a copy. The carbon copy is as valid as the original. Complete the reverse side at home, because that differs for each driver and is not filled in jointly. Send in the form within the period stated in your conditions. Reporting late can prejudice the insurer and, under Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code, lead to a reduction in the payout.
What does your premium depend on?
The outcome on fault. Only a claim for which you are liable counts towards your no-claims years.
The section under which the claim falls. A third-party liability claim feeds through into the bonus-malus step; glass damage or theft under own-damage cover often does not.
Recovery between insurers. If the loss is later recovered from the other party after all, your step is restored.
The excess on the policy. Determines what share you bear yourself and whether it is worth reporting a small loss.
Buying off no-claims years. No-claims protection included in the policy prevents a step-back after a first at-fault claim.
Timeliness and completeness of the notification. A late or incomplete notification can lead to a reduction in the payout under Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code.
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
How we arrange it
You request a quoteWe take stock of your situation, your risk and your 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.
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.
No. Your signature confirms that the account of events as completed is correct, not that you are liable. Assessing liability is for the insurers and is done on the basis of the traffic rules. So never write that it was your fault; describe the facts. If you disagree with the other party's column, sign and note your objection under remarks.
What if the other party refuses to sign?
Complete the form yourself as fully as possible, note the registration number, make, colour and if possible the policy number of the other car, take photographs of the vehicle and the situation and look for witnesses. If in doubt, call the police. Then report immediately to your insurer that there is no jointly signed form.
Is my own damage reimbursed through this form?
The form is not cover. If you only have third-party liability insurance and you are liable, your own damage is not reimbursed; third-party liability cover is there for the other party's loss. Only with comprehensive cover or third-party, fire and theft cover is damage to your own vehicle eligible for reimbursement, less the excess.
Does the form also apply abroad?
Yes, the model is the same throughout Europe and the boxes are in the same place in every language version. So you can use your Dutch form alongside the other party's copy in another language. Keep it in the car together with your green card. In the event of a hit-and-run in the Netherlands, the Waarborgfonds Motorverkeer also comes into play.
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.
