Third-party liability
- Required by law
- Also when not in use
- Registration in your name
Forty years · valuation · use
Insuring a classic motorcycle
For a classic motorcycle the date of first registration is the pivot: it determines the tax status, the registration position and the acceptance requirements an insurer sets.
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Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Oldtimer motor verzekeren.
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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 your own premium with the calculator.
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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.
In brief
Forty years is a tax threshold, not an insurance threshold. From that age there is exemption from vehicle excise duty, and for motorcycles from certain years of manufacture there is a transitional scheme with a ban on riding in December, January and February. Insurers also apply their own age thresholds and their own clauses for a classic motorcycle policy.
The second set of questions concerns the registration. Does the motorcycle run on a Dutch registration, is it suspended, or does it come from abroad and still need to be registered? Without a Dutch registration you cannot take out a Dutch third-party liability policy, because the obligation under Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM) attaches to the registered keeper.
Not covered: riding during a suspension, use as everyday transport contrary to the clause on use, and damage caused by corrosion, deferred maintenance or wear. If your main concern is establishing the value of a restored example, read the page on classic motorcycle.
Classic motorcycle: what is covered?
The structure of the cover in three parts, with an overview per situation below.
Third-party, fire and theft
Fixed causes that are beyond your control.
- Fire and storm
- Theft
- Collision with an animal
Comprehensive
Including damage you cause yourself.
- Falling and skidding
- Vandalism
- Replacement-as-new period
What is covered
| Situation | Third-party liability | Third-party, fire and theft | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damage to the other party | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Theft of the motorcycle | No | Yes | Yes |
| Falling with no other party involved | No | No | Yes |
| Damage while in storage | No | Sometimes | Yes |
| Helmet and motorcycle clothing | No | Sometimes | Sometimes |
| Driving without a valid licence | 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 date of first registration decides everything
What counts is not the year stamped on a frame or engine but the date of first registration on part 1 of the registration certificate. From that follows whether you are entitled to the tax exemption and whether an insurer will accept the motorcycle as a classic. Those two thresholds do not run together: a company may apply its own minimum age which is higher, or indeed lower, than the tax threshold of forty years.
The transitional scheme and the winter riding ban
For motorcycles from certain years of manufacture there is a transitional scheme: in return for a lower rate they may not be ridden in December, January and February. That does not change the cover as such, but watch the use clause on your own policy schedule. If it sets a winter lay-up or a maximum mileage, that is a condition of cover and breaching it can count against you after a loss.
Suspending the registration removes the insurance obligation, and the cover
With a suspension through the RDW (the Dutch vehicle authority), the obligation under Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM) falls away and you pay no road tax. In the same move, however, the own-damage cover falls away as well, unless you agree storage cover. If you do go round the block during the suspension, you are on the road uninsured and untaxed; the other party's damage is dealt with through the Waarborgfonds Motorverkeer and recovered from you.
Import: register first, then insure
A classic motorcycle brought in from abroad has to be registered with the RDW before a Dutch policy can be put on it. That requires the foreign registration certificate, the frame number and an inspection, and the RDW establishes the date of first registration. That date then determines the tax status. Transport to the inspection goes on a trailer or under a trade plate, not on the vehicle's own registration.
What does your premium depend on?
- Date of first registration — Determines the age category, acceptance and whether the motorcycle is rated as a classic.
- Registration status — Dutch registration, suspended, or still to be registered after import; each gives a different form of cover.
- Basis of value — Market value or an agreed value; without a valuation, own-damage cover is often not possible at this age.
- Expected annual mileage — Classic motorcycle policies work with low bands; those appear as a clause on the policy schedule.
- Storage — Dry, locked and at a fixed address; keeping the machine outside is rarely accepted at this age.
- Age and experience of the driver — Many classic products set a minimum age and require a second vehicle.
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is why comparing pays off.
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
The questions we are asked most often about this.
From when is my motorcycle a classic?
For the tax exemption what counts is the date of first registration and the threshold of forty years; for certain years of manufacture there is a transitional scheme with a winter riding ban. Insurers look at the same date but apply their own minimum age for a classic motorcycle policy. It can therefore happen that you count as a classic for tax purposes but not yet for insurance purposes.
Does my insurance lapse if I suspend the registration?
The third-party liability cover is put on hold, because the obligation under Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM) does not apply during a suspension. Without an additional arrangement the own-damage cover falls away as well, leaving fire and theft during the storage period uninsured. Ask for storage cover if you put the motorcycle away for the winter; it keeps those causes of loss running without your paying third-party liability premium.
May I ride in winter under the transitional scheme?
No. The transitional scheme ties the lower rate to a riding ban in December, January and February. If you ride anyway, that is a tax matter and an additional assessment follows. Your insurance in principle continues, but check whether your policy schedule carries its own winter lay-up or mileage clause; that one does govern the cover.
What do I need for an imported classic motorcycle?
Registration with the RDW using the foreign registration certificate, the frame number and an inspection. The RDW establishes the date of first registration, and both the Belastingdienst and the insurer base their assessment on it. Only once the Dutch registration has been issued can third-party liability cover be put on it. Arrange transport to the inspection by trailer or under a trade plate.
Read more
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Request a quote without obligation. We will look at which insurer best matches your activities and your risk.
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 written and checked by an adviser at Finass Verzekert. Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.