Third-party liability insurance
- Damage to other vehicles
- Injury to third parties
- Damage to buildings and objects
- Damage caused by passengers
Trading stock · premises · buying in
Garage insurance for car dealers
In the car trade your largest insured interest is not the building but the stock standing outside it, and that stock is different every week.
- several insurers compared objectively
- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
- AFM licence 12016589
- Personal 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 9–17
Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Garageverzekering voor autohandel.
Calculate your premium or request a quote
Without obligation; a reply within one working day.
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.
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
- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
In brief
Trading stock is not business contents. It is a collection of vehicles with a purchase value that changes weekly, that stands largely in the open air on a forecourt, and that can be damaged without any third party intervening: hail, storm, fire, vandalism and theft. Insuring it for one fixed amount therefore almost always gives the wrong result. At a peak you are underinsured and the insurer applies the proportionality rule; in a quiet period you pay for value that is not there.
The second feature of this trade is that there are constantly vehicles on your premises that are not yours: part-exchanges not yet paid for, consignment vehicles, customers' cars during a test drive. Those are in your care, custody and control and do not fall under the stock section. Anyone who does not have that distinction on the policy discovers it only in a fire in which half the forecourt turns out not to belong to them.
Finally, more crosses the counter than a car: a statement about the sale goes with it. If you import vehicles from outside the EU and put them on the market, you can be regarded as the producer under Article 6:185 of the Dutch Civil Code for damage caused by a defect in the product.
What does motor trade insurance cover for car dealers?
The structure of the cover in three parts, with an overview per situation below.
Third-party liability + fire and theft
Alongside third-party liability cover, protection against damage to your own car from external causes you cannot prevent.
- Fire and storm damage
- Theft and burglary
- Windscreen breakage and glass damage
- Collision with animals
Comprehensive insurance
The most complete cover, including for damage you cause yourself, theft and total loss. We compare Ansvar Idea's comprehensive version with the market.
- Hail damage
- Damage through your own fault
- Vandalism
- Unknown party at fault
What is covered
| What we do | At Finass | Direct with Ansvar |
|---|---|---|
| Comparison across several insurers | Yes | No |
| Advice based on your own situation | Yes | Provided it is declared |
| One point of contact for claims | Yes | Provided it is declared |
| Cancellation with your current insurer arranged | Yes | No |
| We determine whether Ansvar is the best choice | Yes | No |
| Advice fees for you as a customer | No | No |
What we do
| What we do | At Finass | Direct with Ansvar |
|---|---|---|
| Comparison across several insurers | Yes | No |
| Advice based on your own situation | Yes | Sometimes |
| One point of contact for claims | Yes | Sometimes |
| Cancellation with your current insurer arranged | Yes | No |
| We determine whether Ansvar is the best choice | Yes | No |
| Advice fees for you as a customer | No | No |
This overview concerns our service, not the cover. What is actually covered is set out in the policy conditions and on the insurer's insurance card (verzekeringskaart); you receive both before you take out cover.
Where things go wrong in practice
Four points that make the difference between a policy that pays out and one that does not.
Fluctuating stock cover instead of a fixed amount
Ask for cover that moves with your actual holding, with periodic declarations and an adjustment at the end of the year in arrears. You then declare, for example monthly, the purchase value of the stock on hand. That avoids the proportionality reduction for underinsurance, and it makes the premium fairer in a quiet period. Record on which day of the month you count and on what basis of value: purchase value, not asking price or expected margin.
Your premises decide whether you are accepted
With stock kept outside, the underwriter looks at the fencing, the lighting, the camera surveillance, the position relative to the public road and whether the site is patrolled at night. These points end up on your policy as warranty clauses . If the camera has not worked for months or the gate stands open at night, then in the event of theft there is no cover. Keeping keys outside a locked safe is also a standard ground for refusal.
Part-exchanges and consignment stock are in your care, not stock
A car you hold on consignment, or a part-exchange not yet paid for, belongs to someone else. Damage to it falls under the care, custody and control section with its own limit, not under the stock cover. Keep an up-to-date list of which vehicles are on your premises and on what basis. Without those records it is impossible after a fire to establish which section should pay, and that delays the whole claim.
What you sell remains your responsibility after delivery
Non-conformity, warranty arrangements and putting right a defect that was already present on delivery are contractual obligations and not insured losses. The same goes for loss of value and for the unwinding of a sale. It is different where a third party suffers injury or damage because of a defect in a vehicle you sold: that is liability, and where you import from outside the EU Article 6:185 of the Dutch Civil Code catches you as the producer.
What does your premium depend on?
- Average and maximum value of stock — The purchase value of the stock, with the peak moment as the measure for the limit you need.
- Indoor or outdoor storage — Vehicles in a locked building carry a different fire, hail and theft risk from an open forecourt.
- Security level — Fencing, lighting, cameras, alarm response and key management are recorded on the policy as clauses.
- Segment of the trade — Nearly new premium cars, vans or older used cars differ considerably in how prone they are to theft.
- Number of test drives and trade plates — Driving your own and customers' vehicles is a separate section within motor trade insurance.
- Presence of third-party vehicles — Consignment and part-exchange vehicles determine the care, custody and control limit you need alongside the stock cover.
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.
How do I insure stock that changes every week?
With cover based on your actual holding: you declare the purchase value on hand periodically and the premium is adjusted in arrears. A fixed sum insured does not suit this trade, because underinsurance leads to a proportionate reduction of every payment. Agree in advance on which day you count and what basis of value applies, so that there is no argument about it at claim stage.
Is theft of a vehicle from my premises always covered?
Only if you have complied with the security clauses on your policy. The most common ground for refusal is not the break-in itself but key management: keys left within reach on the premises instead of in a certified safe. A camera that has been switched off or a gate left open also creates a cover problem, even if the thief did not come that way.
Are test drives with customers insured?
Yes, through the road risk section of the motor trade policy, provided you have taken it out and the drive takes place on your trade plate. For road risk the requirement of Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM) applies in full. Record the driver, the driving licence number and the time for each journey; see also insuring a trade plate.
What if a car turns out to have a defect after delivery?
Repair costs and warranty obligations are contractual and not insured; that is a business risk. If, on the other hand, the defect causes damage or injury to someone else, that is liability and falls under the policy. If you imported the vehicle from outside the EU, you can be held liable as the producer under Article 6:185 of the Dutch Civil Code; always declare such imports.
Ready to compare?
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.