On the 208 things rarely go wrong in the cover itself, but in the administration around it: a missed direct debit, a cancellation or a switch with a gap in between.
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 situation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
In brief
A car policy is a continuing contract for which you pay in advance. If an instalment remains outstanding, the insurer may suspend the cover, but only after it has issued a reminder to no effect and pointed out the consequences. That procedure is set out in Article 7:934 of the Dutch Civil Code. From that moment there is no own-damage cover and you run a risk that goes further than the outstanding premium.
Towards a victim, the third-party liability cover does remain in place, because Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM) gives them a right of action of their own. The insurer therefore pays the other party, and then recovers that amount from you. If it then cancels the policy for non-payment, it reports that to the RDW and your car is registered as uninsured, with a penalty as a result.
On a subsequent application, that history counts. Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code requires you to declare earlier cancellations and refusals. If you conceal them, the insurer can reduce or refuse the payment on a later claim under Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code.
The structure of the cover in three parts, with an overview per situation below.
Compulsory
Third-party liability
Damage you cause to others.
Required by law
As long as the registration is in your name
Suspend the registration when not in use
Third-party liability plus
Third-party, fire and theft
Causes beyond your control.
Fire and storm
Theft
Windscreen damage
Comprehensive cover
Comprehensive
Including damage you cause yourself.
Own fault
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
No
Yes
Yes
Fire and storm
No
Yes
Yes
Damage you cause yourself
No
No
Yes
Wear and mechanical defects
No
No
No
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.
Not paying means no cover at some point
The cover does not lapse automatically on a failed direct debit. The insurer must first send you a reminder and state in it what will happen if you still do not pay; that is what Article 7:934 of the Dutch Civil Code prescribes. If you still do not pay after that, there is no own-damage cover from the date stated. If you then have a claim, you bear the cost of your own car and the payment to the other party is recovered from you.
Cancellation, RDW registration and the consequences afterwards
If the policy is terminated for non-payment, the insurer reports the end of the cover to the RDW. If the registration is still in your name, a register check and a penalty for driving uninsured follow, even where the car is standing idle. A cancellation also remains visible to other insurers, which makes a new policy harder to obtain and subject to stricter conditions. Suspend the registration if you are not using the car.
Switching without a gap in the cover
After the first year of the contract, car insurance can be cancelled on any day, subject to the notice period in the policy conditions. Have the new policy start on the day the old one ends, not a day later. Make sure you have the no-claims years statement from the previous insurer before you cancel; without that statement you will be rated on a lower step. We arrange the cancellation when you switch so that the two connect properly.
Reporting changes and what falls outside the cover
Report a move, a different intended use or a structurally higher mileage as soon as it arises. The premium is based on that declaration. Outside the cover in any event are: damage arising in the period when the cover was suspended for non-payment, carriage of goods for payment on a private car policy, driving without a valid licence, and wear or mechanical defects. Those exclusions apply whichever type of cover you choose.
What does your premium depend on?
The period over which you pay the premium. With most insurers, paying monthly carries a surcharge compared with annual payment.
Direct debit or manual transfer. Direct debit is cheaper for the insurer and is sometimes rewarded with a lower rate.
Earlier cancellation or termination by an insurer. A termination for non-payment or fraud limits your choice and raises the rate.
Connection with your previous policy. A period without an insured car interrupts the build-up of no-claims years.
Version and engine of the 208. Within the same model name, versions fall into different rating groups.
Type of cover and level of the excess. The choice determines not only the premium but also what you pay yourself on every claim.
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.
Am I still insured if I have not paid for a month?
Not automatically uninsured, but at risk. The insurer must first send you a reminder and state from which date the cover lapses. That follows from Article 7:934 of the Dutch Civil Code. If you pay within that period, everything stays in place. If you do not, there is no own-damage cover and a payment to the other party is recovered from you.
Do I get a penalty if my insurance is cancelled?
Yes, as soon as the registration is in your name without valid insurance. The RDW checks the register and imposes a penalty for driving uninsured, even where the car is standing idle on private land. Prevent that by taking out a new policy at once or suspending the registration. A suspension only takes effect from the day you apply for it.
Can I switch to another insurer during the term?
After the first year of the contract you can cancel on any day, subject to the notice period in your policy conditions. In the first year that is usually only possible on the contract renewal date or on a premium increase that does not follow from the law. Have the new policy connect to the end date, so that no day without cover arises.
What do I have to report when I move house?
Your new address and the place where the car will be kept from now on. The postcode counts in the rate and where the car is kept can form part of a security clause. If the move also changes your commuting distance, report the new annual mileage. A difference in rate is not a problem. A wrong basis when there is a claim is.
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.
