Professional errors
- Calculation or design error
- Incorrect or late advice
- Deadline or time limit missed
Compare professional indemnity insurance (BAV)
With a BAV the difficult part is not the cover but the timing. When was the mistake made, when are you held liable, and which policy is on the hook?
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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.
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- 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.
- Independent advice
- Several insurers
- Switching arranged
- Help with claims
In brief
Professional indemnity insurance (BAV) covers pure financial loss: financial detriment suffered by your client through a mistake, an omission or incorrect advice. The distinction from the AVB is sharp: the AVB deals with damage to property and people, the BAV with money.
Almost all BAV policies operate on claims made. What matters is not when you made the mistake but when the claim is notified to you. That is why prior acts cover (cover for mistakes made in the past) and run-off cover (cover for claims after the policy ends) are not frills but the heart of the policy.
For some professions a BAV is compulsory under the rules of the professional body, including for lawyers, accountants, civil-law notaries and architects. For other professions the client requires it by contract, with a minimum sum insured set out in the contract or the specification.
Independent, personal, sorted quickly
We compare your professional indemnity insurance (BAV) 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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What does professional indemnity insurance (BAV) cover?
The structure of the cover in three parts, with an overview per situation below.
Defence costs
The cost of defending a claim, even if it turns out to be unfounded.
- Costs of defence
- Expert investigation
- Claims handling on your behalf
Retroactive and run-off cover
Claims made means that the date of notification counts, not the date of the mistake.
- Prior-acts cover when switching
- Run-off cover on termination
- Joining up with the previous policy
What is covered
| Situation | BAV | AVB |
|---|---|---|
| A calculation error that makes the project more expensive | Yes | No |
| Incorrect advice causing financial detriment | Yes | No |
| A missed deadline or limitation period | Yes | No |
| Injury to a visitor at the office | No | Yes |
| Coffee spilt over the client's laptop | No | Yes |
| Intent, fines and guarantees going beyond the law | 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.
What does your premium depend on?
- Profession and risk class: legal practice and structural engineering weigh more heavily than copywriting
- Annual turnover: the main basis for calculation
- Sum insured per claim and per year: often € 500.000 to € 2.500.000
- Excess chosen: per claim
- Retroactive period: the further back, the higher the premium
- Area of operation and applicable law: the US and Canada are almost always excluded
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
How we arrange it
- You request a quoteWe take stock of your activities, turnover 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.
Where things go wrong in practice
Four points that make the difference between a policy that pays out and one that does not.
Claims made: the date of notification determines everything
If you make a mistake in 2023, switch insurer in 2025 and are held liable in 2026, your current insurer is on the hook: but only if you have prior-acts cover for the period before the start date. Without that cover you are left empty-handed after paying premiums for all those years. When switching, always ask how far back the prior-acts cover runs and whether an exclusion applies for known circumstances.
Run-off is the point people overlook
If you close your business or retire, your policy ends but your liability does not. Claims about old work can still arrive years later. Without run-off cover you pay them yourself. Buy run-off cover before the policy ends. Afterwards it is usually no longer possible to arrange.
When the limitation clock starts to run
Article 7:942 of the Dutch Civil Code gives you three years to enforce your claim against the insurer, counting from the day after you became aware that it was due. Under a liability policy that is the moment you receive the notice of liability — not the moment of the mistake, and not the moment of the accident either. With liability insurance, any negotiation with the insurer or the injured party interrupts that period.
Your description of activities is the outer limit
The policy covers the activities stated on it. If you take on project management, inspections or interim work as well, have that added. When a claim comes in, the first question is whether the work fell within the description; if it falls outside, you never even reach the rest of the discussion.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
What exactly does claims made mean?
Cover is determined by the moment the claim is notified, not by the moment of the mistake. A mistake from 2023 that is claimed in 2026 falls under the policy running in 2026, provided that policy has prior-acts cover going back to 2023.
What is prior-acts cover and do I need it?
Prior-acts cover applies to mistakes you made before the start date of the policy but which are only claimed afterwards. When switching insurer it is essential. Without it a gap opens between your old and new policy, and that is exactly where the claims you did not see coming fall.
What happens if I close my business?
Then you need run-off cover. Your liability continues while your policy stops, and claims about old work can still arrive for years. Arrange run-off cover before the policy ends.
How long do I have to bring a claim against my insurer?
Three years, under Article 7:942 of the Dutch Civil Code, counting from the day after you became aware that your claim was due. Under a liability policy that is the moment of the notice of liability. So notify at once, even if you dispute the claim.
Do I need an AVB as well as a BAV?
Usually yes. The BAV covers neither property damage nor injury. Anyone who visits sites or employs staff also needs an AVB.
Are defence costs included?
Yes, even if the claim turns out to be unfounded. Do check whether those costs fall within or on top of the sum insured. In long-running proceedings that makes a considerable difference.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
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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. Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.