On the Master the risk rarely sits in the van itself but in the seat in front of it: changing drivers, lending and hiring out determine the cover here.
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
The Master is a commercial van that rarely stays with one fixed driver. It is lent to staff, handed over to a subcontractor, used by an agency worker or pressed into service by the family at the weekend for a house move. Each of those situations touches a different provision on the policy schedule.
Insurers rate on the regular driver. If that names an experienced fifty-year-old while in practice a driver of twenty is at the wheel, the declaration is wrong. That is no detail: it touches the duty of disclosure in Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code and gives the insurer scope, through Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code to reduce the payment.
For the passenger car models of the same make, we refer you to Renault car insurance; general information about commercial vans can be found on van insurance.
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.
Who is the regular driver
The policy names a regular driver and calculates the rate on that basis. If someone else drives it regularly, for example a young employee or a son who has just passed his test, the risk differs from what has been declared. Report that. Lending occasionally to a colleague is usually covered, but whoever in fact uses the van most should be on the policy schedule.
Hiring out without a driver calls for its own cover
If you hire the van out, even occasionally and even for no more than a fuel contribution, that is hire and not lending. An ordinary policy excludes it. If something then happens, the injured third party remains protected by the compulsory insurance under Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM), but the insurer recovers the amount paid from you. You will not be paid for the own damage to your own van.
Staff behind the wheel
If an employee causes damage, you as the employer are liable under Article 6:170 of the Dutch Civil Code. Recovery from the employee is only possible where there is intent or conscious recklessness. That follows from Article 7:661 of the Dutch Civil Code. Simply deducting the excess from wages is therefore not allowed without a valid written agreement. Set down the rules for using the van before you hand over the key.
What is excluded
Not covered are: damage during hire without the right cover, driving without a valid licence or while disqualified, damage caused by loading above the permitted mass, and the load and tools in the load space. Wear and mechanical defects always stay outside the policy. Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code excludes intent and recklessness, including driving under the influence.
What does your premium depend on?
Age of the youngest regular driver. If staff drive it, the youngest regular driver largely determines the rate.
Number of drivers. A van with one regular driver is assessed more favourably than a van driven by everybody.
Lending or hiring out. Hire without a driver calls for separate cover and a distinctly higher rate.
No-claims years on the policy. With business registration you build them up differently from the way you would on a private policy.
Maximum permitted mass and payload. A heavy version with a large payload weighs more heavily in the calculation.
Area of use and annual mileage. A lot of town traffic with loading and unloading produces more small claims than long motorway journeys.
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.
Yes, provided that fits what the policy states. If a young employee drives it regularly, declare that person as the regular driver. Occasional use is usually covered. Set down in writing who may drive and on what conditions. That helps both with settling a claim and with the question whether you may pass on the excess.
Can I hire out my van at weekends?
Not on an ordinary policy. As soon as there is a payment in return, it is hire and that is excluded as standard. The injured third party remains protected by the WAM, but the insurer then recovers the amount paid from you and the damage to your own van goes unpaid. For regular hiring out there is separate hire cover.
Do I lose no-claims years if an employee has a claim?
On an at-fault claim, yes. The policy looks at the vehicle and not at who was driving. With business registration, moreover, no-claims years are often kept in the name of the business and not of the driver. On small claims we work out for you whether paying yourself is more advantageous than dropping down the bonus-malus scale.
May I recover the excess from my employee?
In principle, no. Article 7:661 of the Dutch Civil Code protects the employee against liability for damage arising during work, except where there is intent or conscious recklessness. Only with a valid written agreement and within the limits of the law can you pass on part of it. Deducting from wages without thought leads to an employment dispute.
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.
