Driving in icy conditions and your insurance

What is covered

Damage to the other party falls under your third-party liability cover, which is compulsory. It does, however, cost you no-claims years.

Damage to your your own car caused by skidding is only covered with comprehensive cover. With third-party only and third-party, fire and theft you pay for it yourself; third-party, fire and theft does not cover damage you cause yourself.

Winter tyres

in the Netherlands not compulsory, and not having them is not in itself a reason to refuse cover.

In some European countries they are compulsory during certain periods or in certain conditions. If you drive there without them, that can have consequences when you claim, on top of a fine on the spot.

Where things go wrong

What does count is carelessness: driving on worn tyres below the legal tread depth, or continuing to drive despite an express weather warning when there was no need to.

That is not an automatic refusal, but it can lead to a dispute with a large claim.

What to do when you have a claim

Photograph the situation including the road surface and any traces of grit, and note the weather conditions. If there is a dispute about how it happened, that is your evidence.