Tax and charges
- 21% insurance premium tax
- Policy charges differ slightly
- Paying in instalments carries a surcharge
- Compare amounts including tax
How the premium is built up · no-claims years · comparing
Saving money on your car insurance in the Netherlands
Anyone who wants to save on motor insurance in the Netherlands needs to know what the premium is made up of. Part of it is fixed, part of it is up to you.
- 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: Geld besparen op uw autoverzekering in Nederland.
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
- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
In brief
A Dutch motor premium consists of three parts: a risk premium calculated by the insurer, costs such as policy and collection charges, and 21% insurance premium tax. That last part is the same for every insurer and cannot be influenced. So all the room lies in the first part, and that is calculated using details you supply yourself.
The heaviest factor is not your car but your no-claims years. Insurers exchange these with one another in a central register, so that you take them with you when you switch and cannot build them up again from scratch elsewhere. Next come the form of cover, the age of the regular driver, the postcode area and the annual mileage. Make and model determine the premium class, but count for less than is often thought.
Comparing pays off in the Netherlands because insurers weigh the same details differently. One company relies heavily on postcode, another on mileage or on the driver's age. As a result the same car with the same cover can produce widely differing premiums. Do make sure you set equivalent forms of cover, excesses and bases of settlement side by side; otherwise you are comparing quotations that are not alike.
What is your premium made up of?
Three blocks determine the amount on your policy schedule. You have influence over only one of them.
No-claims years
The biggest discount in the Dutch system, held in a central register.
- They come with you when you switch
- An at-fault claim puts you back several steps
- They cannot be built up again elsewhere
- Check your registration
Cover and use
The form of cover, excess and mileage determine the rest of the premium.
- Match own-damage cover to the market value
- Choose an excess you can manage
- Declare your actual mileage
- Bring your policies together in a package
What is covered
| Situation | Counts towards the premium | You can influence this yourself |
|---|---|---|
| No-claims years and bonus-malus step | Yes | Yes |
| Type of cover and excess chosen | Yes | Yes |
| Number of kilometres per year | Yes | Yes |
| Postcode area where the car is kept | Yes | Provided that |
| Age of the regular driver | Yes | No |
| Insurance premium tax on the premium | Yes | No |
What is actually covered, including exclusions, limits and the excess, is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) that you receive before you take out cover.
Where the gains are in the Netherlands
Four points that determine whether comparing really saves you money.
Check your no-claims years first
Your discount step is the largest item in the calculation, and it is not always correct. When you switch, with a second car, or with a policy that was in a partner's name, mistakes do occur in the register. Ask your current insurer for a statement and set it against what the new insurer is using. A correction of a few years often yields more than all the other saving steps put together.
Insurers weigh the same details differently
There is no fixed Dutch motor premium. One company relies heavily on the postcode area, another on annual mileage or on the driver's age. If you live in an area with a high risk of theft, the choice of insurer makes more difference than adjusting your excess. So obtain several quotations on exactly the same basis and compare them on premium and on conditions.
What a lower premium never changes
The exclusions remain the same with every insurer. Not covered are, among other things: wear and tear and mechanical or electronic defects without a collision; taking part in speed or skill trials and driving on a track; damage while driving without a valid driving licence or under the influence; and hire or paid passenger transport without notification. Also a breakdown without a collision falls outside the cover. Damage caused by intent or recklessness is excluded under Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code. A cheap policy with a short replacement value as new arrangement can work out more expensive if the car is written off than the saving on premium.
Saving is fine, giving incorrect information is not
Entering a lower mileage, a different postcode or an older driver lowers the premium at once, but it is not a saving. When you claim, the insurer checks the details you gave against reality. The duty of disclosure under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code, and breaching it can reduce the payout or cause it to lapse (Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code) then applies. Also report changes during the term: a move, a different driver or business use. You report a claim as soon as is reasonably possible (Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code).
What does your premium depend on?
- No-claims years: the heaviest discount factor
- Type of cover and excess: third-party liability, third-party, fire and theft, or comprehensive
- Postcode area: the risk of theft and damage
- Age of the regular driver: young drivers weigh heavily
- Number of kilometres per year: declare what you actually drive
- List price and power output: determine the premium class
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
How we arrange it
- You request a quoteWe take stock of your situation, risk 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.
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
This is what people ask us most.
Why does the premium differ so much from one insurer to another?
Because every insurer uses its own claims figures and weighs the factors differently. One relies heavily on postcode, another on mileage or the driver's age. As a result the same car with the same cover can produce different premiums. That makes comparing more worthwhile in the Netherlands than tinkering with your own policy.
How do I check my no-claims years?
Ask your insurer for a written statement. It also appears on your policy schedule. Insurers exchange these details with one another in a central register. If the number is wrong, for example after switching or with a policy in your partner's name, have it corrected before you take out a new policy.
Does a higher excess save much?
It saves premium, but less than switching to a more favourable insurer. Bear in mind that the excess applies per claim and not per year. Choose an amount you can bear without difficulty and check whether a separate excess applies to glass damage or to young drivers.
Can I save by declaring fewer kilometres?
No. Annual mileage is one of the details on which the premium is based, and the odometer reading can be checked through service and roadworthiness test records. If the figure declared turns out to be structurally incorrect, the insurer can reduce or refuse payment and end the policy. If you drive less, do report it.
Is a package discount worth it?
Often yes, provided the individual policies in the package are also competitive in themselves. A discount on home contents or liability insurance that is too expensive gains you nothing on balance. So work out the package on the total and not on the discount percentage.
When can I switch to another insurer?
Many motor policies can be cancelled at any time after the first contract year, subject to a short notice period. Only cancel once the new policy is in place, and have the cover start immediately afterwards, so that you are not uninsured for a single day. Your no-claims years transfer automatically to the new insurer.
Read more
Within Autoverzekering
Similar pages
Also relevant
Curious about what you could save?
Request a quotation without obligation using your registration number. We compare premium and conditions and show you where the difference comes from.
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.