Third-party liability for plant and machinery
- Compulsory on public roads
- Also during work
- Cables and pipes separately
WAM obligation · own-damage · implements on the linkage
Insuring a tractor as plant and machinery
A tractor is a motor vehicle within the meaning of the WAM. As soon as it goes onto the public road, third-party liability cover is compulsory, even when it only travels from one field to the next.
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Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Tractor verzekeren als werkmaterieel.
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 activities
- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
In brief
Tractor insurance is essentially a plant and machinery policy. The compulsory layer is the third-party liability cover under Article 2 WAM: damage you cause to others with the tractor. That obligation arises as soon as the tractor goes onto the public road, so including a short move between two fields and while mowing a verge. Since tractors have been subject to registration, an absence of cover is also easier to establish.
Above that you choose own-damage cover. That insures damage to the tractor itself: overturning into a ditch or gully, collision, fire, storm and usually theft. Third-party, fire and theft covers only a fixed list of events and leaves damage you cause yourself out of account. For an older tractor with a limited market value, that narrower variant is often worth considering.
Pay close attention to the difference between damage on and damage through the tractor. If the plough damages the drainage of a field you are working on, that is not own-damage but liability arising from the work. That claim generally belongs on the public and employers' liability insurance and not on the tractor policy.
What does tractor insurance cover?
The policy is built up from a compulsory third-party liability layer, an own-damage layer and a few modules covering implements and the driver.
Own-damage cover
Damage to the machine, the body and the attachments.
- Fire and storm
- Theft from the site
- Overturning and collision
Extensions
What you add separately.
- Inherent defect and machinery breakdown
- Transport to the site
- Hired plant
What is covered
| Situation | Third-party liability for plant and machinery | Own-damage cover |
|---|---|---|
| Damage to a building or a parked car next to the site | Yes | No |
| Theft of the machine from the building site | No | Provided that |
| Fire and storm damage | No | Yes |
| Inherent defect in the hydraulics or the engine | No | Provided that |
| Damage to the item you are working on with the machine | No | No |
| Wear and deferred maintenance | No | No |
Mobile plant is a motor vehicle within the meaning of the WAM and needs third-party liability insurance on public roads; non-mobile plant does not. Damage to cables and pipes is generally only covered if the excavation notification has been made and the trial trenches have been dug. The item you work on with the machine falls under the care, custody and control exclusion.
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 things go wrong in practice
Four points that determine whether the tractor policy actually pays after a loss.
Implements have to appear on the policy
For insurance purposes a front loader, tipping trailer, plough or sprayer is not part of the tractor. If the implement is not on the policy by name and value, it is generally not covered after a fire or theft and does not count in an own-damage claim. For third-party liability cover, a coupled implement travelling on the road is usually included, but as soon as it stands detached and causes damage independently, the claim shifts to the AVB.
Who may drive is set out in the conditions
Policies cover use by persons with the policyholder's permission, provided they are authorised and hold the required driving licence or certification. If you let a seasonal or hired-in worker drive without those papers, the own-damage claim can be rejected. On a third-party liability claim the insurer usually does pay the injured party, the WAM protects that third party, but it can then recover.
What is not included
The following, among others, are outside the cover: wear and tear and ageing, a mechanical or electrical failure without an external cause such as a broken transmission or burnt-out electronics, damage caused by overloading or incorrect use such as pulling or lifting above the manufacturer's limits, damage to the load or the item being worked on, use by an uncertified or unauthorised driver, and damage caused by intent or recklessness under Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code. Taking part in tractor pulling and other speed or strength competitions is also excluded as standard.
Duty to notify and duty of disclosure
Report a claim as soon as reasonably possible; Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code requires you to do so and a late notification can cost cover. What you declare on the application about use, annual hours, storage and whether the tractor also does contract work for third parties falls under the duty of disclosure in Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code. If that picture is not correct when a claim arises, the insurer can reduce or refuse the settlement under Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code.
What does your premium depend on?
- Value and year of construction: the basis for the own-damage premium
- Power of the tractor unit: heavier plant counts for more
- Use: own business, contract work or hobby
- Road use: how often on the public road
- Storage and security: locked barn and tracking system
- Claims history and excess: earlier claims count
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.
Do I have to insure my tractor?
Yes, as soon as it goes onto the public road as a motor vehicle. Article 2 WAM then requires third-party liability insurance. If the tractor stays exclusively on private ground that is not accessible to the public, that obligation formally does not exist, but liability for injury or damage to property continues to exist under Article 6:162 of the Dutch Civil Code. In practice virtually everyone therefore opts for third-party liability cover anyway.
Does an older tractor fall under this policy too?
Yes, but the own-damage cover is then usually on market value. With an older tractor of low market value, a full comprehensive premium often no longer outweighs the possible settlement. Third-party, fire and theft, which covers only fire, theft, storm and glass damage, is then a common middle course. For a collector's tractor there is a separate classic vehicle version.
Are the plough, tipping trailer and front loader insured?
Only if they appear on the policy. Mounted implements are declared separately, with a description and value. For third-party liability cover a coupled implement generally travels with the tractor, but for own-damage and theft what has not been declared is not paid for. Add to the list with every purchase.
What if the tractor is carried on a low-loader?
Then it is cargo and not a moving motor vehicle. Damage during loading, carriage and unloading often falls outside the ordinary own-damage cover and calls for a transport module or own-carriage cover. If the tractor drives itself to the next location, the normal cover applies. Arrange this before the first move.
Is damage to the crop or the field covered?
No, not on the tractor policy. Damage to the object you are working on or with (the crop, the drainage, the track) is treated as damage arising from the work. The insurer assesses that claim on the public and employers' liability insurance, and there too a restriction often applies to damage to property in your care.
Read more
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Is your tractor properly insured?
Request a quote without obligation. We set the WAM obligation, the own-damage conditions and the cover for implements of each insurer side by side.
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.
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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.