Third-party liability for motor vehicles
- Compulsory under Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM)
- Property damage and injury to third parties
- Valid in the countries on the green card
- No cover for your own vehicle
Compulsory third-party liability · own-damage cover · legal expenses
Insurance for traffic
Anything with an engine that travels on the road has to be insured. Below you can read which covers go with it, where they stop and which vehicles fall outside them.
- several insurers compared objectively
- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
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Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Verzekeringen voor het verkeer.
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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 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
Every motor policy starts from the same point. Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM) requires the owner or keeper of a motor vehicle to take out insurance covering liability for damage to third parties. That obligation runs for as long as the registration number is in your name, even if the vehicle is not being used; it lapses only if the registration is suspended. The RDW (the Dutch vehicle authority) checks this automatically, and driving uninsured leads to a penalty and ultimately to seizure of the vehicle. If an uninsured or unidentified driver causes damage, the victim can turn to the Waarborgfonds Motorverkeer, which then recovers the amount from the party at fault.
Third-party liability cover does one thing: it pays for the damage you cause with the vehicle to others , both material damage and injury. Your own vehicle and your own injuries fall outside it. If you want those covered too, you choose third-party, fire and theft for events that are not your fault — theft, fire, storm, glass damage, collision with an animal — or comprehensive cover, which also covers damage you cause yourself. For your own injuries there is occupants' accident insurance, which also pays out when you caused the collision yourself.
It is also worth looking at motor vehicle legal expenses. If you have suffered a loss and the other party will not pay, own-damage cover alone does not get you any further: recovering damage, injury and consequential loss calls for legal follow-up. A dispute with a garage or a seller also falls under this module. Caravans, trailers and bicycles have their own rules; a coupled trailer falls under the third-party liability cover of the towing vehicle, but damage to the trailer itself does not.
How a motor policy is built up
There is one compulsory part; everything above that you choose yourself, based on value and use.
Third-party, fire and theft or comprehensive cover
Covers damage to your own vehicle, whether or not it was your fault.
- Third-party, fire and theft: theft, fire, storm, glass, animals
- Comprehensive: also collisions you cause and parking damage
- The excess is often yours to choose
- Market value determines whether own-damage cover is still worthwhile
Occupants and legal expenses
Fills the gaps that third-party liability and own-damage cover leave: your own injuries and recovery of your loss.
- Occupants' indemnity cover when the accident is your fault
- Legal expenses cover for recovering your loss from the other party
- Breakdown assistance and a replacement vehicle are separate
- Personal accident cover for occupants pays fixed amounts
What is covered
| Situation | Third-party liability compulsory | Registration number required |
|---|---|---|
| Car, van or motorhome | Yes | Yes |
| Motorcycle, scooter and moped | Yes | Yes |
| Speed pedelec up to 45 km per hour | Yes | Yes |
| Electric bicycle with pedal assistance up to 25 km per hour | No | No |
| Trailer or caravan behind the car | Provided that | Provided that |
| Agricultural vehicle or tractor on the public road | Yes | Yes |
A coupled trailer falls under the third-party liability cover of the towing vehicle; damage to the trailer itself and use while uncoupled call for separate cover.
Two points that carry weight on the road
The insurance obligation is absolute; the cover above it has limits that only become visible when you claim.
The insurance obligation continues even when you do not drive
For as long as a registration number is in your name, the obligation under Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM)applies, even if the vehicle is in the garage, broken down or up for sale. If you want to stop the insurance temporarily, you have to suspend the registrationthe registration with the RDW; while it is suspended you may not use the public road or even park there. If you sell the vehicle, the obligation ends only once the transfer is registered. If you drive uninsured and cause damage, the Waarborgfonds Motorverkeer pays the victim and recovers the full amount from you personally, including personal injury costs that can run on for years.
Where the cover stops
Even with comprehensive cover, important situations remain excluded. There is no cover for driving without a valid driving licence or during a driving ban, for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or after refusing a breath test, and for speed and skill contests or use on a circuit. Letting, driving lessons and paid passenger transport are excluded for as long as they have not been reported and included in the cover. There are also exclusions for intent and recklessness through Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code, for damage caused by wear and construction defects, and for fines and criminal sanctions — those can never be insured. If the vehicle is stolen with the keys in it, the claim is often refused on the grounds of insufficient care.
What does your premium depend on?
- No-claims years — registered in Roy-data
- Vehicle and list price — weight, power and type
- Postcode area — theft and collision risk
- Annual mileage — more kilometres, higher risk
- Age of the driver — young drivers count more heavily
- Type of cover and excess — third-party liability, third-party, fire and theft, or comprehensive
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is why comparing pays off.
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.
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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
The questions we are asked most often about this.
Which vehicles have to be insured?
All motor vehicles that use the public road: cars, vans, motorhomes, motorcycles, scooters, mopeds, speed pedelecs and agricultural vehicles. What matters is that the vehicle is propelled by an engine. An ordinary bicycle and an electric bicycle with pedal assistance up to 25 kilometres per hour fall outside this; no WAM obligation applies to them.
Does my third-party liability insurance also cover my own injuries?
No. Third-party liability cover is intended for victims, not for the party at fault. Passengers are third parties and can therefore claim on your third-party liability cover, but the driver cannot. If you want your own injuries covered, including when the accident is your fault, you need occupants' indemnity cover or personal accident cover for occupants.
Is my caravan or trailer covered as well?
For liability, yes: as long as the trailer is coupled to the vehicle, it falls under the car's third-party liability cover. Damage to the trailer or caravan itself, and its theft, are not covered; that calls for separate caravan or trailer insurance. Above 750 kilograms a trailer also has its own registration number.
What does motor legal expenses cover do that own-damage cover does not?
Own-damage cover pays for your own loss, but it does not make an unwilling other party pay. Legal expenses cover pursues the recovery, including for injury, loss of income and consequential loss that fall outside own-damage cover, and assists you in disputes with a garage, seller or leasing company. Criminal proceedings after a road accident are usually covered; fines themselves are not.
Several vehicles arranged in one place?
Request a quote without obligation; we compare premium and conditions for your whole fleet.
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.
