Motor vehicles
- Car, motorcycle, scooter and moped
- The speed pedelec and the light quadricycle (brommobiel) too
- Applies even when parked on private land
- Only suspension with the RDW lifts it
Which insurance is compulsory?
The obligation hangs on two things: living in the Netherlands and having a motor vehicle in your name. Everything else you insure voluntarily or because a contract requires it.
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Work out for yourself what it would cost.
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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.
- Independent advice
- Several insurers
- Switching arranged
- Help with claims
In brief
There are two statutory insurance obligations. The first is health insurance: anyone who lives in the Netherlands or pays wage tax here has to take it out under the Health Insurance Act. The second is Third-party liability insurance for motor vehicles, required by Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM). That obligation hangs on the registration being in your name, not on use: even a car that stands idle for months has to be insured.
What counts as a motor vehicle is wider than many people think. Besides cars, motorcycles, scooters and mopeds, it also includes the speed pedelec: that has a registration number and an insurance obligation. An ordinary electric bicycle with pedal assistance up to 25 kilometres per hour is not a motor vehicle.
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Compulsory, required or voluntary
Three categories that are often confused in practice.
Health insurance
Compulsory for everyone who lives here or pays wage tax.
- The basic package is laid down by law
- Compulsory statutory excess
- Supplementary cover remains voluntary
- Enforcement runs through the CAK
The rest
Not compulsory, but sensible where the risk is large.
- Personal liability, the AVP
- Home contents, travel and legal expenses
- Own-damage cover for your own vehicle
- Buildings: usually a mortgage requirement
What is covered
| Situation | Compulsory by law | Voluntary |
|---|---|---|
| A car, motorcycle or scooter with a registration | Yes | No |
| A speed pedelec with a registration | Yes | No |
| An electric bicycle with assistance up to 25 km per hour | No | Yes |
| Own-damage cover for your own vehicle | No | Yes |
| Health insurance for people living in the Netherlands | Yes | No |
| Home contents, travel and legal expenses | No | Yes |
Buildings insurance is not in this table: it is not a statutory obligation but a condition in the mortgage deed.
What does your premium depend on?
- Type and value of the vehicle: registration, weight and list price
- Type of cover: third-party liability, third-party, fire and theft, or comprehensive
- No-claims years: determine your bonus-malus step
- Region and where the vehicle is kept: theft and damage risk
- Age of the driver: and the regular driver
- Excess: higher amount, lower premium
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.
Why arrange it through Finass Verzekert?
We look at the terms as well as the premium, and stay your point of contact when there is a claim.
Independent
We are not tied to one insurer and compare on the basis of an objective analysis of several companies.
One fixed adviser
You call or email someone who knows your file. No menu options, no changing call centres.
Switching without hassle
We cancel your old policy and align the start date, so you are never a day without cover.
Help with claims
We report the claim and monitor how it is handled. In urgent cases you can reach us on the emergency line.
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.
Two points about the obligation
What the obligation hangs on, and what the compulsory policy does not pay for.
The obligation hangs on the registration
For as long as a registration is in your name, third-party liability insurance has to be in force. The RDW compares the vehicle register with the insurance register and imposes a penalty for any gap, even if you have not driven. If you want to stop that obligation temporarily, have the registration suspend the registration; the vehicle then has to be kept on private land. If an uninsured vehicle causes damage, the Waarborgfonds Motorverkeer pays the victim and recovers the amount from the party at fault.
Compulsory only covers the minimum
A third-party liability policy pays only for damage to others, never for damage to your own vehicle. For that you need third-party, fire and theft or comprehensive cover. Also excluded is damage during speed contests, damage while the driver does not hold a valid licence or is under the influence, and damage caused by intent or recklessness under Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Which insurances are compulsory by law?
Two: health insurance for anyone who lives in the Netherlands or pays wage tax here, and third-party liability insurance for every motor vehicle registered in your name. Other policies are voluntary, or are required by a contract such as a mortgage deed or a tenancy agreement. Such a contractual requirement is not law, but it is binding.
Does a parked car have to be insured?
Yes. The insurance obligation hangs on the registration being in your name, not on driving. If the car stands idle for a long period, you can have the registration suspended with the RDW; while it is suspended both the insurance obligation and the vehicle tax lapse. The condition is that the vehicle is not on the public road.
Do I have to insure my electric bicycle?
An ordinary e-bike with pedal assistance up to twenty-five kilometres per hour does not count as a motor vehicle and carries no insurance obligation. A speed pedelec does: it has a registration number and falls under the WAM. Theft of a bicycle is not compulsorily insured in either case, but can be covered separately or through the home contents policy.
What happens if you drive uninsured?
The RDW identifies the gap between the vehicle register and the insurance register and imposes a penalty, which increases if it happens again. If you then cause damage, the Waarborgfonds Motorverkeer pays the victim and recovers the full amount from you. That registration also makes it harder to obtain insurance later.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
- Compare car insuranceThe main page
- Insurance for trafficCompulsory third-party liability, own-damage cover, legal expenses
- Is everyone insured in the Netherlands?Duty to insure, WAM, uninsured
- Insuring your motor vehicle onlineArticle 2 WAM, registration, type of cover
- What you need to know about car insurance in the NetherlandsRegistration requirement, liability, reporting a claim
- Which insurance policies are compulsory in the Netherlands?Health insurance, third-party motor liability ·. A mortgage requirement
- Which insurance is compulsory?Statutory obligation, contract, professional rule
- Which insurance is compulsory in your situation?Resident, registered keeper, entrepreneur
- Which two types of insurance are compulsory?Health insurance, third-party motor liability ·. The rest is contractual
Read more
Would you like to know what you really have to have?
Ask for advice without obligation. We separate statutory obligations from contractual requirements.
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 compiled by Finass Verzekert (LinkedIn). Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.