Basic liability insurance
Liability insurance is not mandatory, but it is one of the most advantageous insurance policies to take out in the Netherlands. For a relatively small amount of money, you will be insured for the risk of inflicted damage that can be high in the costs. On this page, you can find exactly what liability is, what is covered by liability insurance and which damages are not covered.
What is liability insurance?
You will take out liability insurance to be covered for the risk of accidentally causing damage to someone else. Although material damage, in particular, can be limited, it can still be useful to take out liability insurance. That broken vase that you thought was a flea market bargain might just be an antique heirloom. In addition, the costs of physical or mental damage can quickly become quite high. A hospital bill can turn out to be a very high cost, especially for a student.
Liability insurance coverage
By taking out a student liability insurance you are insured against the financial consequences of the damage you cause to someone else.
You can therefore take out a liability insurance for:
- Physical damage
- Mental damage
- Material damage
What else is covered by liability insurance?
- Costs incurred immediately during or after an accident to prevent or reduce damage
- Costs of a lawsuit
- The investigation of experts
- Handling the damage
Damage caused by your pet is often also included in the liability insurance policy. You can check this in the policy terms and conditions or with your insurer.
Examples of situations in which you are insured
- If you accidentally break something when you help with odd jobs
- If you cause damage during voluntary work
- If your dog makes damage to the bank at the neighbors
- If a friend of yours is staying with you and he is causing damage
It can differ per insurer in which situations you are covered. Therefore, carefully study and compare the policy terms and conditions of the various insurers.
Amount of coverage
You can usually choose from various amounts when you take out insurance for which you are insured. These amounts can differ per insurer.
These are usually the amounts:
- 500,000 euros
- 1,000,000 euros
- 2,500,000 euros
Take a critical look at your own claims history and make sure to be well informed about the policy terms and conditions and costs before you take out a student liability insurance. For example, if you really are an unlucky person, it may be useful to opt for a minimal deductible, so that the less high costs of damage can be left to an insurance company through this route.
Not within coverage
There are also a number of things that are excluded from liability insurance. These are:
- Damage due to acts and behaviors that are related to sex
- Molest
- If damage was caused intentionally
- Damage caused by a car, motorcycle, moped
- Damage caused by an aircraft
- Damage caused by vessels
- If you no longer live in the Netherlands
- Damage caused by firearms
Own risk
Insurers can request a deductible for liability insurance. The deductible is an amount that you first pay yourself when you have damage. However, most student liability insurance policies do not have a compulsory deductible. Sometimes it is possible to take a voluntary deductible in exchange for a premium discount.
Premium
The amount of your student liability insurance premium depends on the following points:
- The amount of the insured amount
- Your deductible
- The insurer you choose
- Possible student or package discount
By viewing different providers you can make the best and the cheapest choice.
Being co-insured with your parents
It is possible for most insurers to choose between liability insurance with single or family coverage. If your parents have family coverage, you are also insured for this as a student. Even when you are of age and living away from home. Therefore, before you take out a student liability insurance, ask whether your parents have family coverage that includes you or not.
Living together
If you are going to live with a partner, it is not necessary to both have separate liability insurances. In such cases, joint liability insurance is often cheaper and covers both the damage that your partner or you make unintentionally. Please note that from that moment you will fall under the same policy so that any damage to property or the health of your partner is not reimbursed.
