Regular liability vs Legal liability
On many insurance websites, a regular Liability Insurance for Private Individuals (AVP) is regularly confused with a Legal Liability Insurance for a car. However, the two insurance policies are not the same. Regular liability insurance will not cover the same as legal liability insurance and vice versa. The main differences between the two insurance policies are explained here.
Mandatory or not?
Regular liability insurance is optional insurance in the Netherlands. The insurance can be taken out to cover yourself, your family and also any pets against the risk of high costs if you or one of the other co-insured people accidentally brings damage to another.
The moment you own a car or another vehicle, you are required by law to be liable for motor vehicles to take out liability insurance. This legal liability insurance (WA) is therefore mandatory insurance in the Netherlands when you own a vehicle. Not having liability insurance and still owning a vehicle is a criminal offence in the Netherlands, unless a valid exemption has been applied and approved for this.
What is covered?
A liability insurance for private individuals covers the damage that you or another co-insured may cause to someone else or to someone else’s property. This can concern material or immaterial damage. Regular liability insurance specifically covers damage caused when the damage occurred during the steering of a car or other vehicle. Look here for the different types of WA coverage and more information.
What is not covered
The regular liability insurance for private individuals does not cover damage that has been caused intentionally. Additional insurance is also required for some (dangerous) sports. Otherwise, the payment will not be made. You can find more information about this on the page additional liability insurance. Liability insurance does not pay out when the damage has arisen among the persons included in the policy. Damage caused by a vehicle is therefore not covered by this insurance.
A third-party liability insurance does not cover damage caused to the insured vehicle unless the insurance on the vehicle has been extended with a limited body or all-risk cover.
Who is covered?
A liability insurance for private individuals is relatively cheap insurance that can cover various people. If you live alone, you will obviously take out the insurance only for yourself. Often pets are already co-insured. When you start living together and/or have children, the insurance can be adjusted to your situation. This is cheaper than having separate liability insurances.
Legal liability insurance can be seen as personal insurance on the vehicle. The owner of the vehicle is insured against accidental damage with this vehicle. This applies both when the owner of the vehicle causes the damage or when someone else has driven the vehicle. Your personal liability insurance is therefore not effective if you cause damage while driving a different vehicle. This damage is covered by the insurance of the owner of the other vehicle.
