Car insurance in the Netherlands (2026 guide for expats)

In the Netherlands, car insurance is mandatory for every registered vehicle — at a minimum you need third-party liability cover (WA-verzekering), and driving without it leads to fines and penalties. If you have just arrived or bought a car here, this guide explains the three levels of cover, what they cost in 2026, and how to keep your premium down. Once you know your options, HuisAssist can help you find a suitable provider.

Types of car insurance in the Netherlands

There are three cover levels, from a legal minimum up to near-total protection. The right choice mostly depends on the value of your car.

Third-party liability (WA-verzekering)

WA is the mandatory minimum. It only covers damage you cause to other people — their property and any personal injury. It does not cover any damage to your own car. This makes it the usual choice for older or lower-value cars where the repair cost is not worth insuring.

Limited comprehensive (beperkt casco / WA+)

Limited comprehensive (often sold as "WA+") includes everything in WA, plus a defined set of damage to your own car: theft, fire, storm and hail, broken glass, and collisions with animals. It is a popular middle option for cars that are a few years old.

Fully comprehensive (allrisk / WA volledig casco)

Allrisk is the most extensive cover available. On top of limited comprehensive, it also pays for damage to your own car caused by a collision or your own mistake — even when the accident is your fault. It is usually the sensible choice for new or high-value cars.

What a car insurance costs in 2026

Premiums vary widely because they depend on a lot of factors:

• The level of cover (WA, WA+ or allrisk)
• Your age and driving experience
• The make, model and value of your car
• Where you live (your postcode)
• Your claim-free history

As a rough guide for 2026, WA tends to start around €40–€60 per month, while fully comprehensive (allrisk) commonly runs €85–€145 per month, depending heavily on your profile and car. Younger drivers and city postcodes push prices up; many no-claim years pull them down sharply.

The no-claim discount (schadevrije jaren)

The Netherlands rewards claim-free driving heavily through a bonus-malus ladder. Every year you drive without making a claim, you move up a step and earn a bigger discount on the base premium.

• Each insurer asks how many claim-free years (schadevrije jaren) you have built up
• The maximum discount is large — up to around 75–80% off the base premium at the top of the ladder, though it takes many claim-free years to get there
• Your claim-free years are registered centrally (Roy-data) and are transferable: when you switch insurer you take them with you
• If you previously drove abroad, ask your former insurer for a statement so you can prove your record here

Best car insurance providers in the Netherlands

Centraal Beheer car insurance

Centraal Beheer is part of the Achmea Group. Founded in 1909 in Amsterdam, it moved to Apeldoorn in the 1970s and today operates as a well-known insurance brand.

Rating: 8.6/10 — 3,659 reviews

Univé car insurance

Univé is a non-profit cooperative insurer. Its customers are usually also members of the cooperative. Because it is non-profit, its pricing tends to be competitive and policies are easy to request online.

Rating: 8.3/10 — 1,130 reviews

InShared car insurance

InShared works on a simple, fully online model: when customers help keep claims and costs down, any money left over benefits everyone. That stripped-down approach keeps premiums low.

Rating: 8.2/10 — 2,129 reviews

Sorting out the rest of your move? See our guides to health insurance, home insurance and legal insurance in the Netherlands.