01The insurance obligation starts with registration
RDW says a vehicle subject to compulsory insurance must have third-party liability cover, known as WA, from the moment it is registered in your name. This is not something to arrange only before your first drive; coordinate registration and the policy start date. RDW checks registration and insurance records.
A formal suspension of registration changes the obligations, but a suspended vehicle cannot simply continue to be used on public roads. WA cover must still be in force on the day of an exceptional journey permitted by RDW. Do not cancel cover merely because a car is parked; check its status with RDW and the insurer first.
02Separate compulsory WA from protection for your own car
WA addresses liability to other people. Additional products commonly described as beperkt casco or volledig casco may cover selected risks to your own vehicle. The package name does not explain every limit: the policy sets out insured events, exclusions and conditions.
Compare policies using consistent facts about the vehicle, main driver, use and expected distance. If the car is used for business or driven regularly by someone else, tell the insurer and confirm the effect on the agreement.
03Examine the excess and claims process
A low monthly premium does not necessarily mean a lower cost when a claim occurs. Check your share of a loss, exclusions, repair rules and the way an incident must be reported. Ask how claims history is treated and what evidence the insurer expects.
Do not infer coverage from an advertising label. Request the policy terms and product information, then compare several policies against the same risks.
04Report changes to the car and agreement promptly
When you sell the car or change its main driver, address or type of use, check what the insurer needs to know. The policy end date should match the actual vehicle-registration status so that compulsory cover does not lapse unexpectedly.
LiveInNL explains general criteria and links to sources, but does not make personalised insurance recommendations or currently display insurer offers. Actual cover depends on the specific policy.