Is car insurance mandatory in the Netherlands?

The short answer

In the Netherlands, WA insurance (third-party liability insurance) is mandatory for all motor vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, scooters and mopeds. This insurance covers damage you cause to others in traffic. Without valid WA insurance, you are not allowed to participate in traffic. If caught without insurance during a check, you will receive a fine and your vehicle can be impounded. The insurance must be arranged before you use the vehicle on public roads.

What does Dutch law say?

The Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Act (Wet aansprakelijkheidsverzekering motorrijtuigen - WAM) regulates the insurance obligation in the Netherlands. This law requires every owner of a motor vehicle to have liability insurance. The insurance must provide at least the legally required coverage for damage to third parties. Insurance companies are obliged to report the details of insured vehicles to the RDW (Dutch Vehicle Authority).

What should you pay attention to?

Ensure your insurance is valid before you start driving, even for a test drive. Make sure the insurance is in the name of the vehicle owner. For lease cars, the leasing company usually arranges the insurance, but always check this. Always keep your insurance certificate in the car for possible checks.

Example from practice

Jan buys a second-hand car on Friday and wants to drive it home over the weekend. He thinks he only needs to take out insurance on Monday. However, this is incorrect - Jan must take out WA insurance before driving away. If caught without insurance during a check, he receives a fine of €390 and his car is impounded. The costs for towing and storage come on top of this, which can quickly add up to more than €500 in additional costs.

What can you do?

Follow these steps to ensure you are correctly insured: