When you get your own accommodation, the insurances from COA will stop. It is smart to purchase insurance yourself. For example an insurance against damage you make or someone does to you. For this you can take out a liability-insurance (aansprakelijkheid) and a household insurance (inboedelverzekering in Dutch). Mostly VWN will help you to choose the right insurances.
What is a liability-insurance?
Most Dutch People have a liability-insurance for cases of damage. It is an insurance that refunds costs under certain circumstances, like when you (or your children):
⇒ Accidentally cause damage to other people
⇒ Accidentally damage other people’s things
This applies only for private situation, so not for damage caused during work. You can purchase an insurance for all family members. The insurance mostly protects you for damage everywhere you are. The costs for a liability-insurance are between 1 and 5 euros per month. The price can differ depending on the extras you insure.
Examples of liability
Some examples of the cases when a WA-insurance (check the conditions) will pay for your costs:
⇒ When your child accidentally breaks the window of your neighbour
⇒ When you accidentally break a vase in the house of your family member
⇒ When you accidentally cause damage to someone on the street
Note!
⇒ The WA-insurance does not apply for damage caused by vehicles with a motor
⇒ You are obliged to buy a WA-insurance against accidents with the car or motorbike.
⇒ Are you in an accident with your bicycle? Then the liability-insurance will help.
What does liability/aansprakelijkheid mean?
Legal liability is ‘wettelijke aansprakelijkheid’ in Dutch. It means that you are responsible for the costs that arise because of damage you make. For damage you make in your working situation you can purchase another insurance. In most cases your employer will arrange this for you.
You can take out a liability-insurance with different insurance companies, sometimes also with your bank.
You can compare insurances on the Independer website
What is ahousehold insurance (inboedel verzekering)?
Do you have damage because of a burglary, fire or water? You can take out an insurance with a household insurance (inboedelverzekering in Dutch). ‘Inboedel’ means all of the things in your house that are moveable. For example: your TV, laptop, couch and vases. Are they broken? Then you can receive (part of) its value back to repair it or to replace it.
Choosing an insurance
There are many different insurances. To choose which insurance suits your situation best, you can:
⇒ compare insurances on the Independer website
⇒ Visit the VWN consultation hour for help with choosing the right insurance
⇒ Visit your local STIP
Check the conditions of different insurances!
⇒ Every insurance has a policy. This is the contract you sign with an insurance company. It tells you the rules and conditions for the insurance. Read it carefully before you buy an insurance!
⇒ Different insurances cover different costs for different types of damage. Compare them carefully!
⇒ In a lot of situations when there is damage, you pay a part of it yourself, eigen risico or own risk. For example because they only pay you the day value of the product. Inform yourself about this.