Let me guess, like many other expats, you arrived here, snapped up the cheapest contents and liability insurance policy in the Netherlands you could find, and called it a day. But did you know that insuring your stuff can be easy? And affordable?
If not, let us introduce you to Lemonade. Not the drink; but your new contents and liability insurance.
What is Lemonade? Cover yourself for damages in the Netherlands
Ok so, let’s imagine you have settled into life in the Netherlands — you’ve registered at your local municipality, opened up a Dutch bank account, found yourself a decent health insurance and maybe even applied for some lovely toeslagen.
You probably felt that was enough, but did you know you can insure things like your phone and bike from €2 a month? Or you can cover yourself for any damages caused if you cycle face-first into the back of a market stall? Lemonade offers contents and liability insurance for precisely these situations.
What is covered by Lemonade’s contents insurance?
Lemonade’s contents insurance covers items that are usually kept in your home should they become damaged. On top of that, this policy also covers your phone and your bike.
Your mobile phone will be covered both inside and outside of the house for damages caused by things such as fire, vandalism, burglary or windstorms. However, there are some cases where your mobile will not be covered, like if you accidentally drop or break it.
If you need extra protection, e.g. for your phone and bike, Lemonade made sure to include an anti-theft add-on in its contents insurance. This covers all your belongings against theft inside and outside your home, even when you travel around the world.
According to Lemonade’s Policy 2.0, this means — for your bike for example — that as long as you use an ART-approved lock with at least a two star rating, your bike will be covered should someone decide to take it for a late night joyride.
What is covered by Lemonade’s liability insurance?
Let’s say you are cycling along the canals, contemplating the picturesque turn that your life has taken when BAM — you knock the side-mirror off of poor oma’s mobility scooter.
It’s fair to say it was your fault, and now oma has a broken side mirror that needs paying for. While Lemonade cannot help you to translate the tidal wave of Dutch profanity that crosses the poor woman’s lips, it can help you to cover the cost of damage you may have done.
Lemonade’s liability insurance covers you for damages you make to someone else or their property. You can either choose a €1,250,000 liability coverage or a €2,500,000 option.
However, you are not covered for damages if you were borrowing someone’s stuff, and you break it. Borrowed Jeroen’s snazzy mountain bike and crashed it? That’s on you my friend.
Why Lemonade is a great choice
As an expat, there are many reasons why I would choose LemonadeLemonade. This insurance has much more to offer to the next generation of adults and expats in the Netherlands. They’ve taken into account our shift in values to offer us an experience different from any other insurance company.
Insurance at your fingertips
With Lemonade, there’s no paperwork, no office visits — everything is online.
Signing up is simple: just grab your phone or laptop and tell Lemonade’s AI, Maya, what you want to cover. A few questions later, you get a personalized quote you can adjust for deductible, start date, coverage amounts, and more.
Filing a claim is just as easy. Tap the claim button, tell AI Jim what happened, and you’re done. Claims can be processed instantly, and about a third are paid immediately. If Jim can’t decide, a real person steps in. Either way, no leaving home, and payment goes straight to your bank account.
No Dutch? No problem
Starting life in the Netherlands can be tricky for expats, and Lemonade knows it. That’s why their services are offered in both Dutch and English.
If Dutch isn’t your strong suit, you can still select coverage for the Netherlands and handle everything in English. No more Google Translate or worrying about misinterpreting terms, as claims and correspondence are all carried out in a language you actually understand.
Lemonade’s ethical approach to insurance
Think the innovation stops there? Not at all. Lemonade takes a fixed fee — a set percentage of your monthly payments — and uses the rest to pay claims. Whatever is left over goes to charities that customers choose. Unlike traditional insurers, Lemonade doesn’t profit from denied claims, so you can rest easy knowing they’re on your side.
Nobody’s perfect — my personal cons
We like to keep it real with you, so here are some reasons why you might be reluctant to take out insurance with Lemonade.
No physical branches
Since Lemonade is entirely online, there’s no physical branch that you can point a finger to when you need to just look someone in the eye and ask them a question, which can be off putting for some.
The only way to access Lemonade is through a device and wifi. However, this means also that Lemonade is accessible anywhere, anytime from the comfort of your sofa.
Speaking with AI
Whilst Lemonade’s AI is great for getting you insured quickly and adjusting your claim hassle-free, some people just need to feel assured by a human. AI technically eliminates room for human error, but sometimes you just want to know that your personal stories are being heard and handled by another human.
However, rest assured you can always reach out and talk to Lemonade’s Claims Team, and have your case reviewed by a (human) specialist if needed.
Sign me up! What are my options with Lemonade?
If you’re impressed by all this, sign up is simple, just head on over to Lemonade’s website and tell Maya what you would like to cover. You can customise your policies so what you pay really depends on your own personal situation.
Curious as to how it all works? Lemonade offers an easy and comprehensive rundown of how they operate on their website.
Sometimes life gives you crises and you need to turn to Lemonade. Are you ready for your new life in the Netherlands?
Feature Image: DutchReview/Supplied.