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7 questions answered about car insurance in the Netherlands

Katrien Nivera 🇵🇭
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2
7 questions answered about car insurance in the Netherlands

Car ownership in the Netherlands can be confusing — road tax, yearly car maintenance, roadside assistance, the list goes on. 

If you’re thinking about becoming a car owner in the Netherlands, we’re here to help break down one of the first steps: car insurance. These are seven commonly asked questions about car insurance in the Netherlands. 

READ MORE | 7 things to know before owning a car in the Netherlands

Is car insurance compulsory in the Netherlands?

Yes, car insurance is compulsory in the Netherlands. To legally drive any vehicle here, you need to have the proper insurance for the car. 

Why do you need car insurance in the Netherlands?

Car insurance is one of the biggest insurance markets in the country — and for a good reason. Taking out car insurance not only protects you but also ensures the safety of drivers across the whole country. 

In the financial sense, it covers any damages drivers otherwise might not be able to pay for, and it also motivates other drivers to drive around safely and avoid paying insurance claims!

In the Netherlands, drivers make several thousands of claims per year to help compensate for the costs of damages or injuries caused by cars.

What are the requirements for getting car insurance in the Netherlands?

To take out car insurance in the Netherlands, there are a few requirements. 

Firstly, you need to be a Dutch resident (so no car insurance if you don’t have a place of residence in the country). 🇳🇱

Secondly, you must have a Dutch car or an imported foreign car with a valid Dutch licence plate.

Thirdly, you can’t take our car insurance on a car before you’ve gotten a licence to drive it so make sure you have a valid driving licence. 

How does car insurance in the Netherlands work?

This might come as a surprise to internationals and expats, but in the Netherlands, car insurance covers the car itself and not the driver. 

This means that anyone with a valid driver’s licence can legally drive your car. However, the person whose name is on the car insurance is legally responsible for any damage done by the car, regardless of who drives it at the time of the accident. 

What are the different types of car insurance in the Netherlands?

There are three main types of car insurance in the Netherlands. 

Third-party liability (WA verzekering) 

This is the minimum, mandatory level of car insurance (or any vehicle, really) in the Netherlands. It covers any damage done by your car to other vehicles, property, and even injuries to other people. 

It provides coverage if you have an accident where you were at fault. This type of insurance is perfect if you aren’t a frequent driver or if you drive an older or inexpensive car model. 

Extended liability (WA beperkt casco) 

Extended liability car insurance is a little more inclusive. Apart from covering all of the third-party damage caused by your car, it also covers damage to your own vehicle for circumstances out of your control. 

This includes incidences like:

  • Theft of your car
  • Vandalism
  • Fire damage
  • Storm damage
  • Collision with animals

All-risk insurance (Allriskverzekering)

This is the most comprehensive form of car insurance. It covers any damages done by your car and damage done to your car by other vehicles. 

All-risk insurance is the best choice if you drive a new or expensive car, where the cost of replacing the car yourself in an incident would be too much. 

Other types of insurance

There are other types of situational car insurance. You might not necessarily need them but it’s good to know they exist. 

  • Breakdown insurance: Breakdown insurance covers any costs to tow and repairs your car in case it breaks down while you’re travelling.
  • Personal accident insurance: This type of insurance covers any medical costs and potential compensation for disability or death. 
  • Legal insurance: Legal insurance covers any legal fees that follow a vehicle incident. 
  • No-claim insurance: No-claims insurance insures against the first incident that might affect your no-claims bonus. 

Where can you get car insurance in the Netherlands?

Because car insurance is one of the biggest markets in the country, there are plenty of companies that offer car insurance for every occasion. 

Some insurance companies include ANWB, Aegon, Hema Verzekering, FTBO, Centraal Beheer, even the bank ABN AMRO offers car insurance. 

It can be tough to find which car insurance matches your situation perfectly, but there are websites like Independer that allow you to compare car insurance plans. You can also use it to find an estimate for the yearly costs. 

Is car insurance expensive in the Netherlands?

In short, yes, car insurance is expensive in the Netherlands. But your yearly costs depend on a number of factors like driving history and experience, your age and health, as well as vehicle value and weight. 

Generally, your insurance will be cheaper if you are considered a low-risk driver. 

Curious if you check the boxes? Low-risk drivers are usually drivers who:

  • haven’t previously had to make any insurance claims or been in any incidents with their car, 
  • and who take their car for maintenance service often to make sure their vehicle doesn’t cause any nuisances or problems for other people. 

There are other factors that affect car insurance premiums such as age, how long you’ve had your licence, how many kilometres you drive, and the initial cost of your car.

On average, car insurance costs about €75 per month, but can also range between €30 and €90. 

Once you’ve read about these seven questions, you can consider yourself a near-expert in Dutch car insurance! Go forth and insure that sweet ride of yours!

Got any tips when it comes to finding the right car insurance for you? Share them in the comments below!

EU leaders agree on partial boycott of Russian oil

Christine Stein Hededam 🇩🇰
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0
EU leaders agree on partial boycott of Russian oil

Yesterday, the Netherlands and other EU member states agreed to ban the import of Russian oil by sea. The boycott will enter into effect at the end of this year.

When EU countries end their import of Russian oil by sea, it’ll affect about three-quarters of Russia’s total oil exports to the EU.

However, Russian exports could effectively be cut by as much as 90% since Germany and Poland have also pledged to waive the oil they receive from Russian pipelines, writes the NOS.

Dutch Prime Minister is happy to have reached an agreement

EU leaders have been negotiating a potential boycott of Russian oil for almost four weeks. According to the NOS, Mark Rutte is happy that an agreement has finally been reached. The Dutch Prime Minister said that “at the beginning of the evening I was not at all hopeful.”

In a tweet prior to the final negotiations, Rutte wrote that he would speak his piece for upping the pressure on Russia:

After the agreement had been reached, Rutte emphasised that Rotterdam and other important Dutch port cities and petrochemical centres shouldn’t fear competition from Hungary, Slovakia, or the Czech Republic, writes NU.nl.

The three countries don’t have any seaports and are dependent on Russian oil from pipelines. For that reason, they aren’t part of the boycott. However, they aren’t allowed to export any of the cheap pipeline oil.

Paves the way for further sanctions

The partial oil boycott opens up possibilities for further sanctions on Russia. Previously proposed by the European Commission, the international payment system, Swift, will stop servicing Russia’s largest bank, Sberbank.

The EU will also ban three of Russia’s state broadcasters and has introduced travel restrictions for amongst others the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, writes NU.nl.

Next sanction in the works

Rutte has said that if the EU begins working on a seventh sanction package, he would like a different procedure than the one at the Brussels summit. “If we are going to work on a seventh package, we must first have a debate about the technology,” he explained.

So…what does that mean?

While it’s not 100% clear how it would happen, the Dutch Prime Minister wants to discuss what alternatives exist for Russian oil and how to convert oil refineries. Only then will Rutte “start to talk about what the sanction package should actually look like.”

What do you think of the partial boycott and the prospect of more sanctions? Tell us in the comments!

Princess Amalia to pursue her studies at the University of Amsterdam

Lea Shamaa 🇺🇸🇱🇧
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1
Princess Amalia to pursue her studies at the University of Amsterdam

Princess Amalia has decided to do her Bachelor’s degree in Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics (PPLE) at the University of Amsterdam, starting in the autumn of 2022.

The Government Information Service (RVD) recently announced that the Dutch princess of Orange was accepted into the program. Go, girl! ✨

According to a press release, Amalia is going to be sharing a rented apartment with fellow students. Imagine coming home to a literal princess, how leuk!

READ MORE | Studying in Amsterdam: everything you need to know

Welcoming message from the university

The University of Amsterdam wrote a welcoming message for the princess on Twitter.

In it, they say: “We are proud that Princess Amalia has chosen the PPLE study, a challenging and versatile study program at the university. We wish her, like all freshmen, a lot of success and fun with her education.”

Breaking traditions

Princess Amalia’s father, King Willem-Alexander, and her grandmother, Princess Beatrix, both studied in Leiden.

Going further back into history, the King’s aunt Margriet and grandmother Juliana also completed their studies in Leiden.

READ MORE | Conscious royal: Dutch Princess Amalia says no to allowance

However, it’s not that Princess Amalia actively wants to break this tradition. AD reports that Princess Amalia simply preferred the study program in Amsterdam over the options in Leiden.

What do you think about the Princess’ decision? Tell us in the comments below!

Ten Dutch fertility doctors impregnated patients with own sperm, investigation finds

Cara Räker 🇩🇪
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0
Ten Dutch fertility doctors impregnated patients with own sperm, investigation finds

The Dutch foundation Donorkind helps donor offsprings find their biological fathers — and during the past five years, they found ten cases of doctors using their own sperm without the consent of their patients, reports NU.nl.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time a story like this comes to light.

Dutch fertility doctor Jan Karbaat made headlines a couple of years ago for having fathered 71 children by using his own sperm on women seeking his help to become pregnant.

Stigma as an added burden

News of fertility doctors being amongst the biological fathers is especially difficult for donor offsprings, tells board member of Donorkind Ester de Lau NU.nl.

READ MORE | 8 things to know about having a child in the Netherlands

“When there’s a doctor in the news, we receive a surge of requests from donor children,” she says. Being the donor child of a fertility doctor is also stigmatising. “‘To be conceived by the doctor’ is an added handicap.”

Finding biological fathers

Donorkind helps donor children to find their biological fathers through international DNA databanks like MyHeritage.

This can be quite the puzzle sometimes, but usually, their search is successful, says de Lau.

READ MORE | I tried a Dutch at-home fertility test — here’s what happened

Over the past five years, between 150 to 200 biological fathers have been identified.

Donor Child Day

News like this is especially sad on days like today, May 30, the official ‘Donor Child Day’ (Dag van het Donorkind) in the Netherlands.

Conception through donorship should be celebrated instead of being tainted by fear and distrust. Donorkind, therefore, tries to keep newly found cases of criminal fertility doctors from the press.

This way, the children of these doctors can take matters into their own hands and decide whether or not they wish to contact their biological family or bring up the matter to the press.

Have you heard of fertility doctors illicitly fathering donor children in the Netherlands? Tell us in the comments below!

Haste makes waste: Schiphol asked airlines to cancel flights too quickly

Katrien Nivera 🇵🇭
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6
Haste makes waste: Schiphol asked airlines to cancel flights too quickly

Things are not looking good for Schiphol — and to make matters worse, it seems like they botched the current situation even more. 😬

To cope with the May break and summer crowds, Schiphol called for flights to be cancelled.

However, Frank Oostdam, chairman of the trade association of travel organizations ANVR, has now said that Schiphol was wrong to ask the airlines to cancel flights. 🛩

“The signs were there”

According to the ANVR, Schiphol should have anticipated the crowds sooner. Oostdam says there were signs of a busy summer period all the way back in January, says RTL Nieuws.

After two years of on-and-off lockdowns, the travel sector is eager to have customers again. Even more so, people are willing to spend money on long-missed travel plans.

Traveller’s doubt

However, the cancellation of flights at Schiphol is going to cause trouble for travel companies, Oostdam believes.

According to him, because Schiphol asked to cancel flights too hastily, travellers doubt whether they should book a holiday.

This has a knock-on effect for travel companies, as they can’t take full advantage of this travel boost due to passengers often missing their flights.

Travel companies will try to recover the damage caused by the problems at Schiphol. Despite the recent chaos, Oostdam has faith in Schiphol CEO Dick Benschop to solve the problems.

What do you think about the situation at Schiphol? Have you experienced it yourself recently? Tell us in the comments! 👇

Chaos at Schiphol: why the biggest Dutch airport is struggling so much

Cara Räker 🇩🇪
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13
Chaos at Schiphol: why the biggest Dutch airport is struggling so much

Hour-long queues, missed flights, and compensation claims — Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport has made one negative headline after another this year. Here’s why. 👇

After two years of the coronavirus pandemic, this first post-lockdown May holiday really put Schiphol to the test. Unfortunately, Europe’s third busiest airport has been struggling ever since.

READ MORE | Here we go again: long lines and missed flights at Schiphol airport

Planning to fly to or from Amsterdam via Schiphol in the next couple of weeks? We’ve got some insight into what’s going on, and what you can do to avoid this madness as best as you can.

What is happening at Schiphol airport?

In case you’ve missed it, here’s what happened at Amsterdam’s main airport around mid-May:

On some days, passengers stood in line for hours, in particular, to get through the security check. During certain times, the queues even reached beyond the airport building.

Sometimes, on the same day at a different time, passengers had no trouble at all. The entire organisation of the airport seems to have been turned upside down.

Why is there chaos at Schiphol airport?

The main reason for the overcrowding and long lines at Schiphol airport? Staff shortages, especially at the security check-in.

Staff shortages

But why are there staff shortages? Well, here it gets a bit more complex.

One of the reasons is that, due to the coronavirus pandemic, a lot of staff was let go. Schiphol is to blame here because they slept on recruiting new staff in time, which now shows in missing personnel at the security, baggage drop-off, cleaning, and information desks.

Another problem is that Schiphol struggles to keep its staff. When the airport experienced an influx of travellers during the end of April, about 150 employees went on a strike to protest the terrible working conditions, says NH Nieuws.

The pressure is simply too much on the understaffed teams. In addition, Schiphol does not pay well, no more than €11 per hour, according to the NOS. Yep, that’s Dutch stinginess at its finest.

Scheduling issues

Another reason for the chaos at Schiphol airport is an overly packed arrival and departure schedule. Too many flights departing at the same time only increases the pressure on the security and check-in desks.

What is being done to improve the situation at Schiphol?

Phew, and that was only the May holiday. But what will happen as soon as the summer months roll around and everyone wants to forget their worries on a sandy beach abroad?

Well, Schiphol has just recently announced an ‘action plan‘ for this year’s summer. Here’s what’ll hopefully save you from having to wake up 8 hours early to catch your flight to Spain:

  • Hiring new staff — Schiphol has promised to ramp up its recruitment game, especially for security. On June 11, there will be a job fair for employment seekers and a nationwide ad campaign is in the works.
  • Increasing wages — Schiphol is currently in conversation with the labour unions to increase the wages of its staff.
  • Working on logistics — the airport will try to re-organise its in-building traffic routes to limit overcrowding and disperse passengers more evenly.
  • A new flight schedule — from June 1 to August 28, Schiphol has announced that it would introduce a new schedule that’ll match the number of incoming and departing flights to the number of available staff. This might mean that there will be fewer flights available, but at least there will be less chaos too!

How is Schiphol looking right now?

Okay, let’s pause for a minute and turn towards you. Hey, how is it going? 😊

Are you reading this because you’re about to embark on your summer vacation and you really want to know what will await you at Schiphol’s gates?

With this handy tool, you can check how busy the airport is before you arrive. It’ll tell you the business for departures and arrivals on any given day.

One bar? You’re probably good to go. Three bars? Maybe re-schedule your flight or wake up 8 hours in advance to make it through security. 😅

Tips to avoid the chaos at Schiphol

Just to be clear: all of this is Schiphol’s fault and you’re the victim here. Nevertheless, now that we’re part of this mess, there are a couple of things we can do to avoid the dreaded #schipholchaos.

  • Arrive early — the general recommendation is to arrive two hours before an in-Europe flight and three hours before an intercontinental flight. But if the Schiphol-business barometer shows you those three bars, maybe get there up to five or six hours early. 😅 (We’re so sorry.)
  • Change your booking — if you have a flex ticket where re-booking your flight is free of charge, maybe consider doing just that! Choose a day when it’s not as busy or a different airport!
  • Hand luggage isn’t the answer — if you thought that travelling with hand luggage only will save you some time at the check-in, you’ve got it wrong. Extra hand luggage just means that there is even more pressure on the security staff. Sorry!
  • Consider another airport — we know it’s hard to believe, but Schiphol isn’t the only airport in the Netherlands! Rotterdam The Hague Airport and Eindhoven Airport are both excellent options.

Know your rights as a Schiphol traveller

Okay, let’s say that you booked a nice trip outside the Netherlands but your airline decided to send you a nice little message saying your flight has been cancelled as well. Now what?

Well, at this point it’s important to face the facts and know your rights as a traveller in case this does actually happen.

  • Alternative flights: if your airline doesn’t book an alternative flight for you in time, you can book one for yourself instead. However, the flight must be somewhat similar to the one you were supposed to take.
  • Compensation: if your flight is more than two hours late to your final destination due to strikes, shortages or long queues, you’re entitled to compensation varying between €125 to €600. As a traveller, you’re likely to get compensation at your landing place, on top of getting a new flight ticket or a refund. The amount you’re compensated depends on three things: the distance you travelled, the length of the delay and when you were notified.
  • Voucher codes: if you’re offered a voucher by your airlines in case your plane doesn’t take off, you’re only entitled to it as long as the deal also offers you to get your actual money back.

Alright, we really hope that these tips will help you start your summer holidays a little bit more smoothly this year. But also, let’s take a collective breath and say: Schiphol, step up your game!

Have you been at Schiphol airport lately? What was your experience? Tell us in the comments below!

Rotterdam Rooftop Walk is open! Here’s how to experience the city’s roofscape

Christine Stein Hededam 🇩🇰
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Rotterdam Rooftop Walk is open! Here’s how to experience the city’s roofscape

June is just around the corner and so is the kick-off to Rotterdam Architecture Month. However, there’s no need to wait with exploring the metropole’s sparking high-rises: Rotterdam Rooftop Days have already begun!

Yesterday, the first visitors ascended the stairs to the Rotterdam Rooftop Walk — a 60-metre-long footbridge with various platforms and scenic stops on the way. 📸

The 45-minute walk begins at the Beursplein, where you’ll climb a staircase to the top of the World Trade Center.

READ MORE | Architecture at new heights: how to walk Rotterdam’s skyline in May

From there, you follow the orange-paved walkways above the Coolsingel before climbing back down onto Aert van Nesstraat. 

Gorgeous snaps from the opening day

If you missed yesterday’s grand opening, don’t worry. You have until June 24 to explore Rotterdam’s remarkable roofscape.

Not quite sure if a stroll at 30 metres above the ground is your thing? Not to promote FOMO, but here’s what you’d miss out on. 👇

photo-two-women-showing-tickets-at-entrance-of-rotterdam-rooftop-walk
Are you a phone or print person when it comes to entrance tickets? Image: Frank Hanswijk/Rotterdam Partners

If you haven’t snatched a ticket already, you can reserve a time slot online. Prices are €3.50 for adults while kids can go for free.

photo-rotterdam-rooftop-walk-platform
Forget the yellow brick road. We’d opt for orange any day! Image: Ossip van Duivenbode/Rotterdam Partners

Yesterday’s opening might have been cloudy, but that didn’t put a damper on the mood.

photo-man-taking-selfie-on-rotterdam-rooftop-bridge
Ready to snap a new profile picture? Image: Iris van den Broek/Rotterdam Partners

Geometric shapes never fail to deliver the aesthetic vibes we long for. 😍

photo-people-looking-at-erasmusbrug-from-rotterdam-rooftop-walk
This has got to be the best view in Rotterdam. Image: Iris van den Broek/Rotterdam Partners

Okay, quick pause. Can you spot the Erasmus bridge? Did you know that the iconic landmark weighs the same as 1700 adult elephants? Now, there’s a fun fact for you.

READ MORE | Architecture in Rotterdam: 11 buildings that prove Rotterdam is the best

photo-people-on-platform-amongst-rotterdams-skyscrapers
Who needs a penthouse anyway? Image: Iris van den Broek/Rotterdam Partners

Forget that pretty unaffordable penthouse you’ve been dreaming about. Rotterdam Rooftop Walk lets you stroll through the city’s skyline in your own time.

Were you at the opening yesterday? Or are you planning to visit in the coming days? Tell us in the comments!

Feeling unsafe on an NS train? Here’s how to get help

Jana Vondráčková 🇨🇿
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Feeling unsafe on an NS train? Here’s how to get help

On Monday this week, a 19-year-old woman was assaulted on a train from Amsterdam to Alkmaar.

Because there was no conductor around, she couldn’t get any help and was groped by the man for forty minutes, reports Het Parool.

With no one around, how can you get help in situations like this?

NS safety number

Since 2020, travellers on NS trains can send a WhatsApp or a text message to 06-13181318 (+31613181318) when they feel unsafe on the train.

This number puts them in touch with the NS control room, which then assesses what action is needed.

You can find the number on the electronic screens on the trains. “It’s best to save it on your phone as soon as possible so that you can use it immediately when you need it,” an NS spokesperson tells Het Parool.

“Of course, we hope that will never be the case, but if you feel unsafe it is better to be able to raise the alarm as soon as possible.”

In 2021, people reached out to the number 2,548 times — 10% of the total number of reports received by the control room.

Emergency situations

In emergency situations, however, travellers should always call 112, according to the railway operator.

“If a situation like Monday occurs on the street, you immediately call the emergency services. That is no different in the train.”

Monday’s incident

As for Monday’s incident, the Maatschappij Voor Beter OV (Society for better public transport) chairman already wondered how is it possible that no conductor was around to help the 19-year-old passenger.

However, the NS spokesperson explains that it’s not uncommon for a conductor not to walk through the compartment for so long. “He can be busy with helping travellers, with a passenger without a ticket, with opening and closing the door. It could be anything.” 

NS is fully cooperating with the police in finding the perpetrator.

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Schiphol presents action plan to (hopefully) cope with overcrowding

Cara Räker 🇩🇪
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3
Schiphol presents action plan to (hopefully) cope with overcrowding

After a couple of disastrous weeks, Schiphol airport is presenting an action plan to prepare for the summer months. 🛫

Long lines, missed flights, cancellations, and complaints — the Amsterdam airport has been making negative headlines throughout the May holidays. Staff shortages had many travellers waiting in line for hours and, in the worst case, missing their flights.

But it’s time for a change, says Schiphol! The NOS reports that the airport plans to put a cap on ticket sales and hire more personnel to prepare for the upcoming summer vacation.

“Schiphol borrows signs from the Eftelingen (a Dutch amusement park) temporarily.”

KLM wants to curb ticket sales

Dutch airline KLM said yesterday that they will suspend all ticket sales departing from Schiphol until Monday, writes Reuters.

Hopes are that this will allow Schiphol to open up more security checks. It also allows travellers that missed their flights in the last couple of weeks to re-schedule their departure to those days.

Work with us (pretty please)

Schiphol will also try to hire more personnel and…here it comes…pay them better! A new ad campaign is also on its way.

There will be more job openings for security, cleaning, and baggage handling. On June 11, there will be a job fair for all of those interested in starting a career at Schiphol.

Have you spent some time at Schiphol these last couple of weeks? Tell us in the comments below!

Unfortunate! Dutch Feyenoord loses against Roma in European final

Lea Shamaa 🇺🇸🇱🇧
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0
Unfortunate! Dutch Feyenoord loses against Roma in European final

Feyenoord and Roma’s conference league finals clash has ended with a loss for the Dutch team, with 0-1 on the scoreboard. ⚽️

In the first half of the match, both teams stuck to their own strategies which showed the careful game planning by Dutch coach Arne Slot and Portuguese coach José Mourinho. 

There weren’t many chances to score a goal throughout the game since both teams kept counteracting each other’s tactics.    

Despite that, Mourinho proved his reputation as a successful trainer with crafty gameplay. Italian newspaper la Repubblica gave him credit for the win: “He can turn a mediocre team into a queen.” 

Rotterdam’s reaction 

Thousands of Rotterdammers gathered to watch their local team in the final match yesterday. ⚽️ 

While many were happy just to see Feyenoord playing for such a title, some fans felt the defeat more than others. 

After the match, some fans hit the streets to cause, well, nuisance and violence. Hello hooligans! 

Soon after the rampant disturbances, the Dutch police stepped in with water cannons and at least 72 arrests, reports NU.nl. 

While many fans weren’t happy with this result, it would have been a big move for the Dutch team to clinch the title. Feyenoord hasn’t won a European top prize in 20 years since the UEFA Cup of 2002. 

Many fans didn’t actually expect any actual success during the football season, so getting to the finals already brought happiness to many Rotterdammers. 

Did you watch the football game? Or, did you see any football fan frenzy? Tell us in the comments below!

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