Fortunately,relatively few traffic accidents happen in the Netherlands. Yet cars incur annual damage every year. Not only on the road, but also while parking orentering a driveway. Always consider whether it is wise to file a damage claim.After all, damage claims always have consequences for your insurance.
When not to claim
Minor damage:
It is not wise to claim a damage if the damage is minor. In this case it is better to bear the costs yourself because a claim will increase your premium and you will pay more. Each year that you do not file a claim entitles you to one claim-free year. Throughclaim-free years the insurer rewards not claiming on the car insurance with a discount on the premium so you pay less for your car insurance.
Note; when you have 15 or moreclaim-free years and you file a claim, you always fall back to 10 claim-free years.
Third-party liability insurance(WA):
If you only have third-party insurance, it does not make sense to file a claim for your car because this insurance only covers damage to the other party.
When to claim
Large damages and injuries:
When your repair costs are very high, it makes sense to file a claim. A large portion of the cost will then be covered by your car insurance company. This is also true if you are involved in a major accident and suffer personal injury. In this case, it will cover the high costs of medical treatment.
Liability other party:
If the other party is at fault for the accident, it is wise to hold their insurer liable for recovery costs and medical expenses.
All-risk insurance:
If you have all-risk insurance you can claim damage to your own car in most cases, it does not matter who caused the damage.
