What about claim-free years?

How does claim-free years work with a second car?

When you own two or more cars, it is not possible to have the same number of claim-free years on all of them at the same time. You build up claim-free years per car. For example: you have had 12 consecutive claim-free years with car one and now you buy another car. Car two will then start with zero claim-free years. With some insurers it is possible to insure the second car at the same discount as the first car. The second car will then not receive the claim-free years of car one. This is called the second car arrangement.

Can I take over the claim-free years of another motor vehicle?

You can transfer the claim-free years to the insurance of another motor vehicle when you cancel your motor insurance. For example, you cancel your motorcycle insurance and want to transfer your claim-free years to your moped insurance. The other way around, however, this is unfortunately not possible. Insurers find that the claim-free years you have accumulated with your moped have little value for car insurance. A common argument is that the driving experience you gain with the moped is irrelevant to driving a car. Experience in moped driving does not reduce the likelihood of being in a car accident. Therefore, they do not count the claim-free years you accrue with your moped when calculating the car premium.

Are young people a high-risk group for claim-free years?

Young people usually pay considerably more for their car insurance. This is because they belong to a so-called risk group that is statistically more involved in accidents. In addition, young people do not have any (or few) claim-free years. The more claim-free years you have built up, the more discount on the premium. Young people therefore miss out on this premium discount.

How does the bonus-malus ladder work?

Insurance companies determine how much discount you get on the basic premium of your car insurance on the basis of the no-claims ladder and the number of valid claim-free years. The amount of the so-called no-claim discount depends on your claim-free years. The amount of the discount is fixed in the bonus-malus ladder of the insurance company. Each insurer has its own bonus-malus ladder. It is therefore possible that you receive more discount with your no-claims years with one insurer than with another insurer.

As long as you do not claim any damage during the term of the insurance policy, you build up a claim-free year each year. This means that each year you move up one step on the no-claims bonus scale. When you claim damage, you naturally drop down the bonus-malus ladder, which also means that the premium goes up. The drop on the ladder is usually several steps at a time. You may even end up with a negative number of claim-free years, resulting in a premium surcharge.

How do I show the number of claim-free years?

There are four different ways you can prove your claim-free years, namely:

1. Roy-data system
   If you took out car insurance after September 1, 2007, you will find all your accrued claim-free years in the Roy-data system. This system is a central database in which all insurers in the Netherlands keep their cancellation data. When taking out a new car insurance policy, the insurer will check the data in this system.
2. Cancellation Sheet
   The insurer will send you an expiration notice after you cancel your car insurance. This lists your accrued claim-free years during the term of your insurance. The insurer no longer issues an annulment certificate. This is no longer necessary because the data from the termination statement are placed directly in the Roy-data system by your insurer. Only in case of emigration will the insurance company still issue a paper statement.
3. Lease Statement
   If you have used a leased car, the leasing company may provide a lease statement. A lease statement must meet certain requirements. It explains any damages to your lease car. Most insurance companies accept the lease statement because lease companies generally record damages well.
4. Employer Statement
   The final way to prove your claim-free years is through an employer's statement. An employer's statement must also meet certain requirements. Insurance companies may not accept an employer's statement. Always inform in advance whether your employer's statement will be accepted by the insurer.

If it subsequently turns out that the information you provided is incorrect or incomplete, the insurer may adjust the premium and/or the terms and conditions as of the effective date of the insurance.

What is the Roy data system?

The Roy-data system is a national system that stores cancellation data from insurers. As of September 1, 2007, all insurance companies switched to digitally storing the number of claim-free years accrued by customers. The system covers cars, vans, campers and motorcycles. When you switch to another insurer, the number of accrued claim-free years are passed on by your current insurer to Roy-data. These claim-free years are important for the bonus-malus discount with the new insurer. One of the advantages of the Roy-data system is that it is no longer necessary for you, when changing insurance company, to hand over the paper termination statement to the new company. So losing or not receiving this cancellation statement (bonus-malus statement) is now over.

What does this mean for car insurance?

When taking out a car insurance policy, the insurance company will, on the basis of the number of claim-free years provided by you, check in the Roy-Data system how many claim-free years you have accumulated. If these claim-free years have not yet been claimed by another company, they will be assigned to the new policy. If you want access to your registration in Roy-data, you can download the form 'access to registration Roy-data' at www.seps.nl. On the website of Stichting Efficien Processen Schadeverzekeraars (www.seps.nl), you can find more information about Roy-data.

What about claim-free years with a vintage car?

Classic vintage car insurance does not allow you to accrue claim-free years. On this insurance, insurers use a fixed premium. Therefore, the premium does not change when you drive without claims or in case of damage.

Claim-free years transferable since 1-1-2022

Since Jan. 1, 2022, claim-free years are transferable in some situations. Upon death, for example, they can be transferred to the surviving partner. Also for lease drivers and drivers who have lived abroad for years, it is now possible to transfer claim-free years. This way they do not lose their accumulated claim-free years. You can read more about this new regulation in our blog post.