What is third-party insurance?
With third-party liability insurance, you are insured against damages for which you can be held liable. In other words, damage you cause to others with your car or other vehicle.
All about third-party insurance
TPL stands for third-party liability. With third-party insurance you are insured against damage for which you can be held liable. In other words, damage you cause to others with your car or other vehicle.
In an accident involving a car, the costs can be quite high. To protect accident victims, it is therefore mandatory to have at least third-party insurance.
This third-party insurance does not cover damage to your own car and is therefore also the cheapest car insurance you can buy. By the way, TPL insurance is mandatory for everyone who has a (motor) vehicle in their name. Even if you own a scooter or motorcycle, third-party insurance is mandatory.
What does third-party insurance cover?
So with third-party insurance, only the damage you cause to others is covered. Damage caused by others driving your car is also insured. Damage to your own car is not covered with TPL coverage. The Motor Insurance Liability Act requires car owners to insure the car for liability damages. In case of damage to others, the insured amounts are:
- Minimum of €6,070,000 per accident for damage to persons.
- €1,220,000 per accident for property damage (as of 2017).
Who is subject to the insurance obligation?
As soon as you put a car in your name, you are obliged to take out third-party insurance. So even if your car is not used on public roads. Are you not going to use the car, but refurbish it, for example? In that case you can suspend the license plate. The insurance obligation will then expire temporarily. You can be fined for not insuring your car. This is easy to check. Owners of cars that are registered but not insured with one of the insurers are therefore in violation. Even if someone else drives your car, you, as the license plate holder, are required to have insurance.
Injured parties can claim directly against the insurer
In case of damage, the injured party can directly sue the car's insurer. This is usually done by means of a liability claim. Injured parties have a so-called direct right of action.
Which claims are insured?
As you can tell from the name of the car insurance policy, it only provides coverage for damage to others. Damage to your own car can not be claimed with the car insurance. Insurers are allowed to extend the third-party insurance by, for example, increasing the insured amounts in case of personal injury. A more limited coverage is not allowed. Damages caused by others driving the car are also insured. Even if your car is stolen and an accident is caused with it, the insurer will pay liability damages.
When to choose third-party insurance?
Due to the limited coverage, this car insurance is only recommended for older cars. For a car with a daily value of €1,000, it does not make sense to choose a very comprehensive insurance. Still, you can consider choosing the WA limited casco. The premium is only slightly higher and you get compensation for broken windows and hail damage, for example.
Other coverages
What supplementary insurances are there?
Some additional insurances are very useful. We will explain all supplementary insurances to you. That way, you can make an informed choice.
Compare third-party car insurance
Want to buy third-party car insurance? Then it is wise to compare well. The differences between various insurers can be large. Especially for young drivers, it often pays to compare well. The premium for third-party insurance for 18 and 19 year olds has never been higher. On alpina.nl you can very easily calculate a premium. Enter your details and find out which third-party insurance suits you best.
Which cover suits me?
If you also want to insure damage to your own car, it is better to choose a WA limited-casco or even an All-Risk car insurance. Which coverage suits you depends on a number of factors.
Because of the limited coverage, third-party car insurance is only recommended for older cars. Do you have a brand new car? Then All-Risk car insurance will suit you better. So the age of the car is a determining factor, but certainly not the only one. Also consider:
What is the daily value of the car?
Have you accumulated many claim-free years?
If so, broader coverage is often recommended.
How dependent are you on a car?
Monthly premium
What is the cost of my car insurance?
Coverage comparator
We look at your car, compare a wide range of auto insurance policies and help you choose the appropriate coverage.
Third-party liability (mandatory)
- Free recovery service
- Damage to others
- Theft, joyriding and loss
- Windscreen damage
- Damage by fire or natural disaster
- Own damage caused by a collision
Limited airframe
- Free recovery service
- Damage to others
- Theft, joyriding and loss
- Windscreen damage
- Damage by fire or natural disaster
- Own damage caused by a collision
All Risk (WA+Casco)
- Free recovery service
- Damage to others
- Theft, joyriding and loss
- Windscreen damage
- Damage by fire or natural disaster
- Own damage caused by a collision
Frequently asked questions about third-party insurance
Is third-party insurance mandatory?
You are required by law to insure a car as soon as the license plate is placed in your name. Your details as owner are known to the National Road Transport Office (RDW) from that moment. A car that has already been transferred into your name, but is still at the seller, for example, must be insured in your name from the moment it is registered.
What does third-party car insurance cost?
The premium for third-party car insurance depends on several factors. These include the weight of the car and the age of the driver. Click here to calculate a premium for third-party car insurance.
Does third-party insurance have an excess?
No deductible is normally charged for third-party insurance. In special cases, insurance companies may require an excess on the third-party coverage. You will be informed of this before the insurance is approved.
For example, if you have a deductible of €100, then you will have to pay the first €100 yourself if you drive damage. Anything above that amount will be reimbursed by the insurance company.
Top 5 cheapest third-party insurance policies 2024
If you are going to buy car insurance you are probably looking for insurance that is as cheap as possible. Besides the fact that car insurance should be cheap, it is also important that the car insurance suits your needs. Therefore, we always recommend using a comparison tool. That way you can find out which car insurance suits you best.
€ 95 cheaper on an annual basis
€ 15,-
€ 20,-
€ 25,-
€ 30,-
*The premiums are based on a fictitious person driving a Renault Twingo. The person is a male, 40 years old, based in Goes with 10 claim-free years. The calculation was made in June 2024 with the calculation tool of Alpina.nl
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