Insuring a Delivery Van

An accident can happen at any time, even if you’re paying close attention. With passenger accident insurance, you, your passengers, or your surviving relatives will receive financial compensation. While this doesn’t take away the personal suffering, it can help mitigate the financial consequences.

In the event of permanent disability, the insurer pays a one-time benefit of €15,000. In the event of death, the benefit is €5,000 per driver or passenger. It does not matter who is at fault for the accident. This allows the payment to be processed quickly.

Passenger injury insurance covers personal injury and loss of income that you and your passengers may suffer in the event of an accident. You are insured for up to €1,000,000.

This is also important if you cause an accident yourself. Third-party liability insurance covers damage to others in that case. With third-party liability and comprehensive coverage, damage to your own delivery van is also covered. However, injuries sustained by you as the driver or by your passengers are not always covered under this policy.

Your delivery van is likely indispensable for your daily work. If an accident temporarily prevents you from working, you—as a business owner or self-employed person—cannot always rely on income support. That is why we always recommend this coverage.

Legal expense insurance provides legal assistance in disputes regarding the ownership and use of your delivery van. Examples include help in seeking compensation from the liable party or a dispute with a repair shop over a repair.

Roadside assistance following an accident is included as standard. For assistance in the event of a breakdown while on the road, you can purchase supplemental roadside assistance coverage. With this coverage, you’re guaranteed professional roadside assistance. You can choose from various coverage areas, such as the Netherlands or Europe.

Additional coverage may also be useful for valuable goods or tools. Your own transportation insurance covers damage to goods you’re transporting yourself. For example, if they’re damaged by fire, stolen, or damaged in an accident caused by your own fault.

Your belongings are insured 24 hours a day, even if you leave your tools in your van overnight. This is convenient if you don’t have your own workshop. In the event of theft, your van must be properly locked. There are no alarm requirements.

You are automatically insured for up to €5,000. The premium is €8.33 per month, and the deductible is €100. Would you like to insure a higher amount? You can insure up to €20,000. Please contact our experts for more information.

Do you use the delivery van for courier services? If so, the driving area is usually within the Netherlands. Also, the driver must be over 24 years old.

Do you use the delivery van for meal delivery or rental? Through De Vereende, we can offer mandatory liability insurance for this purpose. You can submit your application directly through our website.

Do you use your delivery van exclusively for personal use? For example, to transport dogs, fishing rods, vacation gear, or other hobby equipment? In this case, personal auto insurance is often sufficient.

That’s possible if you’re not a business owner and aren’t registered with the Chamber of Commerce. If you are a business owner but use this delivery van exclusively for personal purposes in addition to several business delivery vans, you can often insure it as a private vehicle as well.

Is the license plate registered in your name, but do you use the delivery van for business purposes? If so, choose a business delivery van insurance policy. Rates are often lower for business owners than for private owners.

Yes. Just like other vehicles, you must have at least third-party liability insurance for a delivery van as soon as the license plate is registered in your name. Delivery van insurance is required for delivery vans weighing up to 3,500 kg and covers damage to third parties and personal injury. The RDW regularly checks whether your delivery van is insured. If you don’t have insurance in time, you risk a fine. This also applies if the delivery van is still with the seller after the transfer of ownership.

The main difference lies in the type of vehicle. Business auto insurance is intended for a passenger car that you use for business purposes, such as appointments, client visits, or commuting to and from work. Business van insurance is intended for a van that you use for work, such as for transporting tools, materials, or goods.

You can purchase either type of insurance with third-party liability, limited comprehensive, or all-risk coverage. The premium and terms vary, as insurers take into account factors such as the vehicle, the business activity, and how the vehicle is used.

Do you use your delivery van with a gray license plate for business purposes? If so, you’ll need business delivery van insurance. Enter your company information and the details of your delivery van, choose a coverage plan, and compare insurers. Premiums and terms can vary significantly by insurer.

Do you use your delivery van solely for personal purposes—such as hobbies or commuting to work—and are you not a business owner? If so, you can often insure it as a private vehicle.

A company van is often used by multiple employees. Therefore, company employees are permitted to drive the van as long as they have a valid driver's license.

For many companies, it is not known in advance which employee will be driving which delivery van. Therefore, when calculating premiums, it usually does not matter whether a younger or a more experienced driver is behind the wheel of the delivery van.

Different terms and conditions apply to courier services. In general, the driver must be over 24 years of age. Some insurers also charge a higher deductible if a driver under the age of 28 causes damage.

If you transport flammable substances or items that are easy to steal, this may affect your premium. Be sure to mention this when you purchase a van insurance policy. This will help you avoid problems in the event of damage.

Most commercial van insurance policies do not have a maximum annual mileage limit. However, some insurers do distinguish between, for example, a maximum of 25,000 kilometers per year and unlimited driving. When you purchase the insurance, you should therefore provide your expected annual mileage. Do you drive a lot of kilometers? If so, this may affect your premium.

Yes, that’s often the case. Claim-free years work essentially the same way for a delivery van insurance policy as they do for a passenger car. Based on the number of claim-free years, the insurer offers a discount for claim-free driving. Claim-free years determine the amount of your no-claim discount.

For each new insurance policy, the number of claim-free years is retrieved from Roy Data. Claim-free years are recorded by all auto insurers in the Netherlands. You only accumulate claim-free years when you are the insured person on the policy. For each year that you drive without filing a claim, you typically accumulate one claim-free year.

Are you filing a claim for damage that cannot be recovered from another party and is not covered by limited comprehensive coverage? In that case, your no-claims bonus is usually reduced by five years. Do you have more than fifteen years of no-claims history? If so, in the event of a claim, your no-claims bonus will be calculated based on a maximum of fifteen years. After one claim, your no-claims bonus will be reduced to ten years. Your no-claims bonus cannot fall below minus five years.

You can only apply your claim-free years to one vehicle at a time. If you purchase an additional delivery van, you’ll generally start with zero claim-free years for that vehicle. Are you a self-employed professional who owns both a personal car and a delivery van—or multiple delivery vans? If so, please contact us. We’ll determine the most advantageous way to allocate your claim-free years across your vehicles.

VAT and BPM affect the list price used to determine the insurance coverage for your delivery van under limited comprehensive or all-risk coverage.

The BPM exemption applies to delivery vans through January 1, 2025. If you’re a business owner and purchase a nearly new delivery van with a first registration date no later than December 31, 2024, you may be eligible for the BPM business owner exemption under certain conditions. In that case, you won’t have to include the BPM in your insurance coverage.

If you use the delivery van for business purposes, you can deduct the VAT on it. If you can claim the VAT as a business expense, you do not need to include it in your insurance coverage. If you are enrolled in the Small Business Scheme (KOR), you cannot claim the VAT as a business expense and must include it in your insurance coverage.

By excluding VAT and, where possible, the BPM from the insurance coverage, the insured list price is lower. As a result, you generally pay a lower premium for your limited comprehensive or all-risk coverage.

For delivery vans with a first registration date on or after January 1, 2025, the business owner exemption for BPM has been eliminated. If BPM is due, you must include it in the insured list price. For a fully electric delivery van with CO₂ emissions of 0 grams, you do not pay BPM.

A delivery van with a gray license plate offers tax benefits for business use. For example, you’ll often pay less road tax on your delivery van. Do you use the delivery van exclusively for business purposes and not for personal use? A declaration of exclusive business use will prevent you from being subject to the additional tax liability. Be sure to check whether you meet the conditions set by the Tax Authority.