You have handed over the keys and the money has arrived, and one task is still open: the car insurance. Stop it too early and you may be uninsured for a car that is still in your name. Stop it too late and you pay premium for a car you no longer own. If you are moving abroad, there is a third item: the no-claims statement (royementsverklaring) that a new insurer may ask for. The after you sell guide lists every step that follows a sale. This article covers the insurance part in detail.
Why the order matters
In the Netherlands, liability insurance (WA insurance) is required for as long as a car is registered in your name. The RDW, the Dutch vehicle authority, checks this, and a registered car without cover can lead to a fine. The registration decides who is responsible, and the handshake with the buyer has no legal weight here.
So the question to ask is whether the car has left your name. Until the transfer is completed at the RDW, you remain the registered keeper. The RDW page on transferring a number plate to a person’s name explains how the transfer works for the seller and the buyer.
When you sell to us, we collect the car for free anywhere in the Netherlands and transfer it out of your name at the RDW on the spot. You are paid at the handover. In that case the moment the car leaves your name is clear, and you have the proof straight away.
The proof of transfer comes first
After the transfer you receive a proof of transfer (vrijwaringsbewijs). It confirms that the car is no longer registered in your name. Keep it, because it is the document that settles any later question about fines, tolls, parking charges or road tax for the car.
The proof is also what you show your insurer. It gives the date from which you are no longer responsible, and that is the date your policy should end. Without it you can only say that you think the car was sold, which is a weaker position if the buyer is stopped the next day without insurance of their own.
Take a photo of it as soon as you have it.
When to stop the policy
Follow this order:
- Complete the sale and the transfer, and get the proof of transfer.
- Check the transfer date on the proof.
- Contact your insurer and ask them to end the policy from that date.
- Ask for written confirmation of the end date.
Do not cancel before step 1 is done. If you cancel the policy while the car is still registered in your name, you leave a registered car without liability cover. If the buyer has not arranged their own insurance either, that gap can be traced back to you.
Insurers have their own notice rules, and some end a policy automatically once the registration changes while others expect you to report the sale. Do not assume either. Read your policy conditions or ask your insurer which applies, and keep the answer in writing. Dutch insurers usually allow you to report a sale through their app or website, with the number plate and the date of sale.
If you pay your premium monthly, check the last debit after the end date. If you pay for a longer period in advance, ask your insurer how they handle the part you have not used. The rules differ per insurer, and we cannot say what yours will do.
If the car is not sold yet
Sometimes the insurance question comes up before a sale is final. You may be leaving the country soon, or the car may stand unused for a few weeks. In that case you have two honest options.
You can keep the policy running until the transfer is done. This is the simplest option and it keeps you covered.
You can also suspend the registration with the RDW, which means the car stays on private ground and is not driven. A suspended car needs no liability insurance, but the conditions are strict, and fees apply. The RDW page on requesting a suspension sets them out. Suspension is worth considering only if the car will stand for a long time. For a normal sale it is not needed.
Your no-claims statement for a policy abroad
A no-claims statement shows how many years you drove without a claim. In Dutch it is called a royementsverklaring. If you take out a car policy in another country, the new insurer may accept it as proof of your driving record, and it can affect your starting position on the new policy. Whether the new insurer accepts a Dutch statement is their decision, so ask them what they need before you request anything.
To get the statement:
- Ask your current insurer for it, in writing, before or when you end the policy.
- Say that you need it for a policy abroad, and ask for it in English if the new insurer requires that.
- Give the policy number and the end date.
Ask early. After the policy has ended, your insurer has less reason to keep your file ready, and some insurers only give the statement on request. Request it in the same message in which you report the sale, so you have everything in one reply.
Keep the statement together with the proof of transfer and your insurer’s end confirmation. Those three documents are what you will need if the question comes up again.
Road tax and other costs
Insurance is not the only recurring cost tied to the registration. Road tax (motorrijtuigenbelasting) is linked to the car and the owner as well. How the refund works after a sale is covered in our article on the road tax refund after selling, so we do not repeat it here. Also check any parking permit or toll account that uses the number plate, since those do not end by themselves.
What to do next
Once the car is out of your name, the list is short. Keep the proof of transfer, tell your insurer the date, get the end of cover in writing, and request your no-claims statement if you need one. If you would rather sell to us, get an offer and we will tell you what happens at the handover.
Frequently asked questions
Can I cancel my car insurance as soon as I find a buyer?
No. Liability insurance is required while the car is registered in your name. Wait until the transfer is completed and you have the proof of transfer.
Does my insurance end automatically when the car is transferred?
It depends on the insurer. Some end the policy when the registration changes, and others expect you to report the sale. Ask your insurer and keep the answer in writing.
What is a royementsverklaring?
It is a no-claims statement from your insurer. It shows how long you have been insured without claims, and a new insurer abroad may ask for it.
Will a foreign insurer accept my Dutch statement?
That is up to the foreign insurer. Ask them which documents they accept before you request the statement, and ask for an English version if they need one.
Do I get premium back after the sale?
That depends on how you pay and on the insurer’s conditions. Ask your insurer how they treat premium for the period after the end date.
What if the buyer drives away before the transfer is done?
You stay the registered keeper until the transfer is complete, so your insurance must stay in place. When we buy the car, we transfer it out of your name at the RDW on the spot.
