Expecting a baby: which damage insurances should you adjust?

What changes with a baby in your damage insurances?

When a baby arrives, your household grows, your possessions increase and your liability risks change. The table below gives a quick overview of which damage insurances become relevant and what concrete steps you can take. It's not exhaustive—every household has its own policy mix—but it gives a clear starting point for the adjustments you can make now.

Liability: from single to family cover

One of the most important damage insurances to check is your personal liability insurance (AVP). With a baby at home, your risk profile changes: young children can accidentally cause damage, like a knocked-over vase at grandpa's, a scratch on a parked car or water damage from a clogged bath. If you have an individual AVP, you aren't covered for that. Fortunately, most insurers offer a family cover where all resident children are automatically co-insured—often until age 18, and sometimes until 27 if they're studying. The premium for a family AVP is usually only a few euros per month more than a single policy, while the risk of a claim by a child is real.

Check your policy wording to see whether your AVP has family cover and whether there is a deductible for damage caused by children. Some policies have a specific clause for 'supervision' by children, for example if your child damages a shop product. If you don't yet have a family AVP, this is the moment to switch. Compare policies commission-free so you don't unknowingly pay too much.

Contents: baby items and the insured value

A baby brings a lot of new items: a pram, a cot, a changing table, a baby bath, toys, a car seat, and of course endless clothes. All these items often increase the total replacement value of your contents by €2,000 to €5,000. If your contents insurance is still based on the pre-birth value, you risk being underinsured. In the event of damage from fire, burglary or water damage, the insurer then only pays a percentage of the actual loss—and that can mean thousands of euros less.

• Pram (€500 to €1,500, depending on model and brand)
• Nursery: cot, changing table, wardrobe and mattress (€1,000 to €2,500)
• Car seat or carrycot (€150 to €400)
• Clothes, sheets, blankets and towels (easily €300 to €800)
• Toys, books and care products (another €200 to €500)

Use the contents valuation checklist to estimate your new contents value accurately. Don't forget that your contents insurance often also has an outside-home cover for items you temporarily take with you, like the pram on the street or the car seat in the car. Check whether that cover is sufficient and whether there is a maximum amount per item. If you want to immediately compare your contents insurance commission-free, you can see whether your current premium still fits your new situation.

If you're an expat renting a home, check out the contents insurance guide for expats for an overview of specific rules on personal belongings and outside-home cover. And if you're planning to buy a home for your growing family, the guide for homebuyers is a useful starting point to make sure you don't miss anything.

Car insurance: think about the passengers

Many parents-to-be immediately think of the right child seat when it comes to car insurance, but forget the financial cover for their child as a passenger. A standard WA car insurance only covers damage you cause to others, not to your own passengers. If you have an accident where your baby is injured, medical costs can be high. That's why passenger accident insurance (schadeverzekering inzittenden, SVI) is an important module to check.

If you already have a WA+, Limited Casco or All-risk car insurance, SVI is often an optional module. Your premium usually increases by €2 to €5 per month, but you're then insured for damage to all passengers, regardless of who caused the accident. Also check whether your policy has a second-car arrangement if you buy a larger car because of the baby; you can often transfer your accumulated no-claims years.

Travel insurance: extend your family cover

If you go on holiday or weekend trips after the birth, it's essential that your baby is co-insured on your continuous travel insurance. If you have an individual or couple travel insurance, your child is not automatically covered. You have to add the baby to your policy, just as your partner did when your family grew before. The premium then often goes up to a family travel insurance, but that's a small price for the certainty that medical costs, luggage loss and repatriation are covered.

• Medical costs abroad: the basic health insurance only covers up to the Dutch rate; travel insurance tops it up. A hospital admission for a baby abroad can quickly cost thousands of euros.
• Luggage: the stroller, nappy bag and baby clothes can be lost or stolen. Check the maximum reimbursed amount per item.
• Cancellation: if your baby unexpectedly falls ill and you can't travel, a cancellation module reimburses the costs.

Also consider that as a family you may rent a car abroad more often. Some travel insurances offer a hire-car excess module. Compare your travel insurance commission-free to see if your current cover still suits a family. Don't forget that your child's health insurance must be taken out separately in the Netherlands before the 4th month after birth; that falls outside this damage check.

Common mistakes around baby and insurance

In the rush of preparing for a baby, many parents forget to update their damage insurances. Here are the most common pitfalls so you can avoid them.

• Still having an individual AVP: suppose your child accidentally breaks a visitor's phone—without family cover you pay the damage yourself.
• Not adjusting the contents value: after a fire or burglary you're thousands of euros short because the insurer assumes underinsurance.
• No passenger accident insurance (SVI) on the car: in an accident you have to pay your child's medical costs yourself, while an SVI covers them.
• Forgetting to add your baby to the travel insurance: you think it's automatic, but the policy only lists the previously named persons.
• Relying solely on health insurance for travel: the basic health insurance doesn't cover repatriation of a sick baby or extra accommodation costs.

When an independent check makes sense

A baby changes your household's risk profile. This is exactly the moment not only to check your policies, but also to have a professional take a look. An independent damage insurance check can help you spot overlapping cover, prevent underinsurance and verify whether you're paying too much premium for policies that no longer fit. PolisMoment connects you to one experienced adviser who reviews your situation commission-free—without you having to switch immediately. Read how the free damage insurance check works.

Of course you can also review your policies yourself, but an experienced adviser often spots details you might overlook, such as exclusions for children in your SVI or too low a coverage area on your travel insurance. Also use the annual damage insurance review checklist to check whether all your policies still fit. It's reassuring to know your family is well protected.