Bought a camper? Why own insurance is mandatory

Short answer: is camper insurance mandatory?

Yes, camper insurance is legally required as soon as the licence plate is registered in your name. Because a camper is a motor vehicle, it falls under the Dutch Motor Vehicle Liability Act (WAM). You must at least have WA (third-party liability) insurance that covers damage you cause to others with the camper. Driving uninsured risks a fine of hundreds of euros and you are personally liable for all damage caused. This insurance obligation also applies when the camper is parked on your driveway — unless the registration is suspended (schorsen), the insurance must remain active. A caravan, on the other hand, does not have its own licence plate; it is attached to the towing vehicle. The car's third-party insurance covers third-party damage while towing, but the caravan itself has no own insurance obligation. That fundamental difference is exactly why a camper needs its own policy. What the exact coverage looks like depends on your choice of WA, limited casco or all-risk.

Why a camper requires WA insurance: the own licence plate

The legal basis lies in the WAM: every motor vehicle that can be used on public roads must be insured for liability. A camper has its own RDW licence plate, just like a car or motorcycle. This plate registers the vehicle in your name and triggers the insurance requirement. As soon as you, as the new owner, transfer the licence plate to your name (for instance via the vehicle registration office or online), a WA policy must be active. Insurers check this via the RDW register; if no insurance is recorded, a warning follows and eventually a fine from the CJIB. The fine starts at around €400 for a first offence and increases for repeat violations. Moreover, if you were to cause damage while uninsured, you are fully liable. That can run into tens of thousands of euros in personal injury costs. For camper owners who regularly use the vehicle for holidays in the Netherlands or abroad, WA insurance is therefore not just a legal formality but also essential financial protection. Tip: if you do not use the camper for an extended period, you can suspend the licence plate; this temporarily lifts the insurance obligation and premium payments.

• A camper with its own licence plate falls under the WAM and must have at least WA cover.
• Suspending the licence plate during long periods of disuse prevents unnecessary premiums and fines.
• The insurance must be active before the plate is transferred into your name; arranging it simultaneously is possible.

WA, limited casco or all-risk: which coverage level suits you?

Just like with a car, you can choose from three coverage levels for your camper: WA (third-party liability), WA+ (limited casco) and all-risk (fully comprehensive). WA covers only the damage you cause to others with the camper, not damage to your own camper. Limited casco (WA+) adds cover for events such as fire, theft, storm (typically from wind force 7) and glass breakage. Theft in particular is a real risk; motorhomes are popular with thieves and a limited casco policy pays out the current market value. All-risk goes a step further and also covers damage you cause to your own camper yourself, such as a collision, own-fault damage or vandalism. This is similar to all-risk car insurance but with specific clauses for camping equipment. Premium differences are substantial: a WA policy for a camper worth €30,000 can cost around €20-35 per month, WA+ around €35-55 and all-risk easily €55-100 per month, depending on value, parking location and your claim-free years. Most insurers use a no-claim discount (bonus-malus ladder) that you can build up, just like with a car. That is why it is wise to have your claim-free years applied immediately when you buy; they are transferable from a previous car or camper policy.

*Note: exact cover and premium vary per insurer and policy. The table gives an indication based on common Dutch market conditions; always consult your own policy wording. When you buy a camper older than 6 to 8 years, switching from all-risk to WA+ may be more attractive because the market value is lower. This is similar to the trade-off you make when you compare car insurance without commission. It is also wise to see whether you can add individual modules rather than a full all-risk package, for instance a module for storm and theft cover.

Contents and camping equipment: how to insure them

A camper is full of items you take on trips: clothes, laptops, tablets, cooking gear, camping chairs, an awning and perhaps even a TV. For this loose inventory, the camper insurance is usually not sufficient; you need separate contents cover. Many insurers offer a ‘camper contents’ add-on, but more often your camping equipment simply falls under your regular home contents insurance. Most home contents policies provide out-of-home cover: your belongings are insured worldwide (or within a certain radius) against damage and theft, with a maximum sum that is often a percentage of the insured home contents amount. For example, if you have a home contents sum of €60,000, the out-of-home cover might be up to €5,000 per event. That is sufficient for the average holiday kit. However, there are pitfalls: expensive gadgets such as a laptop or camera sometimes need separate specification or fall under a group-valuation module. Moreover, theft from a locked camper is usually covered, while damage from your own clumsiness (like spilling coffee on your laptop) is not typically part of contents cover. So it is useful to compare home contents insurance without commission beforehand and check whether your current policy provides enough out-of-home cover. You can also take out a dedicated camping equipment insurance from some providers, specifically for damage and theft during travel. For permanently fitted items like an awning, roof hatch or bike rack, they often fall under the camper casco cover provided they are fixed.

• Check whether your regular contents policy has out-of-home cover and what the maximum cover amount is.
• Loose valuables such as jewellery or expensive camera equipment may need separate insurance or specification.
• Permanently mounted accessories (awning, roof rack, bike carrier) usually fall under the camper's casco cover, provided they are listed in the policy.

Taking the camper across Europe: territorial scope and extra covers

With a camper you often cross borders. The standard camper policy has a European territorial scope, but be aware: not every policy automatically covers all European countries. Turkey or Morocco sometimes fall outside, or there may be restrictions for Eastern Europe. Check whether your policy automatically sends a ‘green card’ (international insurance certificate); without this document you may not be allowed to drive in some countries. In addition, the car insurance for third-party liability abroad is generally covered via the Dutch Motor Insurers' Bureau, but damage to your own camper (casco) can be different. Especially if your trip lasts longer, it is wise to have a continuous travel insurance comparison without commission that also covers medical costs abroad, as that falls outside the camper policy. Cancellation and breakdown assistance are also modules that usually run via the travel insurance. Remember that in some countries a vignette or environmental sticker is required, but that does not affect your insurance. For the camper itself, it is advisable to check whether your policy offers breakdown assistance abroad or whether you need to arrange it separately. Some camper policies offer standard European breakdown help with replacement transport, which can be a great advantage.

When is it useful to have your camper insurance reviewed?

Taking out camper insurance is not complicated, but the many providers and options can be overwhelming. Many camper owners only look at the premium, but forget to pay attention to the excess (eigen risico), cover for accessories, depreciation based on market value and, for instance, whether hail or storm damage is covered. Take the situation of a family buying a second-hand camper: they take out a cheap WA+ policy online, but only realise after a break-in that their awning and bike rack are not automatically covered. The damage runs into money and the premium saving turns into a costly setback. By having a content-focused review — for example by having your policies checked via how the free non-life insurance check works — you discover not only where you are paying too much, but also whether your cover still fits your current situation. Has your camper aged? Then you may be able to switch from all-risk to WA+ and save hundreds of euros a year. Did you just buy a new camper? Then all-risk with new-for-old cover is often wise. An independent, commission-free review gives insight without immediately pushing a new policy.

Even if you own multiple vehicles, such as a scooter or moped in addition to the camper, it pays to see if you can combine policies for a package discount. Note: with storm damage to, for example, the spot where the camper is parked (such as a falling tree or fence), the damage may partly fall under your buildings or contents insurance with garden cover, but the camper itself is covered under the camper policy. It is therefore essential to understand how your insurances interrelate and to avoid overlap. An annual review of all your non-life insurances is therefore not a luxury.