Liability insurance for Dutch freelancers: AVB, BAV or both?
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Detailed explanation, checklist and sources
AVB and BAV insure different risks. Start with your activities and possible damage, check obligations and read the actual policy. This checklist neither selects insurance nor confirms cover.
On this page
1. Describe activities and risks
Record your actual work: advice, design, execution, products or visiting clients. Include additional activities, employees and hired people. Check activities with both KVK and the insurer; an SBI code alone does not prove cover. Private liability insurance does not cover business activities.
2. Distinguish AVB and BAV
AVB generally concerns injury or damage to others’ property and possible resulting financial loss. BAV concerns pure financial loss from a professional error, such as an incorrect calculation without physical damage. Both risks can coexist. A claim or insurance does not establish legal liability.
KVK · Bedrijfsaansprakelijkheid ↗
3. Check obligations
AVB is not generally required by law, but clients or trade bodies may require it. Certain professions have BAV obligations under law or professional rules. Check your specific rules and contract before signing: amount, evidence and activities. A contractual requirement does not guarantee insurability or cover.
KVK · Bedrijfsaansprakelijkheid ↗
4. Compare policy and contract
Compare the schedule, terms and any insurance information document with your contract. Ask about insured activities, people, limits, deductible, countries and exclusions. Separately check own losses, redoing work, intent, fines, borrowed items and additional contractual liability; assume no standard cover. The summary document does not replace full terms.
Ondernemersplein · Beroepsaansprakelijkheid ↗
KVK · Beroepsaansprakelijkheid ↗
5. Check changes and existing claims
When adding activities, switching or stopping, ask in writing which events, errors and notifications remain insured. For an existing incident or claim, record dates, facts, contract and correspondence and follow the notification process. Do not assume a new policy solves existing damage. Assess liability and cover separately.
KVK · Bedrijfsaansprakelijkheid ↗
6. Keep your comparison and seek help
Use the checklist to record question, policy clause, answer and unresolved issue. Discuss suitable cover with an insurer or qualified adviser; we compare no products or prices and arrange nothing. For a legal dispute over liability or terms, use our own help request. Do not share complete client files here.
Is an insurance certificate enough to establish cover?
No. It does not prove every activity, loss or period is insured. Compare the contract with the schedule and terms; ask for written clarification.
Documents to prepare
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Activities and additional work
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Record what happened, when, the response and where to find the letter, message or photo. Mark uncertain dates.
Is my evidence sent?
No. You only note where it is kept. No files are uploaded or sent automatically.
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For each event, note the date, what happened and where the evidence is kept. Example: 3 October — letter received — correspondence folder.
Describe the solution you would like, such as an explanation of a deduction and repayment of the outstanding amount.
For example: which document is missing, who can provide it and what should I do first?
Record the date and its source. If unknown, note this and check promptly. This tool does not calculate or monitor deadlines.
After your conversation
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- Activities and additional work
- Types of damage and people involved
- Professional rule or contract requirement
- Policy version, exclusions and deductible
- Incident/notification dates and written answers
- Open questions and appropriate help
Contact with a lawyer
You can use the chat and information without a phone number. A contact request requires a phone number, a verified email address and your wish for telephone contact. Our team assesses which partner fits your question. Data is shared only under the stated consent procedure. A partner or engagement is not guaranteed.
View the current application processSources
Need personal assistance? Request a lawyer through our chat. We explain the next step; submitting a request does not engage a lawyer. The links below support the legal information.
KVK · Bedrijfsaansprakelijkheid ↗Ondernemersplein · Beroepsaansprakelijkheid ↗KVK · Beroepsaansprakelijkheid ↗Ondernemersplein · Bedrijfsaansprakelijkheid ↗AFM · Voorwaarden en vergelijking ↗Sources may be in Dutch. General information about Dutch law, not individual legal advice.