Frequently asked questions about warranty and insurance

Should something break after delivery that is covered by the warranty, then in many cases you can simply go to a Dutch brand dealer, because a factory or brand warranty usually applies EU-wide. If it concerns a dealer or Real Garant warranty, then you handle this according to its terms. If you cannot resolve it with the seller, Das Import (car import service from Germany to the Netherlands) can mediate by contacting the German seller, who is expected to come up with a suitable solution. Fortunately, these kinds of situations rarely occur. Are you in doubt about the warranty on a specific car? Feel free to contact one of our advisors.

Various types of warranty may apply to an imported car, depending on the car: - Manufacturer's warranty: for cars up to about 2 to 3 years old, the manufacturer's warranty applies EU-wide, including at a Dutch brand dealer. - Dealer warranty: many (brand) dealers give their own warranty, which is often also valid in the Netherlands. - Real Garant Elite warranty: our supplementary warranty for cars up to 8 years old and a maximum of 120,000 km, as an extension of an (almost) expiring manufacturer's warranty or as a standalone warranty on an older car. Das Import finds out for you per car which warranties apply and which additional coverage is sensible, so that you can drive worry-free. Would you like to know what applies to your car? Feel free to request a no-obligation quote or contact one of our advisers.

Yes, your car is insured for as long as it is with us. From the moment of arrival in the Netherlands, an additional all-risk cover applies, throughout the entire period that your car is stored in our secured premises in Zaandam. You don't have to arrange anything yourself; we make sure your car is safe and covered. Would you like to know more about how we work? Our advisors are ready to help you without obligation.

The Real Garant Elite warranty is a warranty on imported cars from Germany that are up to 8 years old and have driven a maximum of 120,000 km. You can use this warranty as an extension of an expiring (or almost expiring) factory warranty, or as a separate warranty on an older car. We are happy to arrange this for you with your import, so that you can enjoy your car worry-free. Would you like to know whether this is possible for your car? Our advisers are happy to help you further with a quote without obligation.

The Real Garant Elite warranty offers you extensive coverage with no excess per claim and no personal contribution for a warranty repair. The coverage applies throughout Europe and you are free to choose your place of repair; you are therefore not tied to a brand dealer. Repairs are moreover settled quickly. Would you like to know whether this warranty suits your imported car? Our advisers are happy to help you further in a conversation without obligation.

Yes, your car is transported for you on a trailer with all-risk insurance, so that you don't have to worry about this. An important difference compared to many carriers: under standard transport conditions (AVCM/AVC/CMR), damage is only compensated per kilogram, which for virtually every car amounts to substantial underinsurance. Our additional all-risk cover, on the other hand, compensates the actual value up to the purchase amount (standard up to € 40.000, expandable to the full value), with the exception of stone chips and hail during open transport. This cover is included in our service packages, so that the transport and the insurance are fully arranged for you. Would you like to know which package best suits your situation? Our advisors are happy to draw up a no-obligation quote for you.

The three coverages differ in what is insured: - **WA**: the statutory liability, in other words damage that you cause to others. - **WA+**: WA supplemented with limited casco. - **All-risk**: WA supplemented with full casco. Das Import (car imports from Germany to the Netherlands) does not advise on insurance itself, but is happy to put you in touch with our regular intermediary. They can give you suitable advice and often a sharp quote based on the purchase value instead of the new value. Would you like us to make this contact for you? Feel free to get in touch with one of our advisors.

Yes. The manufacturer's warranty rests on the car and is transferable to every subsequent owner, so also to you as the Dutch owner. You can claim the warranty in the Netherlands at the local official brand dealer and do not have to go to Germany for this. The warranty is valid throughout Europe: brands are obliged to honour their manufacturer's warranty in all EU member states, regardless of the country in which the car was originally sold. Manufacturers provide a minimum of two years' manufacturer's warranty; depending on the brand this is often three years or more, and with one manufacturer even seven years. The car must, however, have been maintained according to the manufacturer's specifications, and normal wear and tear is not covered.

No, that is not necessary if you use our services. There are parties that offer a separate, relatively expensive temporary import insurance with 15 days' third-party (WA) cover for cars still on a foreign registration. If you drive the car over yourself, our temporary registration already includes third-party (WA) insurance with a green card; if you have the car transported, our additional all-risk cover applies. This way you save unnecessary costs.

If you wish, we will put you in touch with a partner we work with. They can provide you with a competitive quote for all-risk coverage based on the purchase value of the car instead of the new value, which often results in a sharper premium. Whether you choose third-party liability, third-party liability + limited casco or all-risk, we provide you with honest advice. Please contact us so that we can forward your details.

A Jahreswagen or Werkdienstwagen is a German factory used car that briefly served as a company car for the factory, for example driven by directors or managers of the car brand. These cars come directly from the factory, are usually between 6 and 18 months old depending on the brand, have very low mileage and are very fully equipped. In this way you buy an almost new car from a first owner at an attractive price, with extra strict inspections and additional European warranty options. In the Netherlands these are scarce, in Germany they are widely available.

That depends on the make and the age of the car. The remaining factory warranty is transferred with the car and does not depend on the country in which it was originally delivered. The minimum statutory factory warranty within Europe is two years from the date of first registration.

That depends on the car. For many cars additional warranty can be taken out up to a certain age and mileage. Please contact us for the options that apply to your car.

The premium for additional warranty depends on, among other things, the make, model, age, mileage and specification of the car. We will be happy to draw up a customised quote for this.

Yes. In order to continue to be eligible for the manufacturer's warranty, the maintenance must be carried out according to the manufacturer's specifications.

Normal wear and parts subject to normal usage wear are usually not covered by the manufacturer's warranty. The exact coverage differs per car brand.

No. An imported car is in principle assessed by insurers in the same way as a comparable Dutch car.

That depends on the age, mileage and type of car. For many used cars, supplementary warranty can offer extra security against unexpected repair costs.

In most cases you buy directly from the German seller yourself, which means the purchase falls under German law. If you buy from a commercial party, such as an official brand dealer, a minimum of 12 months Gewährleistung applies: statutory warranty on hidden defects that the seller may not exclude. Since the revision of German purchase law in 2022, a reversed burden of proof also applies during that first year: the seller must prove that the defect was not yet present at delivery. A private seller may exclude that liability, usually with the clause 'gekauft wie gesehen' (bought as seen). Das Import therefore purchases almost exclusively from recognised brand dealers and checks the purchase agreement for unfavourable provisions. For extra certainty we can have an independent pre-purchase inspection carried out in advance. Questions about a specific car? Your import adviser will look into it for you.

In addition to the manufacturer's warranty, many brands also link a mobility or assistance scheme to the car. The conditions vary per brand, but the common thread is: as long as you have the periodic maintenance carried out by an official brand dealer, that breakdown assistance scheme is usually automatically extended each year. If the car has already had dealer maintenance in Germany, the scheme is usually already active. If you have the maintenance done outside the brand network, the mobility guarantee may lapse, even if the manufacturer's warranty itself is still running. The manufacturer's warranty applies EU-wide, so you can also go to a Dutch brand dealer for it. We read out the advertisement for you and find out per car which warranty and mobility schemes apply. Feel free to request a no-obligation quote or contact one of our import advisers.

Yes. A recall runs via the manufacturer and is linked to the car's VIN, not to the country of purchase. An official brand dealer in the Netherlands can therefore usually simply carry out the action, free of charge, regardless of where the car was originally sold. With goodwill actions and warranty extensions it is different: these are not a recall, but a scheme of the manufacturer or of a warranty product. Whether you are entitled to them depends on the conditions and differs per brand and per situation. We cannot make any general commitment about this in advance. Would you like to know whether there is still an open recall for a specific car? Let us know in your request, and we will put this question to the seller and inform you about the warranties that apply to that car.

The additional all-risk cover during transport and storage costs € 75 excluding VAT and is included as standard in the Standaard, Versneld and Deluxe package, up to a purchase sum of € 40.000. So you pay nothing extra for it and do not have to request anything. If the purchase sum is higher, the cover is extended to the full purchase sum. For this, the quote automatically adds € 75 excluding VAT. For a van or delivery vehicle, an additional surcharge of € 250 excluding VAT applies for storage and transport. In your quote every item is stated separately, so you can see where the amount comes from.

With the 5-day German temporary registration (Kurzzeitkennzeichen) that we apply for on your behalf, comes a temporary third-party liability insurance with a green card. That cover applies throughout the entire European Union, so also as soon as you cross the border into the Netherlands, and runs along with the validity period of the registration. Important to know: - It is third-party liability only: damage to your own car is not covered. - The cover cannot be increased to a comprehensive (casco) cover. - Driving on a foreign registration in the Netherlands remains a grey area; we advise applying for the exemption for short-term use. - You apply for an Ausfuhrkennzeichen (red border) yourself on site in Germany; we do not arrange that. If you do not want to run that risk, choose our all-risk insured transport by trailer. Your import adviser will be happy to discuss what is most convenient in your situation.

Your own policy only needs to start at the moment the car is registered in your name, in other words upon Registratie (registration) on a Dutch licence plate. In the Netherlands the insurance obligation applies as soon as a vehicle is registered in your name, even if it is still stationary; a registered and uninsured vehicle results in a fine. In the period before that, during transport and storage, the car is insured by us. So you do not have to pay twice. Practically it works like this: 1. We will notify you in good time when the licence plate and the registration code (the last four digits of the VIN) are known. 2. With those two details you take out the insurance, with a start date on the day of registration or collection. 3. After that you can hit the road with licence plates. If desired, we will put you in touch with our regular intermediary.

We can never guarantee in advance that a used car is completely free of defects, but we limit the risks as much as possible before purchase and also check during and after transport whether the car is delivered as agreed. - We steer towards purchasing from official brand dealers and verified sellers, so that you have more certainty about the origin, history and mileage of the car. - Our import advisers ask the seller, among other things, about the condition of the car, maintenance history, any damage and the current mileage. We also check the purchase agreement for unclear or unfavourable provisions. - We check the available vehicle documents and take care of the complete handling of the import and BPM declaration. - For extra certainty, we can have an independent pre-purchase inspection carried out before transport to the Netherlands. - During transport too, we extensively record the condition of the car. When loading, at least 8 photos are taken all around the car. If any notable damage is observed, we have the seller confirm the established condition of the car on the waybill. Upon delivery, we again take at least 8 photos. We then wash the car immediately and, in clean condition, take at least 8 more photos. This way the condition of the car is recorded at several moments and any deviations or transport damage can be properly established. - With the Versneld and Deluxe package, we additionally carry out a 15- or 30-point check respectively to verify whether the car has been delivered fully as agreed. - If the car still has factory warranty, this is usually also valid in the Netherlands. Additional warranties from German brand dealers are also valid in the Netherlands in most cases. We are happy to check in advance which warranty applies to the specific car and what the conditions are. - If you buy from a commercial German seller, the German statutory Gewährleistung may also apply. The precise rights and conditions depend on the purchase and the seller. Moreover, our involvement does not stop once the car is in the Netherlands. If, unexpectedly, a problem arises after purchase, we are happy to assist you in contacting the German seller, brand dealer or warranty party and help where possible to reach a suitable solution. Which guarantees and rights exactly apply differs per car, seller and agreement. That is why we prefer to review this for you before the purchase.