Your insurer changes premiums or terms: establish what is changing first

1. Separate renewal from a change during the term

Find the start and renewal dates on the policy schedule. Compare these with the date when the letter says the change takes effect. Monthly payments do not mean that a new insurance period starts every month. Payment frequency and contract period are different facts. Ask for clarification if the letter appears to use one to explain the other.

The AFM distinguishes changes on renewal from changes during the term under an en-bloc clause. Such a clause may concern a group of policyholders. Mentioning this possibility does not establish that a clause applies in your own contract or is being used lawfully. Ask which wording the insurer relies on, which group is affected and why the chosen timing fits.

There is a third question: did the amount change through an already agreed mechanism, such as indexation or a discount arrangement? First check what was actually agreed and whether the calculation follows it. Do not assume without examination that every price movement is a new variation decision, or that calling it indexation answers every legal question.

2. Request the basis and a usable comparison

Keep the complete announcement, attachments, old policy and new version. Record the terms and version codes mentioned. Ask which contractual power the insurer uses and where it considers your position better or worse. A general statement that costs are rising does not show what changes in your particular cover.

Compare matters individually: insured risk, excess, payment limit, exclusion and duties when claiming. An unchanged premium may accompany reduced cover. A higher premium may involve several other changes. This comparison does not value the insurance; it identifies what your question or objection concerns.

The general guide to reading policy terms helps with an unclear definition or exclusion. This article starts one step earlier: why a different agreement is being introduced, by which route and with what information for the policyholder.

3. A variation clause is not an unlimited licence

A clause appearing in the policy does not itself answer every question about its substance and use. Article 6:233 of the Dutch Civil Code (BW) provides, among other things, for avoidance of a standard term that is unreasonably onerous in view of the agreement, formation, interests and other circumstances. A concrete assessment is necessary. This differs from declaring all terms invalid simply because you consider the new price excessive.

Article 6:248(2) raises another question: can a rule binding the parties be disapplied in the circumstances because its application would be unacceptable by standards of reasonableness and fairness? Distinguish assessment of the clause from assessment of its use. An objection becomes clearer when you identify the problem and the facts supporting it.

Our analysis is that a useful change letter should do more than name a power. Its recipient needs to understand the decision and respond specifically. Equally, not every unwelcome change is legally impermissible. Seek the missing information and assessment of the actual dispute rather than simply asserting that the original price must remain forever.

4. Cancellation rights matter, but do not copy a deadline from an example

Article 7:940(4) BW gives the policyholder a cancellation right when terms change to the detriment of the policyholder or person entitled to payment: cancellation as of the effective date and, in any event, during one month after notification. Article 7:943(3) protects this against detrimental departure where a natural person insures outside their trade or profession. This is a statutory starting rule, not a calculated end date for your policy.

Application requires examining the change, when and how it was notified, your product and any more favourable arrangements. A month is not necessarily thirty days. Do not borrow a deadline from an old letter, online example or different product. If unsure, seek assessment of your documents promptly rather than waiting for lengthy correspondence to finish.

A complaint and cancellation are different actions. State clearly whether you request information, dispute the change or actually wish to terminate. Use an evidenced channel and ask for confirmation. An unclear statement that you agree to nothing does not automatically establish the end date or continuation of old cover.

5. You do not need every cost component to ask a focused question

Kifid’s knowledge document distinguishes understandable explanation on renewal from access to exact calculations of every premium component. Dated 24 July 2020, it is background information, not a new ruling on your policy. We do not use its historical example figures as a benchmark for permissible increases today.

First ask which reason the insurer gives for your change and how this relates to the clause and revised policy. Does your objection concern a lost discount, incorrect information or a new exclusion? Identify each separately. Arguing about all internal business costs may otherwise distract from a visible issue in your own documents.

The counterargument deserves attention: without all the figures, a customer may feel powerless. That is understandable but does not itself create unlimited access rights. A focused request for the applicable wording, change and explanation produces a file that is easier to assess. A complex calculation may require expert help to establish what information is missing.

6. Assess switching by cover as well as price

A cheaper alternative is useful only if its cover and actual acceptance are clear. Compare excesses, limits, exclusions and relevant use. An application or quotation does not provide the same certainty as accepted insurance with an established start date. The AFM also advises comparing terms.

Do not casually cancel essential insurance while replacement cover is uncertain. Answer the new insurer’s questions honestly and fully. This article does not choose an insurer for you. It helps build a decision file showing both the disputed change and the practical continuity of protection.

A disputed payment needs separate consideration. Refusing payment in protest may create an additional arrears dispute. If urgent, discuss how to protect your position and necessary cover. The guide to cancelling insurance covers implementation separately.

7. Fictional example: Sara receives a different excess

In this invented example, Sara has home insurance. She receives a higher-premium notice and assumes it only reflects rising costs. The attachment also increases the excess for a particular cause of damage. Her schedule shows a different renewal date from the notice’s effective date.

Sara gathers both versions and asks which power is used, why that timing applies and how the premium and excess each change. She also asks what termination option applies. Meanwhile she compares an alternative but checks acceptance and cover before deciding about her old policy.

The example predicts neither a refund nor invalidity. Different dates may need explanation without determining the outcome. It shows why comparing two premiums alone is insufficient. A specific issue emerges only when announcement, contract period, terms and desired next step are considered together.

8. Make the objection concrete and retain what you sent

A useful request could say: ‘Your notice gives this effective date, while my policy states a different renewal date. Which clause are you using, which old and new terms apply, and what cancellation option do you consider available?’ Attach relevant documents and follow up on actual differences.

Keep the original email, files and sending or receipt confirmation. A document later changed in an online account may otherwise be hard to compare. Do not create a new version pretending it was received earlier. A brief chronology with references helps a complaint more than an unsorted mass of messages.

An internal complaint procedure may be a next step. If disagreement continues, seek assessment of accessible and suitable external routes. This guide guarantees access to neither Kifid nor a court and calculates no complaint deadline. A claim for damage already sustained remains a separate file: a later variation does not automatically determine its historical cover.

9. Gather six items for a decision meeting

The key question is not simply whether an insurer may change something. Ask which route is actually being used, whether it meets requirements and what a response means practically. Bring:

• The policy schedule with contract period and renewal date.
• Old terms, special clauses and agreed calculation rules.
• The complete change notice, new terms and receipt information.
• A comparison of premium, cover, excess and exclusions.
• Your questions, objection and dated responses.
• Details of essential replacement cover and outstanding claims.

This helps an adviser identify missing facts and possible legal issues. For broader checks of people, use and amounts insured, see checking your policy. Careful preparation provides control, not a guarantee of unchanged price or cover.

Sources and limits

Consulted on 26 October 2026: Articles 7:940 and 7:943 BW in the official version effective from 8 October 2026; Articles 6:233 and 6:248 in the version effective from 16 July 2026; current AFM consumer guidance; and Kifid’s knowledge document dated 24 July 2020. Only the relevant statutory articles were substantively read, not the entire codes. No new court case was investigated or judgment scan completed for this general guide.

Legal status: this text has not yet been reviewed by a legal professional or lawyer. It gives general information, not an assessment of your cancellation date, premium owed or insurance cover.