Protected driver cover: are you insured as the driver?
- Automobile CL is mandatory in Luxembourg, but it does not cover the driver for his own bodily injury.
- The protected driver cover fills this gap by applying in the event of an accident, whether you are responsible or not
- It covers medical expenses, disability and death, according to the terms of your contract
- This cover is often optional but included in our "Essentielle" and "Intégrale" Drive auto plans
- If in doubt, consult your special conditions or contact your Baloise agent.
When you buy car insurance, you often assume that you are covered in all circumstances. This is a common misconception and can be expensive.
Automobile civil liability (CL auto), mandatory for any vehicle registered in Luxembourg, has a specific role: it compensates damage caused to third parties, pedestrians, cyclists, passengers of your vehicle or occupants of another vehicle involved. It also applies for property damage (urban furniture, opposing party’s vehicle).
What it does not cover: the driver himself.
In the event of an accident for which you are responsible, your own injuries — fractures, hospitalisation, disability — are not covered either by your automobile CL, or automatically by the National Health Fund (CNS) beyond the standard reimbursement of care.
To sum up:
- Auto civil liability only protects other people, not the responsible driver.
- Your own injuries are not covered either by civil liability cover or fully by the CNS.
- Without protected driver cover, you alone bear the financial consequences of your own personal injury.
For most insurers, protected driver cover is optional cover that you can add to your car insurance policy. With Drive e Baloise car insurance, the protected driver guarantee is included in the essential plan.
It covers you, as a driver, for the bodily injury you suffer in a road accident, whether you are at fault or not.
To better understand the difference, here is a quick comparison:
|
|
Civil Liability (CL) | Protected Driver |
| Main purpose | To compensate third parties for damage caused by the insured vehicle. | To compensate the driver himself in the event of bodily injury or death. |
| Type of damage covered |
|
|
| Compensated person |
Third-party victims of the driver of the vehicle. |
The driver of the insured vehicle, even if he is responsible. |
| Vehicles concerned |
The insured vehicle, according to the law. |
The insured vehicle + replacement vehicle + certain rented or loaned vehicles (car, motorhome, van). |
|
Automatic driver compensation |
No (the responsible driver is not covered by CL). |
Yes, even responsible. |
|
Expenses reimbursed |
Damage to others. | Medical expenses not reimbursed by the CNS, disability, personal injury. |
Who can benefit?
Depending on the contracts and the driver's profile, the guarantee may cover:
- The usual driver of the vehicle (usually the policyholder)
- Any authorised driver, listed or not on the contract, according to the terms and conditions
Auto Drive insurance automatically includes the protected driver's guarantee under the essential plan.
In the event of an accident, the cover is applicable for:
- Medical expenses not reimbursed by the CNS (hospital care, rehabilitation, medical transport costs)
- Costs of reconstructive surgery or prosthesis
- Aesthetic damage and recognised moral harm
Disability
Following disability resulting from the accident, the guarantee provides compensation.
The death of the driver
In the event of death following a road accident, the cover generally provides for:
- Lump sum compensation paid to the beneficiaries (spouse, children)
- Partial or total cover of funeral expenses
Not to be confused
The protected driver guarantee covers only personal injury to the driver. It does not applicable to:
- Property damage to the vehicle (windshield, broken glass): these elements are covered by the property damage guarantee
- Vehicle-specific accessories or fittings
Main exclusions
Like any guarantee, some situations are not covered. Here are the main exclusions you need to know:
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or prohibited substances
- Driving without a valid license or during a suspension
- Damage caused intentionally by the driver
Protected driver cover complements your cover, and does not replace it. Each insurer sets its own conditions and exclusions, which is why it's important to check exactly what's in your policy.
It does not apply in place of:
- The CNS for routine care reimbursements
- Auto CL for damage to other people
- Dedicated disability or death insurance taken out elsewhere
It exclusively covers personal injury suffered by the driver in a traffic accident involving the insured vehicle. It does not apply on public transport: the guarantee protects you at the wheel, not on the bus or train.
- Have you taken out Drive Essentielle or Intégrale insurance? This guarantee is automatically included in your contract.
- Consult your special conditions: the protected driver guarantee is explicitly mentioned if it is subscribed
- Check the scope of cover: guaranteed amounts, exclusions, possible deductible
- Identify covered drivers: the usual driver only, or any authorised driver?
- Contact your Baloise agent if you are unsure about your level of protection
Want to check your cover or add the protected driver option to your policy? Contact a Baloise Luxembourg agent or visit your customer area.
Text originally published in January 2022, updated in February 2026
No. CL Auto only covers damage to other people (pedestrians, passengers, third parties, other vehicles). It does not protect the driver of the responsible vehicle.
It covers the driver's bodily injury in the event of an accident involving the insured vehicle. It applies whether the driver is responsible or not.
The cover applies if you are injured:
- while driving,
- getting in or out of the vehicle,
- while loading or unloading luggage,
- while performing a small repair or participating in troubleshooting,
- while assisting an accident victim,
- in the event of an assault related to a theft of the vehicle (e.g. car-jacking),
in the event of accidental inhalation of gases or vapours from the vehicle.
It covers:
- any authorised driver of the vehicle,
- the usual driver, including when using a replacement vehicle made available after a claim or during a stay abroad.
The guarantee can cover:
- medical expenses not reimbursed (hospitalisation, surgery, rehabilitation, prostheses),
- financial losses related to temporary or permanent disability,
- the necessary adjustments to the home in the event of long-term disability,
- certain types of harm: aesthetic, moral ...
Compensation may be paid to the beneficiaries for:
- funeral costs,
- the economic damage suffered by the family,
- moral harm.
Yes, this is precisely its role: to protect the driver even when he is responsible or when no responsible third party is identified.
No. It covers only personal injury to the driver.
Property damage (bodywork, broken glass, theft, etc.) is covered by other guarantees of the automobile contract.
Yes, like any guarantee, it does not cover accidents that occur when the driver:
- doesn't have a valid license,
- drives under the influence of alcohol or narcotics,
- refuses a screening test,
- commits an intentional act, a challenge or a reckless act.
Failure to wear a seatbelt or corrective eyewear may reduce compensation.
Yes, when this situation is provided for in the contract: cover may extend to a vehicle rented temporarily or made available in the event of a breakdown or accident.
Because without this guarantee, the driver alone bears the financial consequences of an accident for which he is responsible: care not reimbursed, loss of income, disability, etc.
CL only covers others.