Omnium
In Belgium, omnium means motor insurance covering damage to your own vehicle, on top of the compulsory third-party liability cover. A full omnium pays even when you are the party at fault; a mini-omnium is limited to a closed list of perils such as theft, fire and glass breakage. You will see the word on every Belgian policy.
Full omnium against mini-omnium
A mini-omnium covers named events: theft, fire, glass breakage, natural forces, collision with an animal. It does not pay for damage from an accident you caused, which is the event most drivers assume they are insured against.
A full omnium adds that guarantee, usually called material damage. It responds when you are at fault, when the other party cannot be identified, and when there is no other party at all.
The contents of the mini-omnium list vary noticeably between Belgian insurers. Comparing those lists is more informative than comparing two premiums, because it is where two apparently equivalent contracts actually differ.
Frequently asked questions
Is an omnium compulsory in Belgium?
No, only third-party liability is compulsory. An omnium is nonetheless frequently required by the lender when the vehicle is financed by a loan, because it protects the value of the asset securing that credit.
How does the depreciation clause work?
After a total loss the insurer pays a value defined in the contract, not the purchase price. Some policies hold a near-new value for an initial period, others apply a reduction from the first month. This clause decides what the cover is worth.