Site infrastructure · not a building · downtime
Additional structures insurance through Avéro Achmea
A silo, a crane track, a loading dock or a fence stands on your site, but is by no means always covered by the description of the building on your policy schedule.
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Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Extra bouwwerkverzekering via Avéro Achmea.
The calculator and the quote form below are in Dutch. Prefer to do this in English? Email info@finassverzekert. nl or call 072 - 509 24 56 and we will take it from there.
Work out for yourself what it would cost.
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- We compare the offerings of several insurers
- An adviser checks whether the cover suits your activities
- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
In brief
A business site in construction, engineering or industry holds more than just a shed. Think of silos and storage tanks, crane tracks and gantries, weighbridges, loading and unloading docks, fencing and access gates, hard standing, masts, canopies, wash bays and installations on the roof or beside the premises. Such structures that are not buildings often fall outside the description on the buildings policy, in which case they are uninsured against storm, fire or impact. Finass brokers this through Avéro Achmea among others and tests its offering objectively against those of other insurers.
Insuring these items is not only a question of rebuilding costs. For a manufacturing business the downtime is often more expensive than the structure itself: a damaged silo or crane track halts supply, a canopy blown away makes the unloading area unusable. That is why this subject belongs alongside your business interruption insurance. Bear in mind that business interruption cover only follows from physical damage to an insured item; if the structure itself is not covered, neither is the downtime.
So first check what your buildings or premises insurance literally says. Some policies expressly mention foundations, boundary structures and paving, others exclude them or pay only up to a small sub-limit. Ask for the list and fill the gaps with a separate section, instead of relying on the assumption that everything on the site is included.
This page deals with one situation. The full overview is on Compare business interruption insurance.
What to look out for
Four things that determine whether a structure on your site is actually insured.
The description on the policy schedule governs
An insurer covers what is described. If an item is missing from the list, it does not help that it stands on the same site. Have it recorded which structures are involved, with their location, year of construction, material and rebuild value per item. If in doubt, a photograph of the site attached to the policy is a cheap insurance against argument.
Work in progress does not belong here
A structure being built, extended or installed falls under a Construction all risks (CAR) insurance or a erection all risks insurance, not under item cover. Damage during the works, to materials on site or through a fitter's mistake is assessed under those policies. Only add it as an existing item after handover.
What is excluded as standard
Usually excluded are inherent defect and construction faults, gradually acting influences such as corrosion, subsidence, frost damage and wear, and deferred maintenance. Underground pipes, tanks and cables are also often covered only if expressly named. Damage caused by intent remains excluded under Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code.
Liability when a structure fails
If a fence blows over or a canopy collapses and a third party is injured, Article 6:174 of the Dutch Civil Codecomes into play: the possessor of a structure is liable if it does not meet the standards that may reasonably be expected of it. That claim does not run via the item cover but via your public and employers' liability insurance. Maintenance records are your defence.
What does your premium depend on?
- Nature and number of structures: silo, crane track, fencing or paving
- Rebuild value per object: the basis for the sum insured
- Material and year of construction: steel, concrete or timber and the state of maintenance
- Location of the site: wind loading, water levels and surrounding risk
- Use of the machine: heavy traffic increases the chance of impact
- Perils chosen and excess: fire-plus or extended cover
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
What is covered on structures on your site
| Situation | Basic | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| Fire in a wooden loading dock beside the industrial unit | Yes | Yes |
| A supplier's lorry reverses into the weighbridge | No | Yes |
| The canopy above the unloading area gives way after a night of wet snow | No | Provided that |
| Thieves cut the copper cabling out of an installation standing outdoors at night | No | Provided that |
| The hard standing breaks up because tree roots push the asphalt upwards | No | No |
| Supply is halted for three weeks because the damaged crane track may not be used | No | Provided that |
The last row only applies if the structure itself is insured and business interruption cover sits alongside it.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Are solar panels on the roof or on a carport included?
That varies by policy. Panels forming a structural part of the building are often within the buildings cover; panels on a separate structure, a ground-mounted array or a carport usually are not. Ask about it and have it confirmed in writing, including the inverters. Without that confirmation, storm or fire damage leaves you arguing about what counts as a building.
Is storm damage to fencing covered?
Only if the fencing is included in the cover and the policy names storm as an insured peril. Insurers usually apply a wind speed threshold and a separate excess for site infrastructure. Free-standing barriers, garden furniture and signage are often excluded. Ask for the list of insured perils and the sub-limits before you sign.
Can damage to a structure lead to business interruption?
Yes, provided the structure itself is an insured item and the cause is an insured peril. If your supply is halted because an insured silo is unusable after a fire, the business interruption follows from that. If the item is missing from the physical damage cover, the business interruption policy has nothing to attach to and there is no payout for the downtime.
What if a structure was already poorly maintained?
You then run two risks at once. The insurer may rely on deferred maintenance or inherent defect, and an injured third party can hold you liable as possessor under Article 6:174 of the Dutch Civil Code. Record inspections and repairs with dates and invoices. Also report in good time if the condition of an item changes materially, given Article 7:928 DCC.