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- Not the market value
- Not the WOZ value (the Dutch property valuation)
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Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for a second home
A second home stands empty for most of the year, and it is precisely that absence which determines how insurers accept the property.
- several insurers compared objectively
- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
- AFM licence 12016589
- Personal 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 9–17
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Work out for yourself what it would cost.
Enter your details; you will receive a proposal within one working day.
- We compare the offerings of several insurers
- An adviser checks whether the cover suits your situation
- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
- Independent advice
- Several insurers
- Switching arranged
- Help with claims
In brief
A second home is an ordinary house that is not your main residence: a house in this country you use at weekends, a parental home you kept on, a property you bought for later. In structural terms there is nothing special about it. What changes the risk is that nobody comes for weeks, so that a small fault grows into a large loss before anyone notices.
Insurers translate that into an unoccupancy or absence clause. If the property stays unoccupied for longer than the period stated in the conditions, the cover narrows to a short list of perils: usually fire, lightning strike, explosion and storm. Water damage, break-in damage and vandalism then fall outside it. That narrowing takes effect automatically; no letter is sent.
If you use the property recreationally on a park or chalet site, it belongs with a different product; see holiday home insurance or buildings insurance for a holiday home. If the property really stands empty for a long time without being used, read buildings insurance for an empty property.
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What does buildings insurance for a second home cover?
The structure of the cover in three parts, with an overview per situation below.
What is included
Everything permanently attached to the building.
- Building and installations
- Outbuildings
- Boundary fences
Extensions
What is excluded as standard.
- Glass
- Garden landscaping
- Inherent defect and foundations
What is covered
| Situation | Standard | With extension |
|---|---|---|
| Fire, smoke and lightning strike | Yes | Yes |
| Storm from force 7 upwards | Yes | Yes |
| Water damage from a burst pipe | Yes | Yes |
| Glass breakage | Sometimes | Yes |
| Groundwater coming through the floor | No | No |
| Wear and deferred maintenance | No | No |
This overview is general in nature and is not personal advice. What is actually covered, including exclusions, limits and the excess, is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) of the insurer; you receive both before you take out cover. Taking out cover without advice? Then read what execution only means for you.
What does your premium depend on?
- Frequency of occupation. The number of weeks a year that someone stays there and the longest period without a visit are the most heavily weighted details.
- Location of the building. A detached house outside a built-up area means a longer response time for the fire service than a house in a terrace.
- Frost protection. A drain cock, frost protection or a thermostat that can be read remotely reduces the chance of a pipe burst running on.
- Security and supervision. Locks and fastenings, a monitored alarm and a key holder nearby all count towards acceptance.
- Construction type and roof covering. An unoccupied property with thatch or timber construction is judged more cautiously than a brick house with tiles.
- Peril cover chosen. If you accept the narrowing to fire and storm during absence, the premium is lower than on a policy that keeps the full cover running.
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
How we arrange it
- You request a quoteWe take stock of your situation, your risk and your wishes.
- We compareseveral insurers, on premium as well as conditions.
- You receive a proposalWith an explanation of the differences and the exclusions.
- We arrange the switchIncluding cancellation, so there is no gap in cover.
Why arrange it through Finass Verzekert?
We look at the terms as well as the premium, and stay your point of contact when there is a claim.
Independent
We are not tied to one insurer and compare on the basis of an objective analysis of several companies.
One fixed adviser
You call or email someone who knows your file. No menu options, no changing call centres.
Switching without hassle
We cancel your old policy and align the start date, so you are never a day without cover.
Help with claims
We report the claim and monitor how it is handled. In urgent cases you can reach us on the emergency line.
9.5New policy
9.8Claims handling
Customers rate our service on four aspects: personal service, service delivery, availability and the outcome. The reviews are collected and published by NH1816 and come from customers who have actually taken out a policy with Finass Advies B.V. or reported a claim.
Where things go wrong in practice
Four points that make the difference between a policy that pays out and one that does not.
State honestly how often you are there
Acceptance depends on the number of weeks the property is occupied and on the longest unbroken period when nobody comes. If you say monthly and it turns out to be twice a year, that is an incorrect declaration with the consequences set out in Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code. If your pattern of use changes, for example because you have moved or are clearing the property for sale, declare it immediately.
Frost is the biggest risk in an unheated house
A burst pipe in an empty house runs for weeks and destroys floors, ceilings and installations. Virtually every policy therefore requires you to drain the water pipes and empty the system during the heating season, or to maintain a minimum temperature. If you did not take that measure, the damage is excluded on the ground of negligence. Record when you drained the system, for example with a dated photograph of the meter reading.
Without supervision, break-ins are judged more strictly
A property with no car outside for weeks is visibly unoccupied. With a second home, insurers more often ask for sound locks and fastenings, sometimes for a monitored alarm. Theft without signs of forced entry is not paid for, and on many policies vandalism falls away as soon as the absence clause takes effect. A key holder nearby who checks periodically helps both with acceptance and with limiting the loss.
Use other than your own stay must be declared
If you let family, friends or a house-sitter stay in the property, that hardly changes the risk. If you let it out, even for a few weekends a year, it does: that is commercial use and falls outside a policy for own use. See buildings insurance where the property is let. A study in which you receive people for business purposes also belongs on the application form.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
How long may my second home stand empty?
That differs by insurer and is set out in the conditions as a number of consecutive months. If that period is exceeded, the cover automatically narrows to a few basic perils such as fire and storm. There is no warning. You only notice when you claim. Ask for the exact period and put it in your diary.
Is frost damage covered or not?
Damage from a burst pipe is covered, provided you took the prescribed measures. If you did not drain the water and did not maintain a minimum temperature, the insurer relies on negligence and the damage remains at your expense. With a second home this is checked more strictly than with a permanently occupied house.
What is the difference from a holiday home?
A holiday home stands on a site with a recreational designation, often on a park with its own rules and a manager. A second home has an ordinary residential designation and stands among other houses. That difference determines which product applies and which acceptance questions are asked about the pitch and the park rules.
Do I have to insure the contents separately?
Yes, because the contents policy for your main home does not cover belongings at the second address, or does so only to a very limited extent. For a second home you take out separate contents cover, in which the theft risk weighs more heavily because of the absence. Preferably do not leave valuables behind in a property where nobody comes for weeks.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
- Holiday home insuranceThe main page
- Insuring a second home: buildings, contents and liabilityLimited occupation, standing empty, frost damage
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for a holiday homeHoliday policy, letting, abroad
- Insuring a holiday homeStanding empty, letting, park conditions
- A mortgage for a second homeBox 3, part-time occupation, letting
Read more
Ready to compare?
Request a quote without obligation. We will look at which insurer best matches your activities and your risk.
Prefer to call? 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 09:00–17:00.
Claim on the road? Emergency line 06 - 55 20 40 72.
About our service
Finass Verzekert is a trading name of Finass Advies B.V. We advise on and arrange non-life insurance on the basis of an objective analysis of several insurers, and receive commission for this from the insurer, which is included in the premium. You pay no separate advice fee. Before you take out cover, we establish your wishes and needs.
You will find our licence, KvK and Kifid details and our complaints procedure at the foot of every page.
This page was compiled by Finass Verzekert (LinkedIn). Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.