The sum insured
- Not the WOZ value or the purchase price
- Value calculator, address scan or valuation
- Guarantee against underinsurance where the figures are correct
- Annual indexation keeps the sum up to date
Frequently asked questions about buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)
Four subjects come up again and again with buildings insurance: the rebuild value, the line with home contents, what is not covered and how reporting a claim works. The answers are set out together below.
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In brief
The question asked most often concerns the sum insured. It is equal to the rebuild value: what it costs to build a similar property again to current building standards, excluding the land. So not the WOZ value and not the sale price. If you complete the valuation tool in full, the insurer will usually give guarantee against underinsurance and the claim cannot be reduced because the sum insured is too low.
The second question concerns the line with home contents. That line follows one rule of thumb: if it moves with you it is contents. If it stays put it is buildings. So a glued-down floor, the fitted kitchen and the boiler are buildings, while furniture, curtains and loose appliances are contents. In a flat, the VvE (Dutch owners' association) insures the building and you insure your own contents and your own improvements.
The third question concerns what is not covered, and for many people that is the most unwelcome part. Settlement, pile rot, poor maintenance, wear, structural faults, vermin and intent are excluded by almost every insurer. See also how the premium is made up.
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The three subjects that prompt most questions
Anyone who understands these three understands most of the policy.
Buildings or home contents
The moving rule settles almost every borderline case.
- Stays put: buildings
- Moves with you: contents
- Glued-down floor and fitted kitchen: buildings
- Sofa, curtains and washing machine: contents
What is not covered
A fixed group of causes falls outside the cover with every insurer.
- Subsidence, foundation damage and pile rot
- Deferred maintenance and wear
- Structural faults and vermin
- Intent and recklessness (Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code)
What is covered
| Situation | Extended | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|
| Fire, storm and water damage to the home | Yes | Yes |
| Burglary damage to doors and frames | Yes | Yes |
| Your own mishap while doing DIY | No | Yes |
| Breakage of glass in windows and doors | Provided that | Provided that |
| Damage during renovation or a long period of vacancy | Provided that | Provided that |
| Subsidence, pile rot and deferred maintenance | No | No |
What is actually covered, including exclusions, limits and the excess, is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) that you receive before you take out cover.
What does your premium depend on?
- Rebuild value: the main basis for calculation
- Construction type and roof covering: brick, timber or thatch
- Year of construction and state of maintenance: older premises, higher risk
- Postcode area: burglary, storm and water risk
- Type of cover and excess: extended or comprehensive
- Use and claims history: occupation, letting, previous claims
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
How we arrange it
- You request a quoteWe take stock of your situation, risk and 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.
The four answers needed most often
The points on which people are most surprised after a claim.
No, the WOZ value is not the sum insured
The WOZ value approximates the market value including the land; buildings insurance works with the rebuild value excluding the land. Those amounts differ, and not always in the same direction: with an old or listed property the rebuild value is often higher. So use the insurer's valuation tool or, for an unusual property, a survey under Article 7:960 of the Dutch Civil Code.
Yes, you have to report changes
An extension, dormer window, solar panels, room letting, a business at home or a long vacancy changes the risk and often the rebuild value as well. When you take out the policy, the duty of disclosure under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code; a breach can reduce the payout or cause it to lapse under Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code. Reporting costs a phone call and sometimes a little premium. Not reporting costs you the claim.
No, comprehensive does not mean everything
With comprehensive cover unnamed sudden causes are covered as well, such as paint on the floor or drilling through a pipe. The exclusions remain in full force: settlement, damage to foundations and pile rot, poor maintenance, wear, faults in construction and materials, vermin, mould and slow-acting damp. Flooding caused by the failure of a primary flood defence also falls outside any ordinary buildings cover.
After damage: limit it first, then report it
First make sure the damage does not get worse: turn off the stopcock, cover a hole in the roof, call the police after a break-in. Then report the damage as quickly as is reasonably possible. That is required by Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code. Take photographs, keep damaged parts and throw nothing away before the loss adjuster has been. Keep invoices for maintenance and repairs.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Is my shed or garage insured as well?
Usually yes, if the structure stands on the same plot and was included on the application form. Outbuildings are often subject to a maximum or a separate entry on the policy schedule. A free-standing timber shed, carport or garden house is not always included automatically; check that expressly, certainly after building work or new construction in the garden.
Are solar panels covered by buildings insurance?
Panels fixed to the roof belong to the buildings and are usually insured, provided you have reported them and the sum insured has been adjusted. If you do not report them, underinsurance can arise. Some insurers use a separate section or a maximum. For hail or storm damage, the ordinary excess applies.
Who pays for damage caused by my tenant?
Damage to the building falls under the owner's buildings insurance. If the tenant caused the damage, the insurer can recover it from them. The tenant is usually covered for this through their liability insurance. It is important that you reported the letting when you took out the policy, otherwise the cover can be called into question.
What if I disagree with the loss adjuster?
You can appoint your own loss adjuster on your own initiative; many policies pay those costs within limits. If the two adjusters cannot agree, they jointly appoint a third adjuster whose decision is binding. If you still disagree with the insurer, you can put the complaint to Kifid (the financial services complaints institute) or to the courts.
Can my insurer cancel the policy after a claim?
It can, within the provisions of the policy conditions, for example after repeated claims or in cases of fraud. Cover can also be suspended or ended for non-payment. If that happens, arrange a new policy straight away: living uninsured is a risk that your mortgage lender will not accept under the contract either.
Does the cover also apply during building work?
Often in a limited form, and only if you report the work in advance. During building work, insurers regularly limit cover to fire, storm and lightning, and exclude damage caused by the work itself. For larger projects there is a separate construction or contract works policy; have it assessed in advance what you need in your case.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
- Compare buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)The main page
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering): what is it and what does it cover?Rebuild value, building, exclusions
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for your own home: what counts as buildings and structures?Rebuild value, outbuildings, excess
- What does buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) do?Rebuild value, damage to the building, exclusions
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering): rebuild value and exclusionsBuilding, rebuild value, mortgage requirement
- The basics of buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)Structure, rebuild value, contents
- How long does buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) run for?Rolling contract, cancelling, switching
- What does buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) cover?Covered perils, forms of cover, additional costs
Read more
Is your question not listed?
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Prefer to call? 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 09:00–17:00.
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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.