Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for a thatched roof
With a thatched roof you are not buying wider cover but a policy with homework: the prevention conditions on your policy schedule determine whether a claim is paid after a fire.
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In brief
Thatch does not ignite by itself, but once it is alight the thatch layer is lost within a short time and usually the building beneath it as well. This is therefore the only type of home where insurers systematically use warranty clauses: specific requirements for the structure and its maintenance that are set out as a condition in the policy, and failure to comply with them voids the fire cover.
Those requirements almost always concern the chimney and the heating appliance, whether the roof has open or closed roof boarding and periodic sweeping with proof of it. For larger properties, detection or a sprinkler system is added. The market is narrower than for tiled roofs; not every insurer accepts thatch.
Finally, thatch is a value factor that changes. A new thatch layer raises the rebuild value considerably, while an ageing layer can lead to additional requirements. Both moments are a reason to have the sum insured reassessed.
What does buildings insurance for a thatched roof cover?
The structure of the cover in three parts, with an overview per situation below.
Most chosen
Extended cover
The named perils: fire, storm, water, burglary and collision.
Fire, smoke and lightning strike
Storm from force 7 upwards
Water damage and leakage
Burglary damage
Widest form of cover
Comprehensive
All sudden and unforeseen damage from outside, unless excluded.
Unnamed causes included
A small mishap while doing DIY
Less discussion when you claim
The essentials
Basis of value
Rebuild value with a guarantee against underinsurance, or a valuation.
Rebuild value calculator
Valuation under 7:960 DCC
Guarantee on your policy schedule
What is covered
Situation
Extended
Comprehensive
Fire, smoke and lightning damage
Yes
Yes
Storm damage from force 7 upwards
Yes
Yes
Water damage from a burst pipe
Yes
Yes
Burglary damage to doors and frames
Yes
Yes
Drilling through a pipe while doing DIY
No
Yes
Subsidence, pile rot 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.
Where things go wrong in practice
Four points that make the difference between a policy that pays out and one that does not.
The chimney is where things go wrong
Sparks from a masonry or uninsulated flue land in the thatch and smoulder there. Insurers therefore require an insulated chimney of sufficient height, a spark arrester with the prescribed mesh size and annual sweeping by an accredited firm. If you burn wood, extra requirements often apply to the stove and its connection. These points appear word for word on your policy schedule and are not recommendations.
Keep the sweeping certificate, even if nothing happens
After a fire in the roof, the loss adjuster's first question is when the chimney was last swept and by whom. If you cannot demonstrate that, the discussion shifts from the cause to compliance with the warranty clause, and that is a discussion about the whole payout rather than part of it. Keep invoices and certificates going back several years, and record when the appliance was inspected as well.
Open or closed roof boarding changes the underwriting
With open boarding, the thatch lies directly on the battens and fire from inside can reach the thatch unhindered. Closed, fire-resistant boarding slows this down and is assessed considerably more favourably by insurers. If you are having the roof renewed, that is the moment to change the construction; retrofitting insulation under existing thatch is rarely possible. Report the change, as it affects both the underwriting and the conditions.
What is not reimbursed
Replacing thatch that has reached the end of its life through ageing, moss, algae or rot counts as maintenance and is excluded. The same applies to damage caused by birds or vermin pulling at the thatch, and to drying out and shrinkage. If a fire starts while a prevention condition has not been met, for example because the chimney has not been swept for years, the insurer can refuse to pay. Fire baskets and barbecues in the immediate vicinity of the roof are often expressly prohibited.
A new thatch layer increases the value
Replacing thatch costs tens of thousands of euros. Have the rebuild value reassessed after a new layer has been laid.
A guarantee against underinsurance is not automatic
If you fill in the insurer's rebuild value calculator correctly, you will usually receive a guarantee against underinsurance: in the event of a claim the actual amount is paid, even if the sum insured turns out to be too low. Your policy schedule states whether you have that guarantee. Without it, the proportionality rule applies, and that also affects small claims.
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.
Why are prevention requirements in my policy rather than just in a recommendation?
Because a fire in thatch almost always leads to a total loss. Insurers only accept that risk when the known sources of ignition have been dealt with. The requirements are therefore included as a warranty clause: a condition you have to meet in order to keep your cover. If you do not meet it and a fire breaks out, the insurer can refuse to pay, even if the cause lay elsewhere.
How often does the chimney have to be swept?
What your policy prescribes is decisive, and for thatched roofs that is usually at least once a year by an accredited firm. If you burn a lot of wood, a higher frequency may be required. Keep the invoices and certificates for several years; after a claim that is the document with which you show that you have complied with the warranty clause.
Do I have to report that the thatch has been replaced?
Yes, for two reasons. A new thatch layer raises the rebuild value considerably, so the sum insured has to go up. And when thatch is replaced, the roof boarding is often dealt with at the same time; if that has gone from open to closed, it can have a favourable effect on the conditions and the premium. Ask the thatcher for a specification of the work carried out.
Is rotten or moss-covered thatch insured?
No. Ageing, moss and algae growth, birds pulling at the thatch and rot on the north side are wear and maintenance. You bear those costs yourself and they belong in your maintenance budget, not in the policy. Sudden damage from outside can be covered, such as a tree falling through the roof during a storm, provided the thatch itself was in reasonable condition.
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.
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