Extended cover
- Fire, smoke and lightning strike
- Storm from force 7 upwards
- Water damage and leakage
- Burglary damage
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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- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
- AFM licence 12016589
- Personal 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 9–17
This page in another language: Nederlands
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.
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
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.
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What does buildings insurance for a thatched roof cover?
The structure of the cover in three parts, with an overview per situation below.
Comprehensive
All sudden and unforeseen damage from outside, unless excluded.
- Unnamed causes included
- A small mishap while doing DIY
- Less discussion when you claim
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.
What does your premium depend on?
- Rebuild value including the thatch layer. A complete new thatch layer is a substantial item that belongs separately in the sum insured.
- Open or closed roof boarding. A fire-resistant closed construction slows the spread of fire and is assessed more favourably than open boarding.
- Chimney and heating appliance. Insulation, height, spark arrester and the type of stove determine which warranty clause is imposed.
- Detection or firefighting provision. Monitored smoke detection or a sprinkler system can make cover possible for larger properties.
- Access for the fire brigade. A property on a long drive or in a rural area has a longer response time and therefore a greater risk.
- Age and condition of the thatch layer. A recently thatched roof with proof of maintenance is assessed more favourably than an ageing layer.
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
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.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
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Read more
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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.