Rebuild value
- Not the market value
- Not the WOZ value (the Dutch property valuation)
- Guarantee against underinsurance
Limited cover · reporting · supervision
Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for unoccupied premises
As soon as a property becomes vacant, the first thing to change is not the premium but the cover: most policies then fall back to a stripped-down fire version.
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Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Opstalverzekering voor leegstaande panden.
Calculate your premium or request a quote
Without obligation; a reply within one working day.
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 your own premium with the calculator.
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.
In brief
To an insurer, vacancy is a change in risk and not a detail. There is no user to hear a leak, no heating to prevent frost damage and no supervision to deter burglary or arson. Many policies therefore contain a vacancy provision that automatically reduces cover to fire, storm, lightning strike and explosion as soon as the property has been unoccupied or unused for longer than a period stated in the conditions.
That fall-back happens whether you report it or not. If you do report it, something can usually be arranged: a temporary policy, supervision arrangements or anti-squat occupation. If you do not report it, the vacancy only comes up when the claim is handled and, besides the limited cover, the insurer can also rely on Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code.
If the property is empty because it is being offered to let, also look at the buildings insurance for a let property.
What does buildings insurance for vacant properties 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.
Where things go wrong in practice
Four points that make the difference between a policy that pays out and one that does not.
Reporting is an obligation, not a courtesy
Vacancy falls under the changes you have to report. If you do not, on a claim the insurer can argue that it would never have accepted the risk in that form. State from which date the property is empty, whether the utilities are still on, who has keys and how often someone visits. Put that notification in writing and keep the confirmation with your policy.
What actually goes wrong in an empty property
The damage patterns are predictable: frozen pipes only discovered weeks later, copper stolen from the consumer unit and the roof, windows smashed, cannabis cultivation by squatters and arson at the rear of the site. It is precisely those items, water damage, theft, vandalism and glass, that in the vacancy version are usually not included. Draining the water pipes and shutting off the gas reduces the damage pattern considerably.
Supervision and anti-squat change the assessment
A property occupied through a vacant property manager is assessed differently from a boarded-up building. Insurers look at the frequency of inspection rounds, at camera surveillance and at closing off ground-floor openings with steel plates. If you record such measures in a clause, items that would otherwise fall away can sometimes be restored. Keep a log of every inspection round; when you claim that is your only evidence.
Your liability simply continues
An empty property is still your structure. If facade panelling falls into the street or an intruder is injured by a collapsed floor, you are liable as possessor under Article 6:174 of the Dutch Civil Code. That a property is vacant does not relieve you of maintaining the roof, gutters and facade. Include the exterior and the boundary fencing in your inspection round as well.
What does your premium depend on?
- Length and nature of the vacancy — Temporary vacancy between two tenants is assessed differently from a property awaiting demolition or redevelopment.
- Supervision and vacant property management — Anti-squat occupation, camera surveillance and recorded inspection rounds reduce the risk of damage being discovered late.
- Disconnection of utilities — Drained water pipes and gas shut off remove frost and leak damage and part of the fire risk.
- Closing off openings — Ground-floor windows and doors closed off with steel plates keep squatters and copper thieves out.
- Location and surroundings — A lone property on a deserted industrial estate attracts more vandalism than a property in an occupied street.
- Type of cover chosen — A limited fire version costs less than extended vacancy cover in which vandalism and glass return.
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is why comparing pays off.
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
The questions we are asked most often about this.
From when does a property count as vacant?
That is set out in your conditions and differs by insurer. Usually it concerns a property that for a continuous period is no longer actually used for the purpose stated on the policy. A holiday or a short refurbishment does not count; months without a user does. Read the provision and report it if in doubt.
Is burglary damage during vacancy covered?
In most cases not. As soon as the vacancy provision takes effect, cover falls back to fire, storm, lightning strike and explosion. Theft of copper and pipework, vandalism, graffiti and smashed windows are not included. If you want to keep those items, separate vacancy cover with security clauses is needed.
Can the insurer cancel the policy on vacancy?
Yes, it can. Vacancy is a change in the risk and many sets of conditions give the insurer the right to end or amend the contract. So report it in good time and ask straight away for an alternative. If you wait until the cancellation arrives, you have little time to find cover elsewhere for a property that has by then become hard to insure.
What can I do myself to keep the property insurable?
Drain the water pipes, shut off the gas, leave the electricity on only where it is needed for detection, close off ground-floor openings and inspect the property at fixed intervals. Record every round with the date and findings. That combination of measures is exactly what an insurer wants to see before it goes beyond the bare fire version.
Read more
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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 written and checked by an adviser at Finass Verzekert. Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.