Rebuild value
- Not the market value
- Not the WOZ value (the Dutch property valuation)
- Guarantee against underinsurance
Buildings or fire insurance: the difference
Fire insurance is the historic name for the same product. What a buildings policy covers today is a considerably wider range of perils than fire alone.
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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
The term fire insurance dates from the time when a policy on a building covered exactly one peril: fire, and later lightning strike and explosion as well. Everything else that could go wrong with a property was borne by the owner. That name has stuck in mortgage deeds, in notarial documents and in everyday speech, while the cover underneath has been considerably extended over the decades.
A modern buildings policy also covers storm from force seven, water damage from burst or cracked pipes, damage to doors and frames in a burglary, impact by a vehicle and objects falling from the air. With the widest form, sudden and unforeseen events are added, such as a bucket of paint over the stairs. So you are not buying two products: you are choosing a level of cover within one.
Where it goes wrong is with old policies that are still literally called fire insurance and still have that cover. If your policy has been sitting unchanged for fifteen years, check whether storm and water are included. How to set the sum insured is explained under calculating the rebuild value.
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What do buildings and fire insurance cover: the difference
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?
- Level of cover chosen. Fire, extended or all-risks produce three clearly different rates for exactly the same property.
- Construction type of the building. Brick with a hard roof covering is assessed more favourably than timber construction or a thatched roof, precisely because of the fire risk.
- Source of heating. A wood burner or open fire with a brick chimney counts differently from central heating without naked flames.
- Condition of the electrical installation. Out-of-date wiring and consumer units are among the most frequently named causes of fire and are asked about for older properties.
- Rebuild value. The sum insured remains the basis of calculation; how the perils are defined does not change that basis.
- Additional sections. Glass, garden landscaping and outbuildings are separate extensions that you pay for on top of the level chosen.
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.
What a pure fire policy does and does not do
A fire policy in the original sense covers fire, lightning strike, explosion and usually smoke and soot damage from a sudden defect in a heating installation. If your roof blows off, a pipe bursts or your window frame is forced during a burglary, that falls outside the cover. Anyone who still has such a policy rarely discovers it at a quiet moment, but on the day of the loss.
Extended perils are the current standard
The common buildings policy is called extended or extra extended and lists dozens of named perils: storm, water, snow load, burglary, vandalism after entry, impact by a vehicle, oil from a pipe and smoke from a chimney. It remains named perils cover: if the peril is not listed, it is not covered. So read that list rather than relying on the name.
All-risks covers more, but not everything
With the widest form the insurer pays unless an exclusion applies. Almost everywhere the following remain excluded: wear and tear and deferred maintenance, inherent defect and construction faults, damage to foundations, groundwater penetrating through the floor or wall, flooding from non-primary defences, earthquake, riot and nuclear reaction. All-risks therefore means a reversal of the burden of proof, not unlimited cover.
Your mortgage deed mentions fire insurance
Virtually every mortgage deed contains the obligation to keep the security insured against fire damage. That is no indication that you have to buy a separate product: ordinary buildings insurance satisfies it, because fire is always included. The lender is noted as an interested party and is informed if the policy ends. See is buildings insurance compulsory.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Do I need fire insurance as well as my buildings insurance?
No. Fire is one of the perils within buildings insurance. A second policy would insure the same risk twice and on a claim that only leads to an apportionment between insurers. If your lender asks for fire insurance, simply send your buildings policy. It lists fire as a covered peril.
My policy is still called fire insurance. Is that a problem?
Not necessarily, because many insurers have only kept the old product name while the cover grew with the times. What counts is the list of perils in the conditions, not the name on the schedule. If storm, water damage and burglary damage are not listed, you really do still have narrow cover and it is sensible to switch.
So does all-risks really cover everything?
No. All-risks pays for sudden and unforeseen events, but the exclusions remain. Wear and tear, deferred maintenance, inherent defect, foundation problems, groundwater and earthquake fall outside anywhere. The difference from extended cover lies mainly in the burden of proof: the insurer has to show that an exclusion applies, instead of you showing that the peril is named.
What is the difference from home contents insurance?
Buildings insurance covers everything permanently attached to the property: walls, roof, kitchen, sanitary ware, the central heating system and outbuildings. Home contents insurance covers what you would carry out when you move. Both policies have the same perils but a different basis of value: rebuild value against replacement value as new for your belongings.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
- Compare buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)The main page
- Is buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) compulsory?Not by law, but by contract, VvE
- The excess on buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)Per event, storm, choice
- Who takes out the buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)?Owner, VvE, ground lease
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for a listed national monumentDuty to restore, valuation, permits
- Reporting a claim on your buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)Limiting, photographing, reporting
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for day nurseriesYoung children, evacuation, supervision
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.