Documents with your business insurance
A commercial policy comes with a stack of documents that have a fixed order of precedence. This page explains what each document is for and which one prevails where two say different things.
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In brief
The most important document is the policy schedule. It states the policyholder, the capacity of the business, the sections insured, the sums insured, the excess and the start and renewal dates. The capacity is the description of what your business does and determines, when you claim, whether the work fell within the cover. If that description no longer matches your practice, let us know through notifying a change.
You also receive conditions in layers. The general conditions apply to all sections, the special conditions to each section, and clauses are terms included specifically for your policy. Where they conflict, the reverse order applies: a clause prevails over the special conditions, and those over the general conditions. Prevention clauses about fire extinguishers, security or working instructions are therefore not an annex but a condition of cover. How to read a set of conditions is explained on policy conditions.
You will also see documents that are something other than the policy itself. An insurance card (verzekeringskaart) is a two-page summary and gives no rights. Only the conditions do that. A quotation is an offer and not cover: cover begins only after acceptance and on the date stated on the policy schedule. Our service guide explains how we work and what we do and do not do for you, and the general terms and conditions sets out the arrangements with our office.
This page deals with one situation. The full overview is on Compare car insurance.
Insurance that matches your sector
Every sector carries its own risks. We translate those into cover that genuinely fits what you do day to day, rather than a standard package that just happens to apply to your business too.
Sectors
Tailored
CoverWhy 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.
Which document you need and when
Four items that come round at different points in the year.
When you apply
A commercial application normally requires an extract from the trade register, a description of your activities, a statement of turnover or payroll and an overview of your claims history. Complete it in full: the duty of disclosure under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code applies to everything relevant to acceptance. You will find the form at application form.
When you claim
You report the event and provide supporting evidence: photographs, invoices, a police report in the case of theft and, after a collision, a completed European accident statement. Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code requires you to report promptly and to cooperate with the investigation. You report a claim through report a claim.
At renewal and cancellation
Each year you receive a renewal invoice, sometimes with an adjustment if the premium is based on turnover or payroll. If you switch, ask for a cancellation statement; for vehicles it records your no-claims years. Without that document you start lower on the bonus-malus scale with a new company.
What a document does not do
An insurance card, a quotation or an email confirmation creates no cover. Only the policy does that. On virtually every commercial policy, intent (Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code), administrative fines and penalty payments and work outside the capacity described also remain excluded. An incorrect declaration on the application feeds through via Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code.
What does your premium depend on?
- Capacity on the policy schedule: the activities described determine the rate and the cover
- Turnover or payroll: the usual basis, often with an adjustment afterwards
- Sums insured per section: per claim and per insurance year
- Excess: a higher excess lowers the premium
- Prevention clauses: measures you can demonstrate may lead to a lower loading
- Number of policies in the package: a bundled portfolio normally has a single renewal date
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
What is covered
| Situation | Under the conditions | With the clause on your policy |
|---|---|---|
| A burglary at the business premises while the alarm was not switched on | Yes | No |
| A fire while the inspection of the electrical installation was two years overdue | Yes | No |
| Theft from the van, which stood outside a locked space overnight | Provided that | No |
| Water damage to the stock after a pipe burst in the building | Yes | Yes |
| A claim by a client about work you carried out in Germany | Yes | Provided that |
| A collision involving the company car driven by a 21-year-old employee | Yes | No |
The clauses are set out on one sheet with your policy; go through them once a year against the way you work now.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Where do I find my policy conditions?
The policy schedule states a conditions number with a version reference. That number refers to the set that applies to your policy. A newer version applies only after a change or renewal at which it was sent to you. If you do not know the number, give us your policy number and we will look up the version that applies.
There is a clause on my policy that I do not recognise. What does it mean?
A clause is an additional term the insurer has attached to your policy, for example about fire prevention, security, roof work or the use of a vehicle. That text prevails over the general conditions. If it was not complied with at the time of the event, the insurer may reduce or refuse payment. So have an unfamiliar clause explained.
Do I have to report a change in writing?
Always report changes in a recorded form, so that there is proof of the date. Think of a new address, different activities, staff joining, an extra vehicle, building work or a higher insured interest. The insurer adjusts the premium from the date reported; changes that only come to light when you claim are assessed under Articles 7:928 and 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code.
What happens to my documents and data?
We process only the data needed for advice, intermediary services and administration, and we share it with the insurer with whom your policy runs. How we handle it and how long documents are kept is set out in our privacy statement. If you have a request for access or correction, please contact our office.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
- Business interruption insurance by sectorThe main page
- Business insurance: where to startContinuity, claims, staff, transport
- Business insurance tailored to your companyReview, insured capacity, sums insured
- Business 1packageSections, package discount, en bloc clause
- Business insurance and what happens outside the premisesSections, risk address, motor vehicles
- Business insurance by sectorInsured capacity, sector, risk class
- A few cars on the business: what small and medium-sized firms arrangeSeparate policies, changes, growth
- Finass Verzekert and taking out insurance onlineApplying online, advice, AFM authorisation
- General terms and conditions Finass Advies B.V.Definitions · liability · complaints route