Buildings cover for an industrial unit
- Fire, explosion and lightning strike
- Storm damage to the roof and facade cladding
- Damage from forced entry to roller shutter doors
- Impact on your own site
Industrial unit · trade description · business interruption
Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for your business premises
To an insurer, business premises are not a building but a risk: the construction type and the use together determine whether it accepts the risk and on what conditions.
- several insurers compared objectively
- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
- AFM licence 12016589
- Personal 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 9–17
Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Opstalverzekering voor uw bedrijfspand.
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 activities
- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
In brief
Buildings insurance for business premises covers the building itself: the load-bearing structure, facade cladding, roof, floors, office units, overhead doors, loading bays, hard surfacing and fixed installations such as heating, electrics and any lift. Machinery, racking, forklifts and stock are not included; those go on the business contents and goods insurance. A rented property is insured by you not as buildings but as tenant's improvements.
The insurer assesses two things. First the construction type: masonry and concrete, a steel frame with sandwich panels, or timber structural elements. Second the business activity: what goes on in the unit. Welding, spraying, plastics processing, woodworking and charging batteries all weigh in the balance. If the actual use differs from what is on the policy, when you claim Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code and Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code.
Do not forget consequential loss. A burnt-out unit is usually rebuilt within a year, but the turnover you lose in that period is only paid for with a separate business interruption cover. If you let part of the property, that also calls for loss of rent. See also business buildings insurance.
What does the policy for business premises cover?
The building, the consequential loss and the glass section are three separate elements you put together yourself.
Business interruption
Fixed costs and lost turnover for as long as production is at a standstill.
- Ongoing wage and rent costs
- Extra costs for alternative premises
- An indemnity period you choose yourself
- Never included automatically
Glass
Breakage of glass in the facade, office frontage, doors and rooflights.
- Glass breakage whatever the cause
- Emergency sealing after breakage
- Roof domes sometimes excluded
- Restricted during building work
What is covered
| Situation | Basic | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| Fire in the production hall | Yes | Yes |
| A storm tears facade cladding loose | Yes | Yes |
| Rainfall through a blocked roof drain | Provided that | Yes |
| Loss of turnover during the rebuild | No | Provided that |
| Damage caused by poor roof maintenance | No | No |
| Settlement of the industrial floor | No | No |
Which perils are covered and which exclusions, limits and excesses apply is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart).
Four points that determine the cover
With business premises, most disputes after a claim arise on these points.
An office on paper, a workshop
This is the most common mistake with business premises. A property is declared as an office or storage and years later there is a welding bay, a spray booth or a charging area for batteries. The fire risk is then fundamentally different from what the insurer accepted. Under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code you have to provide that information. If you do not, the payout can be reduced or refused under Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code. Record every change in writing.
Rebuild value including demolition and current requirements
The sum insured is the rebuild value: building again on the same site, including demolition, removing debris and the building regulations now in force. With industrial units that often works out higher than expected, because insulation, fire safety and installation requirements have been tightened. The annual index only corrects for general increases in building costs. An extension, an extra mezzanine floor or solar panels have to be added by you. Otherwise a proportionate reduction for underinsurance follows.
What is not covered
Not covered are, among other things, business downtime without separate business interruption cover, subsidence and foundation damage, defects caused by deferred maintenance and wear and tear and construction and design faults, even where the damage only comes to light years later. Intent and recklessness on the part of the insured are excluded under Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code. Gradual influences such as corrosion, damp and vermin also remain outside the cover, as does damage connected with use that differs from the declared trade description.
Prevention requirements are conditions of cover
With business premises, insurers usually tie acceptance to specific requirements: a valid NEN 3140 inspection report for the electrical installation, firefighting equipment with a maintenance contract, fire compartmentation between the office and the unit, and sometimes certified intruder protection. Those requirements appear as a clause on the policy and are not advice. If the insurer cannot establish that you complied with them when you claim, a reduction in the payout is a real prospect. Keep inspection reports and maintenance records.
What does your premium depend on?
- Construction type and roof structure: sandwich panels count heavily
- Trade description and processes: naked flames, spraying, plastics
- Rebuild value: the basis of the premium
- Compartmentation and firefighting equipment: limits the extent of fire damage
- Burglary protection: the grade of locks and alarm
- Cover chosen: business interruption, glass, excess
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
How we arrange it
- You request a quoteWe take stock of your situation, risk and 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
This is what people ask us most.
I rent my industrial unit. What do I insure myself?
The owner insures the buildings. You insure your business contents and goods, and in addition your tenant's interest: everything you have had installed in the property, such as partition walls, an office unit in the hall, extra three-phase power or a floor coating. Also check the tenancy agreement, because it often states which party has to insure which part.
Is machinery insured on the buildings policy?
Only if it forms a structural part of the property, such as a fixed overhead crane or integrated air handling. Loose production machinery, forklifts and racking belong on the business contents insurance. For business-critical machinery there is also separate machinery breakdown cover, which covers damage from within such as a failed bearing or a control error.
How long should my business interruption cover run?
Choose the indemnity period on the basis of the time you realistically need to get back to your previous level. With an industrial unit, not only the building time counts but also demolition, permits, machinery lead times and winning customers back. Too short a period is one of the most common causes of an incomplete payout.
What if part of the unit stands empty?
Vacancy is a change of risk that you have to report. Insurers then often limit the cover to fire, storm and explosion and let the glass, water and vandalism cover lapse. Requirements about securing the property, lighting and periodic inspection can also be imposed. If you do not report the vacancy, you risk a reduction or refusal on a related claim.
Does buildings insurance cover asbestos removal after a fire?
That varies widely by policy. Some insurers pay the extra cost of removal after covered damage up to a capped amount, others exclude asbestos entirely or apply a separate clause. With older units with asbestos-containing roof sheets, this is a point to ask about expressly before taking out the policy and to have recorded on it.
Read more
Within Opstalverzekering
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Have your business premises reassessed?
Request a quote without obligation. We will check the construction type, trade description, rebuild value and the prevention clauses.
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 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.