The works
- Fire, storm and water
- Theft of materials
- Inherent defect and design fault
- Vandalism on the building site
Construction all risks (CAR) Insurance for renovation work
On a renovation you demolish first and build afterwards: every opening, penetration and drill hole affects a building that belongs to someone else.
- several Insurers compared objectively
- 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
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.
- Independent advice
- Several Insurers
- Switching arranged
- Help with claims
In brief
Renovation differs from new build in that you start by taking things away. A load-bearing wall out, a floor opened up, an opening through an upper floor, pipework rerouted. In that phase the building temporarily carries loads differently from anything the Structural engineer intended, and the consequences appear not in your works but in the existing shell.
In legal terms that shell is not part of your assignment. It does not fall under the works section, and on your liability Insurance it falls under the care, custody and control clause, because you had the property in your charge. Only the existing property belonging to the client section fills that gap, with a sum insured of its own that you have to set yourself.
That amount is the most common mistake. It should match the value of the building you are working in, not the size of the works; where there is underinsurance, a claim is paid proportionately reduced.
Independent, personal, sorted quickly
We compare your Construction all risks (CAR) insurance across dozens of insurers, explain where the real differences lie, and arrange the switch from start to finish — without you having to chase it yourself.
Construction all risks (CAR) InsurancePhoto coming soon
ComparePhoto coming soon
Get coveredPhoto coming soon
What does Car insurance for renovation work cover?
The structure of the cover in three parts, with an overview per situation below.
Liability
Damage to property and persons of third parties on and around the works.
- Adjoining premises
- Injury to bystanders
- Cables and pipes
Extensions
What comes into play alongside the works themselves.
- Client's existing property
- Ancillary plant and site huts
- Maintenance period
What is covered
| Situation | Works section | Liability section |
|---|---|---|
| Storm or water damage to the works in progress | Yes | No |
| Theft of materials from the building site | Sometimes | No |
| Damage to an adjoining building | No | Yes |
| Injury to a bystander | No | Yes |
| The client's existing property | Sometimes | Sometimes |
| Repair of your own defective work | 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 of the premises. The basis for the existing property section, and on renovation work the item that weighs most heavily.
- Extent of the demolition work. Breaking into load-bearing elements and forming openings affects the structure and the adjoining properties.
- Type of building and year of construction. Old installations, unknown Service routes and timber floors increase the chance of consequential damage.
- Position in relation to adjoining properties. A Terraced house or a building with neighbours above gives rise to third-party claims more quickly.
- Whether the building stays in use. The presence of occupants or staff brings injury risk and damage to their property into play.
- Construction time and excess chosen. The duration of the work and the excess per event also determine the premium.
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 centers.
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.
Demolition without a calculation is demolition without cover
An opening in a load-bearing wall calls for a structural calculation, for props or temporary support and for a sequence in which the load is taken over before anything is removed. If cracks then appear on the floor above or next door, the first question is which calculation there was and whether it was followed. Keep the calculation, the demolition plan and photographs of the temporary support in the project file.
In an existing building everything is in the wrong place
For a house from the 1960s there are no reliable Service drawings. A drill hole in a floor hits underfloor heating. A chase in a wall hits a gas pipe or a circuit that is still live. The immediate repair is small. The consequential damage from water coming down a floor below is not. Scan beforehand, isolate at the meter and record what you find before you start breaking out.
Set the limit on the building, not on the assignment
The existing property section has a sum assured of its own and that is not a formality. Anyone renovating a bathroom in a building with flats above can affect the whole building in a fire or a large water loss. Take as your starting point the rebuild value of the object you are working in, or at least the part you could reasonably damage. If it is set too low, the payout is reduced proportionally.
Contents, repairs and penalties fall outside
The existing property section usually relates to the building and not to your client's moveable property: furniture, equipment and stock are not automatically covered under it. Redoing your own defective work is at your expense, as are reductions or penalties for overrunning the completion date. Contamination that comes to light when old floors or pipework are demolished also stays outside the policy.
existing property is the most commonly missed section
If you work in or on an existing building, that building is not your works but the property of the client. Damage to it does not fall under section 1 and, on your AVB, falls under the care, custody and control exclusion. The section existing property fills that gap, and with conversions, renovations and installation work that is not an edge Case but the core of the risk.
The maintenance period continues after handover
After handover there is often a maintenance period during which you remain liable for defects that arose during construction. Agree that period explicitly and have it stated on the policy. Under the Quality Assurance Act (the Dutch Building Quality Assurance Act) this carries more weight: Article 7:758(4) of the Dutch Civil Code places the burden of proof for hidden defects on the contractor.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
I drill into a water pipe. What damage is covered?
Repairing the pipe itself falls under the existing property section, provided that is insured. The consequential damage, so the soaked ceiling, the floor and the paintwork, falls under it as well, or under the liability section if it affects a third party. Report immediately, limit the damage and photograph the spot before anything is cleared up, including the section of pipe you drilled into.
How do I set the amount for existing property?
Take as your basis the rebuild value of the building or the part of it that your work could damage, and not your contract sum. Where you work in a flat, take into account that fire or water can affect the whole building. Ask the client for the rebuild value from their buildings policy and record the amount chosen in the building contract.
The neighbors report cracks during our work. What now?
Report it to your insurer and admit nothing before the circumstances have been assessed. Liability follows from Article 6:162 of the Dutch Civil Code and requires the cracks to be attributable to your work. A dated pre-work survey of the adjoining home is decisive here: without that record, virtually every existing defect is put down to the building work.
Are my client's contents assured as well?
Usually not. The existing property section relates to the building; furniture, equipment, stock and machinery are moveable property and do not automatically fall under it. Agree that the client removes or covers those items and that they inform their own home contents or Business contents insurer about the work. Record that agreement in writing before you start.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
- Compare Construction all risks (CAR) insuranceThe main page
- Construction all risks (CAR) Insurance for extensions and additionsExisting facade, opening up, weatherproofing
- Construction all risks (CAR) Insurance for conservatories and extensionsConnection to the existing building, glass, Foundations
- Construction all risks (CAR) Insurance for plasterersVapor, existing finishes, drying time
- Construction all risks (CAR) Insurance for private clientsSelf-build, who insures, fitting with Buildings insurance
- Construction all risks (CAR) Insurance for renovationExisting buildings, asbestos, occupied condition
- Construction all risks (CAR) Insurance for paintersSplash damage, existing finishes, fire risk
- Construction all risks (CAR) Insurance for carpentry firmsStructure, spoken work, storage on site
- Construction all risks (CAR) Insurance for bricklayersScaffolding, frost, falling material
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 license, Chamber of Commerce 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.