Liability
- Covered while coupled
- Under the car's third-party liability cover
- Uncoupled: no longer covered
Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for a chalet
Whether your chalet is insured as a building or as a movable unit depends on the foundations, on whether it can be moved and on the rules of the park where it stands.
- 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 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
Legally a chalet sits between two products. If it stands on brick or concrete foundations, is connected to fixed services and cannot be removed without being dismantled, insurers treat it as a buildings. If it rests on concrete slabs or piers and can be moved in a day, it is more likely to fall under a holiday or static caravan product with a different basis of value.
That distinction determines more than the name of the policy. With buildings cover the basis is the rebuild value. For a movable unit, market value or a fixed depreciation scale is more often used, so that an older chalet pays out considerably less in the event of total loss. So ask in advance on which basis you are accepted and have that put on the policy schedule.
The pitch also counts. Parks have their own rules about spacing, gas bottles, terraces and canopies, and insurers follow them. For an ordinary brick holiday home, see buildings insurance for a holiday home or holiday home insurance.
Independent, personal, sorted quickly
We compare your holiday home 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.
Holiday home insurancePhoto coming soon
ComparePhoto coming soon
Get coveredPhoto coming soon
What does chalet buildings insurance cover?
The structure of the cover in three parts, with an overview per situation below.
Third-party, fire and theft
External causes beyond your control.
- Fire and storm
- Theft after forced entry
- Hail, depending on the policy
Comprehensive
Including damage you cause yourself.
- Collision and manoeuvring
- Vandalism
- Contents as a separate section
What is covered
| Situation | Third-party, fire and theft | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|
| Theft after forced entry, with the prescribed lock | Yes | Yes |
| Fire and storm damage on the pitch | Yes | Yes |
| Hail damage to roof and walls | Provided that | Yes |
| Collision damage while manoeuvring | No | Yes |
| Contents in the caravan or trailer | Provided that | Provided that |
| Damp, wear and deferred maintenance | No | No |
A trailer or caravan is not an independent motor vehicle and therefore has no insurance requirement of its own. Damage you cause to others with it falls under the third-party liability cover of the towing vehicle, as long as the combination is coupled (Article 2 WAM). Once the trailer is uncoupled and has come to a standstill, that cover no longer applies.
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?
- Construction type of the chalet. Timber frame construction with timber cladding is assessed differently from a chalet with masonry elements or a hard roof covering.
- Foundations and anchoring. Fixed foundations lead more readily to a buildings policy on rebuild value; loose siting to a product with depreciation.
- Year of manufacture. With older chalets, the condition of the electrics, the gas installation and the roof covering weigh heavily in acceptance.
- Pitch and park conditions. The distance to neighbouring units, the presence of management and the fire precautions on the site all count.
- Hours of use per year. Recreational use for a few months differs from a chalet lived in all year with the local authority's consent.
- Letting to third parties. If you let the chalet, even for a few weeks a season, that is commercial use and a separate acceptance question.
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.
Foundations and mobility determine the product
When you apply, state what the chalet rests on, whether it is anchored and whether it can be moved as a whole. Those three answers determine whether you get a buildings policy or a product with depreciation. If the chalet is later placed on fixed foundations after all, or released from them, declare it: that is a change to the insured property and not merely an alteration.
The spacing on the park is an acceptance question
Chalets stand close together and are often built of timber or finished with timber cladding. Fire spreading to the neighbours is therefore the biggest scenario. Insurers ask about the distance to the adjoining unit, about the presence of gas bottles and about canopies or fences between the pitches. The park rules are decisive here. If your situation differs from them, declare it.
Moving and transport fall outside
Damage arising while the chalet is being lifted, moved or sited is excluded on virtually every policy. That risk belongs with the haulier doing the work. Damage to the ground, the paving and the connections during a move also stays outside the cover. Have it recorded who carries out the transport and whether that party is insured for it.
Standing empty in winter and frost damage
A chalet often stands unoccupied for months and is lightly built, so it cools down quickly. Draining the water or maintaining a minimum temperature is a condition with almost every insurer. A burst pipe without that measure is not paid for. Also, on many policies cover for break-in and vandalism falls away during long absences. Only fire, storm and lightning strike then remain.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Is my chalet a building or a caravan?
That depends on the construction. A chalet on fixed foundations, connected to drains, water and electricity and not movable in one piece, is usually accepted as a building. If it rests on piers or concrete slabs and can be wheeled away, a holiday or static caravan product comes into play, with market value as the basis.
Am I covered when the chalet is moved?
No. Damage during lifting, moving and siting falls outside the buildings cover and belongs with the haulier. Ask that party for evidence of insurance before the work starts. Damage to the ground, the connections and the paving during the move is not for your insurer's account either.
May I let my chalet to holidaymakers?
Only if you declare it and the insurer allows it. Changing guests increase the fire risk and the chance of damage, and the park rules often set their own requirements about this. If letting is not declared, the insurer can reduce the payout under Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code, even for damage unrelated to the letting.
Are the veranda and the store included?
Only if you declared them when you applied. An attached veranda, a canopy, a timber store or a terrace are separate items with their own value, and they also increase the risk of fire spreading to the neighbours. Give the dimensions and materials, otherwise they will not be on the policy schedule when you claim.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
- Holiday home insuranceThe main page
- Chalet insuranceHoliday home, pitch, standing empty
- Compare holiday home and chalet insurancePark conditions, permanent occupation, winter period
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for a static caravanNot a building, holiday unit, extensions
- Insuring a chalet or static caravan in the NetherlandsFixed pitch, Netherlands, winter period
- Insuring a static caravanPitch, storm, standing empty
- Insuring a chalet or static caravan in GermanyFixed pitch, Germany, winter period
- Insuring a chalet or static caravan in BelgiumFixed pitch, Belgium, winter period
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.