Terrorism and political violence insurance through Chubb
In the Netherlands, terrorism cover runs through a market-wide protocol with an annual cap. That protocol does not apply to sites abroad.
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In brief
Virtually every Dutch general insurance policy now covers terrorism only through the claims settlement protocol of the Dutch terrorism risk reinsurance company (NHT). That protocol has a cap per calendar year for the entire Dutch market. If it is exceeded, every claimant receives a proportionate share of their loss and not the full amount. Payment can also only follow once the total of all claims is known, which can take months.
For businesses with establishments, shops, hotels or distribution centres outside the Netherlands, that protocol does not apply. There, political violence in a broader sense is at issue: riots, civil commotion, strike violence, looting, sabotage, insurrection and a coup d'état. Those events are generally excluded under ordinary fire and business interruption policies through the war and civil commotion provision. Separate political violence cover fills that in, usually per site and with its own sum insured.
The most important element is often not the physical damage but the consequential loss: a shopping street cordoned off for weeks, a factory staff cannot reach, or a supplier that comes to a halt. Cover for denial of access and for business interruption without physical damage are separate sections and are not automatically included in the policy. How this ties in with your business interruption insurance is the discussion here. A different regime applies to war situations and transport, described under war risks cover.
This page deals with one situation. The full overview is on Compare personal liability insurance (AVP).
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What to look out for
Four points that determine what is actually paid after an attack or civil disturbance.
The protocol limits the payout, not just the cover
Even where terrorism falls under your Dutch policy, the proportionate payout under the protocol applies if the annual cap for the whole market is exceeded. That is a risk you cannot remove by choosing a higher sum insured. It is, however, something to know before you assume the loss is fully covered.
The definition of the event
Whether something is terrorism, sabotage, riot or armed conflict determines which policy it falls under and whether it is excluded. Those definitions vary from wording to wording and the determination is made afterwards, sometimes on the basis of a statement by the authorities. So compare the definitions side by side; a gap between two policies arises exactly at that boundary.
Loss without damage
In civil disturbance the biggest item is often loss of turnover without anything being broken. Standard business interruption cover, however, requires physical damage as the trigger. If you want customers staying away, a closed access road or a supplier that has failed to be covered, that must be included as a separate section.
What remains excluded
Excluded are nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological events, cyber attacks, and war between states, unless the latter is included by a separate clause. Also excluded are diminution in value, loss of goodwill and fines. Digital sabotage belongs on a cyber insurance.
What does your premium depend on?
- Location of the sites: country, city and the immediate surroundings of the property
- Nature of the business: public-facing functions and recognisable brands count more heavily
- Sum insured per location: buildings, contents and stock together
- Business interruption included: with or without physical damage as a condition
- Security and access control. CCTV, screening and protocols
- Excess and waiting period: for business interruption a waiting period in days often applies
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
What is covered
| Situation | NHT protocol | Political violence |
|---|---|---|
| An attack on your distribution centre in Rotterdam | Yes | Provided that |
| Looting of your shop in a foreign city centre during riots | No | Yes |
| Sabotage of the installations at your factory outside Europe | No | Yes |
| Loss of turnover because the shopping street is cordoned off for three weeks | No | Provided that |
| A DDoS attack with which a campaign group takes your web shop offline | No | No |
| A fall in the value of the property after the neighbourhood gains a reputation for being unsafe | No | No |
The boundary runs along the national border: within the Netherlands through the protocol, outside it only with a separate policy per site.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Is terrorism covered as standard under my Dutch policies?
Usually yes, but solely within the protocol of the Dutch terrorism risk reinsurance company. That protocol has a market-wide cap per calendar year. If all claims together exceed it, payment is made proportionately. The arrangement applies to risks in the Netherlands. For sites in other countries you have to arrange it separately.
What is the difference from war risks cover?
Political violence concerns events within a country: riots, strike violence, sabotage, insurrection or a coup d'état, usually tied to fixed locations. War risks cover concerns armed conflict between states and is used mainly for transport and for goods and people in conflict areas. The definitions are mutually exclusive, so the boundary between the two policies has to be right.
Does the policy also cover looting during riots?
If the section for riots, civil commotion and strike violence is included, looting and destruction fall under it. Under ordinary burglary cover that is often not the case, because the war and civil commotion provision excludes those events. Also note the requirement of forced entry or signs of violence: where a shopfront is broken open during disturbances, the evidence may be viewed differently from an ordinary burglary.
Are evacuation and security costs covered?
Only if the conditions mention those costs. Some policies have a section for temporarily securing damaged premises, evacuating staff or moving stock. Without that section they are costs you bear yourself, even if they limit the loss. Report a threatening situation in good time; Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code requires notification and cooperation.