Storm and hail
- Normally covered from a stated wind force
- Often a separate, higher excess for storm
- Aerials, sun blinds and fencing sometimes limited
- Deferred maintenance of the roof is excluded
Storm · water damage · drought
Climate damage and home insurance in the Netherlands
Extreme weather affects homes more and more often. Storm, hail and water from a burst pipe are normally covered; foundation damage from drought and flooding from a primary flood defence are not. Below you can see, for each type of damage, where the boundary lies.
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Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Klimaatschade en woningverzekeringen in Nederland.
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 situation
- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
In brief
Climate damage is not separate cover but a collective term. Buildings insurance looks at the cause of the damage, not at the weather forecast. Damage caused by storm, hail and lightning is covered on almost every policy, often with a separate excess for storm. Water coming in through a burst pipe or a broken washing machine is covered as well.
Against that stands a group of climate-related losses that structurally falls outside the cover. Foundation damage from drought, subsidence and pile rot are excluded, even where a dry summer was the immediate cause. In the Netherlands that affects many homes on wooden piles or soft ground. flooding because a primary flood defence fails also falls outside the ordinary buildings policy. For that there is the Wet tegemoetkoming schade bij rampen (the Dutch disaster compensation act), which can give a contribution but not full compensation.
In between sits damage from rainfall: rain running in through a roof, a roof window or under a door. Here policies differ widely. One insurer covers rainwater that gets in, another only where the home itself has been damaged by storm. Water coming up through the sewer or the groundwater is normally excluded. So read the conditions on this point, or have us set them side by side. See also buildings insurance in general.
Three types of climate damage to the home
The cause determines whether the damage falls on the buildings policy.
Rain and water damage
Water from pipes is covered; groundwater and sewage normally not.
- A burst pipe or a broken machine: covered
- Rainwater that gets in: differs from policy to policy
- Rising groundwater and sewage: usually excluded
- Flooding from a primary defence: excluded
Foundations and subsidence
Damage from sinking ground or piles left dry is not insurable.
- Subsidence and pile rot are excluded
- Cracking through subsidence is not covered
- Foundation repair is at your own cost
- But: local and national schemes do exist
What is covered
| Situation | Extended | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|
| Roof tiles blown off the roof by storm | Yes | Yes |
| Hail damage to roof windows and solar panels | Yes | Yes |
| Water from a burst pipe or drain | Yes | Yes |
| Rainwater through a leaking roof window | Provided that | Provided that |
| Rising groundwater or water from the sewer | No | No |
| Subsidence and pile rot after a dry summer | No | No |
What is actually covered, including exclusions, limits and the excess, is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) that you receive before you take out cover.
What climate damage means for your policy
Four points that determine whether you really are covered in extreme weather.
Maintenance is the dividing line with storm damage
An insurer covers storm damage, but not the consequences of a roof that has needed replacing for years. If tiles blow off a roof with rotten battens, the claim can be refused for deferred maintenance. So document maintenance, keep invoices for roof work and have defects put right before the storm season begins. That difference is hard to repair after the event.
Rainfall is the biggest grey area
In heavy rain, the route the water takes determines whether you are covered. If the water comes through a hole made by the storm, the damage is normally covered. If it seeps in through a leak or a blocked gutter, it differs from policy to policy. Water coming from below, from the sewer or the groundwater, is excluded on almost every buildings policy.
Flooding falls outside the insurance
Damage because a primary flood defence fails or overflows is excluded as standard. In a large-scale flood the government can bring the Wet tegemoetkoming schade bij rampen (the Dutch Disaster Compensation Act) into operation; that produces a contribution, not full compensation and no entitlement in advance. Some insurers do offer cover for damage caused by the failure of secondary defences. That is expressly stated in the conditions.
The sum insured has to follow building costs
Climate damage drives up not only premiums but also repair costs: materials and skilled workers have become more expensive. If your rebuild value has stood still for years, a total loss brings the risk of underinsurance. Check whether your policy has guarantee against underinsurance and whether the value calculator has been filled in correctly. Report refurbishments; under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code there is a duty of disclosure when the contract is entered into.
What does your premium depend on?
- Rebuild value: the main basis for calculation
- Postcode area: storm, hail and water risk
- Construction type and roof covering: thatch, tiles or a flat roof
- Year of construction and state of maintenance: an older roof, a higher risk
- Excess for storm: often separate and higher
- Type of cover and extensions: glass, solar panels, garden landscaping
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.
Is storm damage always covered?
Normally yes, from a wind force stated in the conditions. For storm there is often a separate and higher excess. Damage arising from deferred maintenance remains excluded: rotten battens, a loose fence or a roof that already needed replacing. Damage to sun blinds, aerials and garden furniture is also often limited or excluded.
Does my buildings insurance cover a flood?
No, not where a primary flood defence fails or overflows. That risk is excluded as standard. In a disaster the government can apply the Dutch disaster compensation act, but that is a contribution and not full compensation. Some insurers do cover damage from the failure of secondary defences; check that expressly in the conditions.
What if rain comes in through my roof?
That depends on the route the water takes and on your policy. If the storm made a hole in the roof, the resulting damage is normally covered. If water seeps in through a leak, a blocked gutter or poor maintenance, it is often refused. A few policies do cover rainfall that gets in; that is then expressly stated.
Is foundation damage from drought insured?
No. Subsidence, sinking ground and pile rot are excluded on every ordinary buildings insurance, even where a dry summer is the immediate cause. Foundation repair is therefore at your own expense. There are national and local schemes and forms of finance for foundation repair; ask your local authority about them before you start work.
Are solar panels covered against hail?
Often yes, provided you have reported them. Solar panels fixed to the roof belong to the building and count towards the rebuild value. If you do not report them, underinsurance can arise when you claim. Some insurers apply a separate section or a maximum for solar panels; check that your sum insured has been adjusted.
Will my premium rise because of climate damage?
For the market as a whole, yes: a higher claims burden from storm, hail and water and more expensive repairs work through into the rates. Your sum insured also rises because insurers index the rebuild value annually with building costs. A higher sum automatically means a higher premium, even where your own situation has not changed.
Read more
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Want to know how your policy deals with water and storm?
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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.
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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.