Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)
- Walls, roof, floors and foundations
- Fitted kitchen, bathroom and installations
- Insured on a rebuild value basis
- Needed as an owner, not as a tenant
Building · possessions · borderline cases
What is the difference between home contents and buildings insurance?
Buildings insurance covers the building, home contents insurance covers what is inside it. The line sounds simple, but it is full of borderline cases that make the difference when you claim.
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Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Wat is het verschil tussen een inboedel- en opstalverzekering?.
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 your own premium with the calculator.
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
The rule of thumb: turn the house upside down, and everything that stays in place falls under the buildings insurance and everything that falls out under the home contents insurance. Walls, roof, foundations, window frames, the fitted kitchen, bathroom, central heating system and usually the shed, boundary fencing and paving belong to the buildings. Furniture, clothing, appliances, curtains, floor coverings and jewellery belong to the contents.
The second difference lies in the basis of calculation. Buildings insurance works with the rebuild value: what it costs to build a similar property again, excluding the land. That is expressly not the WOZ value, which reflects the market value including the land and serves a tax purpose. Home contents insurance works with the replacement value as new of all your possessions together, to be established with the contents valuation tool. Both policies usually give guarantee against underinsurance if you complete the valuation tool truthfully.
A single claim often involves both policies. If a pipe bursts, the buildings policy pays for the pipe, the ceiling and the plasterwork, and the contents policy for the sofa and the laminate beneath it. Anyone who has only one of the two is left half out in the cold in such a claim. See also what exactly counts as contents.
Two policies, two bases
The distinction lies in what is insured, how the value is determined and who needs the policy.
Home contents insurance (inboedelverzekering)
Covers everything you would take with you when moving.
- Furniture, clothing and equipment
- Curtains, floor coverings and jewellery
- Insured on a replacement value as new basis
- Needed by tenants and owners alike
Borderline cases
Some items are classified differently under each policy; read the list through.
- Sun blinds, roller shutters and solar panels
- A free-standing garden house and shed
- Laminate and a kitchen you fitted yourself
- Tenant's improvements in a rented home
What is covered
| Situation | Buildings | Home contents |
|---|---|---|
| Fire damage to the roof, walls and frames | Yes | No |
| Fire damage to the sofa, clothing and television | No | Yes |
| Fitted kitchen and bathroom | Yes | No |
| Solar panels on the roof | Provided that | No |
| A floor or kitchen you installed yourself in a rented home | No | Provided that |
| Subsidence, pile rot, wear and vermin | 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.
Four points where the distinction counts
The difference is not theory: it determines which policy pays and whether you are paid in full.
Rebuild value against replacement value as new
The buildings policy is based on the rebuild value: materials, labour, demolition and clearance costs to put the same property up again to the requirements now in force. With older and unusual properties that value is often above the WOZ value. The contents policy works with the replacement value as new of your possessions. Do not confuse the two: if you insure the buildings on the WOZ value or estimate the contents by feel, you are insuring the wrong amount in both cases.
Underinsurance arises on both policies
If a sum insured is too low, the insurer pays proportionately less than the loss — on small claims too. Guarantee against underinsurance prevents that, provided you complete the rebuild value tool or contents valuation tool in full and report changes. For listed buildings, unusual properties and valuable collections, a valuation under Article 7:960 of the Dutch Civil Code the value for a fixed period; within that term any discussion about the value is ruled out.
What neither policy covers
The exclusions run partly in parallel. On the buildings, subsidence, foundation damage and pile rot are excluded, as are deferred maintenance, wear and design faults. For the home contents there are wear, inherent defect, vermin, moths, mould and gradually penetrating damp, plus theft without signs of forced entry. On both policies, damage caused by intent or recklessness is excluded under Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code.
Whether you are a tenant or an owner determines what you need
A tenant does not need buildings insurance: the building belongs to the landlord. Home contents insurance is sensible, though, and then watch the section on tenant's improvements for floors, kitchens and sun blinds you installed yourself. With a flat, the VvE insures the building collectively; the rules determine under Article 5:112 of the Dutch Civil Code how far that reaches. Your own contents remain your own responsibility in every case.
What does your premium depend on?
- Rebuild value — the basis of the buildings policy
- Contents value — the basis of the home contents policy
- Construction type and roof covering — brick, timber or thatch
- Postcode area — burglary, storm and water risk
- Type of cover — extended or comprehensive
- Excess and extensions — glass, valuables, solar panels
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is why comparing pays off.
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
The questions we are asked most often about this.
Do I need both?
As an owner-occupier, usually yes. Buildings insurance covers the building and is almost always required by the mortgage lender; home contents insurance covers your possessions and is voluntary but sensible. If you rent, you only need home contents insurance. If you live in a flat, the VvE insures the buildings and you take out contents cover only.
Which policy does laminate fall under?
That differs by policy. Loose-laid floor coverings fall under the contents; a floor that is glued down or permanently fitted is counted by some insurers as part of the buildings. In a rented home, a floor you laid yourself falls under tenant's interest on the contents policy. Check the list in the policy conditions and, if in doubt, have your insurer's classification confirmed in writing.
Do solar panels fall under the buildings or the contents?
Panels fixed on or in the roof belong to the buildings. They are not automatically insured: report the installation and have the sum insured raised, otherwise underinsurance arises. Loose or movable panels and a home battery can be classified differently. Ask your insurer for written confirmation in advance.
What happens with a leak?
Then both policies are involved. Buildings insurance pays for repairing the pipe, the ceiling and the plasterwork. Home contents insurance pays for the damaged furniture, appliances and floor coverings. If both policies are with the same insurer, the claim is handled in one file and you usually pay one excess.
Is a combined home package cheaper?
Often yes, and it prevents argument about the line between the two policies. Do make sure you are not insured twice, for example glass appearing on both the buildings and the contents policy. Double cover does not produce a double payment; Article 7:960 of the Dutch Civil Code prohibits enrichment from insurance. Also check that both sums insured are up to date.
Read more
Within Opstalverzekering
Similar pages
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Both policies arranged at once?
Request a quote without obligation; we will check the rebuild value and the contents value and prevent double cover.
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.