Wildfires in California: what does that mean for the Netherlands?

Yes, fire is the core cover of every buildings and contents policy. Whether the fire starts indoors or spreads in from woodland or heath makes no difference to the cover. Smoke, soot and firefighting water damage are included too, as are clearance costs. What does count is whether the sum insured is enough to rebuild the home completely.

Indirectly they may. Dutch insurers reinsure their risk on an international market. If that market becomes more expensive because of major natural disasters anywhere in the world, that feeds through over time into rates and into stricter acceptance requirements. The biggest driver of premium increases in the Netherlands, however, remains the indexation of rebuild values as building costs rise.

Not under the ordinary buildings policy. Flooding caused by a primary flood defence failing or overflowing is excluded as standard; government rules on compensation for disasters exist for that. Water damage from heavy rainfall that does not result from a breach is covered by some insurers or can be added. Read the definitions of flooding and water damage in your conditions; the two differ considerably.

Make sure there are working smoke alarms on every floor, have the electrical installation and the chimney checked periodically, and keep combustible material away from the facade and the shed. With a thatched roof, additional requirements often apply to lightning protection and the chimney. Also keep an up-to-date inventory with photographs outside the house or in the cloud; that makes settling a claim after a total loss considerably easier.