Structure and fixed parts
- Foundations, walls, floors and roof
- Kitchen, sanitary ware and central heating system
- Fixed sun blinds and a dormer window
- Solar panels, provided they have been reported
Rebuild value · outbuildings · excess
Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for your own home: what counts as buildings and structures?
Anyone buying a house insures the building. This page sets out what counts as buildings, how the sum insured is arrived at and what remains outside the cover.
- several insurers compared objectively
- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
- AFM licence 12016589
- Personal 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 9–17
Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Opstalverzekering voor uw eigen huis: wat valt onder opstal en gebouwen?.
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
Under buildings an insurer means the building with everything permanently attached to it. That is the foundations, walls, floors, the roof and roof covering, but also the kitchen, sanitary ware, central heating system, fitted floor coverings, sun blinds and usually solar panels. Loose items fall under home contents insurance (inboedelverzekering). When you claim, the line between the two determines who pays for what, and it is therefore more important than it looks.
The sum insured is not the purchase price and not the WOZ value, but the rebuild value: what it costs to build a similar property again in the same place to the applicable building standards, excluding the land. For an ordinary house you establish that with a rebuild value tool or an address scan from the insurer. If you complete it correctly, the insurer usually gives guarantee against underinsurance. For a listed building, a thatched roof or a villa the tool does not work and a valuation follows under Article 7:960 of the Dutch Civil Code.
Buildings insurance is not compulsory by law, but every mortgage lender requires it because the home forms the security. If you live in a flat, the VvE the building under the deed of division, which goes back to Article 5:112 of the Dutch Civil Code. Also read what exactly counts as buildings.
What belongs to the building?
Three groups together determine the sum insured and the extent of the cover.
Outbuildings and grounds
A shed, garage, garden wall and paving belong to the plot but are not automatically on the policy.
- Name a free-standing shed or garage
- Boundary fencing and railings separately
- Paving and the drive often capped
- Planting usually covered to a limited extent
Type of cover and excess
Extended cover works with named causes, comprehensive cover includes unnamed causes as well.
- Extended: fire, storm, water, burglary
- Comprehensive: your own accidents too
- Often a separate excess for storm
- Exclusions remain in both forms
What is covered
| Situation | Extended | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|
| Fire, storm and water damage to the home | Yes | Yes |
| Forced-entry damage to doors and frames | Yes | Yes |
| Your own mishap while doing DIY | No | Yes |
| Damage to a shed, garden wall and paving | Provided that | Provided that |
| Damage during conversion work or vacancy | Provided that | Provided that |
| Subsidence, foundation damage and pile rot | 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 homeowners come unstuck
In practice these four subjects determine whether a claim is paid in full.
The sum insured is your own responsibility
The premium follows from the rebuild value you declare. If you complete the valuation tool with too low a figure, you see a low premium that falls short when you claim: the insurer then pays proportionately less. A correctly completed tool usually gives guarantee against underinsurance. If you carry out building work or add an extension or dormer window, have the sum established again.
Outbuildings are not on the policy automatically
A free-standing shed, garage, veranda, garden wall or drive belongs structurally to your plot, but by no means always falls within the sum insured for the main building. Some policies include a set percentage, others ask for them to be stated with their floor area and construction type. For garden layout and planting a maximum amount and a limited set of covered causes often apply.
Report changes to the property and its use
Solar panels, a heat pump, room letting, a business at home or a long vacancy change the risk. When you take out the policy, the duty of disclosure under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code; a breach can reduce the payout or cause it to lapse under Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code. If damage occurs, report it as soon as is reasonably possible, as Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code requires.
The exclusions are comparable with every insurer
Outside the cover are subsidence, foundation damage and pile rot, damage caused by deferred maintenance, wear and tear and construction or material faults, and damage caused by vermin, woodworm, mould and slowly penetrating damp. Groundwater entering through the floor or cellar and flooding caused by the failure of a primary flood defence are also excluded. Intent and recklessness are excluded under Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code.
What does your premium depend on?
- Rebuild value — the main basis for calculation
- Construction type and roof covering — brick, timber or thatch
- Year of construction and state of maintenance — older premises, higher risk
- Postcode area — burglary, storm and water risk
- Type of cover — extended or comprehensive
- Excess and extensions — glass, solar panels, outbuildings
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.
What exactly counts as buildings and what as contents?
Buildings is everything permanently attached to the building: foundations, walls, roof, kitchen, sanitary ware, central heating system, fitted floor coverings and usually solar panels. Contents is everything you take with you when you move: furniture, appliances, clothing and rugs. In a rented home you insure improvements you have made yourself as tenant's interest on the contents policy.
Is buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) required by law?
No. There is no legal obligation to insure your home. In practice every mortgage lender requires buildings insurance, because the home is the security for the loan. If you live in a flat, the owners' association insures the building under the deed of division and you do not need a buildings policy of your own.
Does the insurer work with the WOZ value or the purchase price?
With neither. Buildings insurance works with the rebuild value: what it costs to build a similar property again to current building standards, excluding the land. With an old or unusual property that value is often higher than the WOZ value. Some insurers use the WOZ value only as a supporting figure in an address scan.
What excess is sensible?
An amount you can bear yourself without it hurting. A higher voluntary excess lowers the premium, but you bear every small claim yourself. Also watch for a separate excess for storm or hail damage; that appears in many policies and is separate from the ordinary amount. Weigh both against your reserves.
Can damage to foundations or settlement be insured anywhere?
Not through ordinary buildings insurance. Settlement, damage to foundations and pile rot are excluded by almost every insurer, because they involve gradual processes rather than a sudden event. When buying an older house, have a structural survey carried out and ask your local authority about known foundation problems in the area.
Read more
Within Opstalverzekering
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Have your buildings policy checked?
Request a quote without obligation; we will check the rebuild value, outbuildings and form of 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.
