Home insurance
- Calculated on the rebuild value
- Walls, roof, foundations, kitchen and bathroom
- Shed, garage and boundary fence usually included
- Often required by the mortgage lender
Is buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) the same as home insurance?
Yes: opstalverzekering, woonhuisverzekering and gebouwenverzekering are the same product. The terms are used interchangeably and mean exactly the same thing. What does differ is the form of cover and the policy conditions underneath.
- several insurers compared objectively
- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
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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.
- Independent advice
- Several insurers
- Switching arranged
- Help with claims
In brief
The question as asked is slightly circular, but we understand what you mean: is buildings insurance the same as home insurance, the buildings insurance or what people still call fire insurance? The answer is yes. It is one and the same insurance; insurers simply choose a different name. For private homes it is more often called woonhuisverzekering. For commercial property more often gebouwenverzekering or opstalverzekering.
The name 'fire insurance' is a relic of the time when only fire was insured. A modern buildings policy covers considerably more: besides fire, also storm, lightning strike, burglary, water from pipes and appliances, impact by a vehicle and vandalism. What the policy covers cannot be read from the name on the policy schedule, but from the type of cover and the conditions: extended or all-risks.
Two things really are different and are often confused. Buildings insurance is not the same as home contents insurance: that covers your belongings, not the building. And it is not the same as liability insurance: that covers damage you cause to someone else. See also the comparison with fire insurance.
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We compare your buildings insurance across dozens of insurers, explain where the real differences lie, and arrange the switch from start to finish — without you having to chase it yourself.
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The same insurance, three common names
The name says nothing about the cover. The form of cover and the conditions do.
Buildings insurance
The same cover, but for business premises and let property.
- Also called opstalverzekering
- The designated use determines the premium
- Tenant's interest is on the tenant's policy
- Vacancy requires a separate notification
Fire insurance
The old name for the same policy, when only fire was covered.
- Storm, water and burglary are now covered too
- The name says nothing about the extent
- Extended or all-risks is what counts
- The exclusions are the same in all forms
What is covered
| Situation | Extended | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|
| Fire, smoke and lightning damage | Yes | Yes |
| Storm and hail damage to the roof and facade | Yes | Yes |
| Water from a burst pipe | Yes | Yes |
| Drilling through a pipe while doing DIY | No | Yes |
| Damage to furniture and equipment | No | No |
| Subsidence, pile rot and deferred maintenance | 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 does your premium depend on?
- Rebuild value: the main basis for calculation
- Construction type and roof covering: brick, timber or thatch
- Use of the premises: owner-occupied, let or business use
- Year of construction and state of maintenance: older premises, higher risk
- Type of cover: extended or comprehensive
- Excess and extensions: glass, solar panels, outbuildings
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.
Why arrange it through Finass Verzekert?
We look at the terms as well as the premium, and stay your point of contact when there is a claim.
Independent
We are not tied to one insurer and compare on the basis of an objective analysis of several companies.
One fixed adviser
You call or email someone who knows your file. No menu options, no changing call centres.
Switching without hassle
We cancel your old policy and align the start date, so you are never a day without cover.
Help with claims
We report the claim and monitor how it is handled. In urgent cases you can reach us on the emergency line.
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.
What does differ under the same name
Four points that determine what your policy really covers, whatever it is called.
The form of cover, not the name
Two policies both called 'home insurance' can be far apart. With the extended form named events are covered: fire, storm, water, burglary, impact by a vehicle. With comprehensive cover unnamed, sudden causes are covered as well, such as an accident of your own while doing DIY. The exclusions remain in both forms; all-risks emphatically does not mean everything.
Buildings cover is not the same as contents cover
This is the confusion that costs money. Buildings insurance covers the building; home contents insurance covers your belongings. The rule of thumb: if it goes with you when you move, it is contents. If it stays put, it is structure. A glued floor, the fitted kitchen and the boiler are structure. A loose rug, the sofa and the washing machine are contents.
And not the same as liability either
If a roof tile falls from your roof onto the neighbour's car, that is not buildings damage but liability claims. As the possessor of a defective structure you are liable under Article 6:174 of the Dutch Civil Code, even without doing anything wrong. That damage falls on your liability insurance. The buildings policy only covers damage to your own building.
The exclusions are much the same everywhere
Whatever the policy is called, a fixed group of causes remains outside cover. Not covered are subsidence, foundation damage and pile rot, damage caused by deferred maintenance, wear and design faults, and damage caused by vermin, mould and slowly penetrating damp. Flooding caused by the failure of a primary flood defence is also excluded, as is damage through intent or recklessness under Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Is home insurance the same as buildings insurance?
Yes. It is the same product. Both terms are used interchangeably. Insurers choose for themselves what to call the policy. For private homes you more often see woonhuisverzekering. For business premises and let property more often gebouwen- or opstalverzekering. For the actual cover, always look at the form of cover and the policy conditions, not at the name.
Is fire insurance the same policy too?
In reality, yes. Fire insurance is an old name for buildings insurance, from the time when only fire was covered. A modern policy also covers storm, lightning strike, water from pipes, burglary and vandalism. Some commercial policies do still offer a genuinely limited fire version; in that case check explicitly which events are named.
What is the difference from home contents insurance?
Buildings insurance covers the building; home contents insurance covers your belongings. The line is the moving rule of thumb: what you take with you when you move is contents, what stays put is structure. A fitted kitchen, a glued floor and the boiler are structure; furniture, clothing, curtains and loose appliances are contents. Both policies have their own sum insured.
Does buildings insurance also cover damage at the neighbours'?
No. Damage that you or your property cause to someone else falls under liability insurance. As the possessor of a defective structure you are liable under Article 6:174 of the Dutch Civil Code, even without fault. The buildings policy only pays for damage to your own building, and then only from a covered cause.
Can I see for myself which form I have?
The policy schedule states the form of cover, usually as extended, extra extended or all-risks. The accompanying insurance card (verzekeringskaart) shows the main cover and the exclusions at a glance. If you are unsure, send us your policy schedule. We compare the conditions and tell you whether the sum insured still suits your home.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
- Compare buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)The main page
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering): what is it and what does it cover?Rebuild value, building, exclusions
- Insurance for your home and familyBuildings, contents, liability
- What does buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) cover and what does it not?Building, rebuild value, exclusions
- What does buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) do?Rebuild value, damage to the building, exclusions
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering): rebuild value and exclusionsBuilding, rebuild value, mortgage requirement
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering): what the word meansOpstal in law, insurance term, right of superficies
- Compare buildings insurance (opstalverzekering): what to look out for?Conditions, sum insured, exclusions
- What does buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) cover?Permanently attached, outbuildings, exclusions
Read more
Within Opstalverzekering
Want to know what is insured under your policy's name?
Send us your policy schedule. We compare the form of cover, the sum insured and the conditions.
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 compiled by Finass Verzekert (LinkedIn). Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.