Start date
- Often the same day or on handover of the keys
- When buying, align the date with completion
- Damage from before the start date is not covered
- Report a refurbishment in advance, not afterwards
Rolling contract · cancelling · switching
How long does buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) run for?
Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) has no fixed end date: the contract continues until you or the insurer ends it. Below you can read how the contract term works, when you can cancel and how long taking out a policy and settling a claim take.
- 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: Hoe lang duurt een 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 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
Buildings insurance is a rolling policy. The policy schedule gives a start date, but no end date. As long as you pay the premium and the details are correct, cover simply continues, year after year. The insurance only ends when you cancel, when the home is sold or when the insurer ends the contract, for example after repeated claims or non-payment.
What does have a term is the contract period. Many policies have an initial period of one year. After that, insurers usually allow cancellation on any day, with a short notice period. Exactly how long that period is is set out in your policy conditions; do not rely on a rule of thumb, but read the relevant provision or let us do so.
The question is also meant in other ways: how long does it take to arrange one, and how long does settling a claim take. Arranging it is usually a matter of the same day, once the rebuild value has been established. Damage to the home takes longer: straightforward damage is repaired within a few weeks. With major fire or storm damage the process quickly runs to months. See also how the premium is made up.
Start, term and end of cover
Three moments determine how long your buildings cover actually runs.
Rolling contract
After the first contract period the policy continues automatically.
- No end date on the policy schedule
- The sum insured is indexed each year
- The premium can be adjusted at renewal
- Report changes to the home itself
Cancellation or sale
The insurance ends through cancellation, sale or termination by the insurer.
- On a sale, cover runs to completion
- Premium paid in advance is refunded
- Only cancel once the new policy is in place
- The notice period is in the policy conditions
What is covered
| Situation | Extended | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|
| Fire and storm damage during the term | Yes | Yes |
| Damage arising before the start date | No | No |
| Damage during a refurbishment that was reported | Provided that | Provided that |
| Damage during lengthy vacancy after moving out | Provided that | Provided that |
| Your own mishap while doing DIY | No | Yes |
| 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 to watch for with term and ending
Four points that determine whether your cover really runs without a break.
Rolling is not the same as unchanging
The contract continues, but its content does not stand still. Insurers index the rebuild value each year in line with building costs and adjust the premium and conditions at renewal. If you carry out work or add solar panels or an extension, the rebuild value changes faster than the index keeps up with. If you do not report that, underinsurance can arise on a claim and the insurer pays proportionately less.
Never cancel before the new policy is in place
A day without buildings cover is a day on which fire, storm or a burst pipe is entirely at your expense. So have the new policy start at the moment the old one ends, without a gap and without an overlap. When you switch, we arrange the cancellation and align the start date. Your mortgage lender also has an interest in cover running without a break.
The length of a claim process is not fixed
Report a claim as soon as reasonably possible. That is required by Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code requires, and reporting late can cost you the payment if the insurer's interests are harmed as a result. An assessor often follows. Small claims are settled within weeks; major fire or foundation damage takes months or longer, because permits, builders and sometimes a second opinion play a part.
Some claims are never a matter of time
However long your policy runs, a fixed group of causes remains excluded. 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. Intent and recklessness also fall outside cover under Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code. It is precisely those kinds of damage that develop slowly, which makes people think a long term helps. It does not.
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
- Claims history: previous claims at the address
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.
Does buildings insurance have an end date?
No. The policy schedule gives a start date, but no end date. The insurance continues as long as you pay the premium and the details are correct. The contract ends through your cancellation, through the sale of the home, or because the insurer ends the policy, for example for non-payment or after repeated claims.
When can I cancel?
After the first contract period, insurers usually allow cancellation on any day, with a short notice period. How long that period is and whether an initial year still applies is set out in your policy conditions. Only cancel once the new policy is final, so that there is not a single day without cover.
How quickly can I take out buildings insurance?
Usually within a day. The insurer needs your address, type of construction, year of construction and the rebuild value. For an ordinary home that value follows from a value calculator or address scan. For a listed building, thatched roof or unusual property a valuation is often needed and acceptance takes longer, sometimes a few weeks.
How long does settling a claim take?
That varies considerably. A leak or minor storm damage is often repaired and paid within a few weeks. With fire, storm or water damage of any size, an assessor is appointed, sometimes a second assessor, and permits and a builder are needed; the process then runs to months. On large claims, insurers often pay an advance.
What happens to the insurance if I sell my house?
Cover runs to legal completion at the notary. After that the risk passes to the buyer. Report the sale to your insurer and cancel the policy as of the completion date. Premium paid in advance is refunded. If you buy another home, you can often transfer the policy to the new address.
Does cover continue if the house is temporarily empty?
Not automatically. During vacancy, for example between moving out and selling or during a refurbishment, many policies restrict cover to fire, storm and lightning strike. So report vacancy in advance. The insurer may set additional requirements, such as draining the water pipes or periodic inspection of the home.
Read more
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Switching without a gap in cover?
Request a quote without obligation. We align the start date with the cancellation of your current policy.
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.