Is a kitchen home contents or buildings?

In a home you own

A fitted kitchen with fitted units, a worktop and built-in appliances is part of the structure. In a fire or water damage, restoring it falls under your buildings insurance (opstalverzekering).

A free-standing fridge or a free-standing cooker is contents. You can take those with you when you move.

In a flat

Here it is different. The building is insured through the VvE, but a kitchen you had installed yourself is owner's interest: it is fixed in place and therefore not contents, but the VvE policy usually covers only the original structural condition.

That difference can be tens of thousands of euros. First ask the board whether the VvE has arranged the owner's interest collectively. If not, include it as a section on your home contents insurance.

In a rented home

What you as a tenant had installed yourself is tenant's improvements. Your landlord's buildings insurance does not cover that. It covers the property as it was let.

You include that as a section on your home contents insurance as well.

Why it matters

In a kitchen fire or a leak, the first question is which policy it falls under. If the kitchen appears nowhere, it falls between two covers and you pay yourself.