Structure and fixed parts
- Walls, floor, roof and roof covering
- Up-and-over door, locks and fittings
- Fixed electrics and lighting
- Any gutter and rainwater downpipe
Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for a garage box: is it compulsory and what does it cover?
A lock-up garage is a building in its own right with nobody living in it. That changes both the question whether you have to be insured and the question what exactly is covered.
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In brief
There is no legal obligation in the Netherlands to insure a lock-up garage. When it comes to it the obligation arises in two other ways. If you financed the garage as part of a mortgage, the lender will almost always require buildings insurance on the security. If the garage is in a complex divided into apartment rights, the deed of division under Article 5:112 of the Dutch Civil Code usually prescribes that the VvE insures the whole building. In that case you do not take out a buildings policy of your own but contribute through the service charges.
If the garage stands separately on your own land, you own the structure and it is up to you. That is not a formality: a lock-up garage is usually unoccupied, often sits on the edge of a residential area or in an inner courtyard and is rarely checked daily. Fire, burglary and storm damage to the roof are therefore noticed late, and it is precisely how long damage goes on that determines how high the bill turns out to be.
The distinction between the building and what is inside it matters. Buildings insurance covers the structure of the building: walls, floor, roof, the up-and-over door and permanently installed services. Your tools, tyres, furniture, caravan or classic car are not included. Those items are stored goods and call for a separate solution. Also read when you really have to insure a lock-up garage.
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What counts as the buildings of a lock-up garage?
The policy looks at the building itself; everything you put inside follows a different route.
Cover through the association
If the garage is in a divided complex, the VvE insures the building as a whole.
- One policy for the whole complex
- The basis is set out in the deed of division
- The excess comes out of the VvE's funds
- Improvements you have made yourself separately
The contents of the garage
Stored items do not fall under the buildings cover for the garage.
- Tools, tyres and materials
- A car, caravan or motorcycle insured separately
- A contents policy rarely covers the garage as well
- Ask about a separate arrangement in advance
What is covered
| Situation | Separate garage box | A lock-up in a VvE |
|---|---|---|
| Fire damage to the walls, roof and floor | Yes | Yes |
| Damage from forced entry to the up-and-over door and the lock | Yes | Yes |
| Storm and hail damage to the roof covering | Yes | Yes |
| Theft of tools you store there | No | No |
| Business use or subletting of the garage | Provided that | Provided that |
| 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 of the garage box: floor area and construction type
- Construction and roof covering: brick, concrete or timber
- Location and access: inner courtyard or public road
- Use of the garage box: private, letting or business
- Security: locks, lighting, camera
- Type of cover and excess: fire or extended
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.
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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.
Four things that go wrong with a lock-up garage
A separate garage is often insured on autopilot. These misunderstandings follow from that.
It is not compulsory, but it is usually required
The law does not oblige you to insure a lock-up garage. Your mortgage lender does, because the garage forms the security. If the garage is in a divided complex, the VvE insures the building and a buildings policy of your own is duplication. So first check the deed of division and the deed of transfer before you take anything out, and ask the VvE for the policy schedule.
What you store there falls outside the cover
This is the most common misconception. Buildings insurance covers the construction, not the contents. If the garage burns out, the building is repaired and your tools, winter set of tyres or hobby project go unpaid. Your home contents insurance in principle covers items in the house, and rarely extends automatically to a separate building at another address. Ask about this expressly and have it recorded in writing.
No occupation means a different risk profile
An unoccupied structure is weighed more heavily: there is no supervision, damage is discovered late and the burglary risk is higher. Insurers therefore set requirements for the locks and fittings and sometimes for the fire load in the garage. If there is a gas bottle, a jerry can or a battery on charge, report it. If the use changes, for example because you let the garage or store business stock there, the duty of disclosure under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code.
The standard exclusions apply here in full
Not covered 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, mould and slowly penetrating damp. A leaking flat roof that has had no attention for years is maintenance and not damage. Damage you cause deliberately or recklessly is excluded under Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Is buildings insurance for a lock-up garage compulsory by law?
No. There is no legal obligation to insure a lock-up garage. Almost every mortgage lender does require buildings insurance on the security, and if the garage is in a divided complex, the deed of division obliges the VvE to insure the building. In that last case you contribute through the service charges and do not need a separate buildings policy of your own.
Are my belongings in the lock-up garage insured?
In principle no. Buildings insurance covers the structure of the garage, so the walls, floor, roof and the door. Tools, tyres, furniture and hobby items are contents or stock and fall outside it. Home contents insurance covers items in the house and rarely extends automatically to a separate building elsewhere. Ask your adviser for a separate arrangement.
Who insures the garage if it is in a VvE complex?
The owners' association. The deed of division, based on Article 5:112 of the Dutch Civil Code, usually obliges the VvE to insure the whole building against fire and storm damage among other things. The garage then falls under that collective policy. Improvements you have made yourself, such as a new electric door or a partition, are not always included; record those separately.
May I let the lock-up garage or use it for business?
That is often allowed, but it changes the risk and has to be reported. Business storage, letting to third parties or keeping goods for a company does not automatically fall under a private policy. If you do not report it, the insurer can rely on Articles 7:928 and 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code and reduce or refuse the payout. Also check the permitted use in the rules.
What happens if a car or caravan catches fire in the garage?
The damage to the building falls under the buildings insurance, provided the cause is covered. The car or caravan itself falls under its own own-damage or pleasure craft cover. If the fire spreads to the neighbouring garage, liability comes into play under Article 6:174 of the Dutch Civil Code for the owner of a defective structure, or Article 6:162 DCC for unlawful conduct.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
- Compare buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)The main page
- Damage to your lock-up: what buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) does and does not coverFire, burglary, storm
- Insuring a garage or lock-up: what buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) does and does not doAttached, separate property, use
- Your own garage box: why buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) is neededSeparate building, use, rebuild value
- Insuring a garage boxSeparate object, contents, use
- Does everyone need buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)?Owner, VvE, mortgage requirement
- Insuring a business lock-up through OOM VerzekeringenLetting, unknown use ·. A row of units
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for a garage boxSeparate object, use, storage
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for your own home: what counts as buildings and structures?Rebuild value, outbuildings, excess
Read more
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Insure a lock-up garage separately?
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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.
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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.