Liability
- Cables and pipes
- Damage to buildings
- Injury to bystanders
Insuring a Kobelco
Kobelco excavators are often found on demolition and remediation sites, and there the risk lies not in the machine but in the building next door and the ground beneath it.
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- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
- AFM licence 12016589
- Personal 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 9–17
This page in another language: Nederlands
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.
- Independent advice
- Several insurers
- Switching arranged
- Help with claims
In brief
Kobelco builds tracked excavators in the medium-weight segment, frequently used with demolition attachments: sorting grab, hydraulic breaker, concrete shears. If you work with those in existing built-up areas, the nature of your risk changes. The machine is not the problem; the adjoining premises, the foundation next door and the ground beneath it are. Claims from demolition work concern cracks, subsidence and contamination, not dented bodywork.
That touches on Article 6:174 of the Dutch Civil Code: the owner of a structure is liable if it does not meet the applicable requirements and causes damage as a result. In demolition work this cuts both ways. During the work you are the keeper of a building that has been partly removed, and at the same time the party working next to someone else's building. Record who has control at which stage.
Finally, note the exclusions insurers apply specifically to demolition: vibration and settlement damage and damage connected with asbestos are almost always limited or excluded.
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Kobelco: what is covered?
The structure of the cover in three parts, with an overview per situation below.
Own-damage cover
Damage to and theft of the machine, including inherent defect.
- Theft and vandalism
- Fire and storm
- Inherent defect and operating error
Downtime and transport
What comes into play with breakdown and transport.
- Business interruption during downtime
- Transport to the site
- Hired plant
What is covered
| Situation | Covered |
|---|---|
| Theft from the building site | Sometimes |
| Fire and storm damage | Yes |
| Inherent defect in the hydraulics | Sometimes |
| Damage to cables and pipes | Sometimes |
| Normal wear and tracks | No |
| Damage due to deferred maintenance | No |
This overview is general in nature and is not personal advice. What is actually covered, including exclusions, limits and the excess, is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) of the insurer; you receive both before you take out cover. Taking out cover without advice? Then read what execution only means for you.
What does your premium depend on?
- Demolition or earthmoving configuration. A machine in demolition configuration is assessed differently from an ordinary excavator.
- Attachments. Hydraulic breaker, concrete shears or sorting grab, each with its own loading and value.
- Distance to adjoining buildings. Working up against existing buildings raises the risk of cracking and settlement damage.
- Baseline survey and monitoring. A baseline survey of the surroundings improves both acceptance and your evidential position.
- Demolition survey and asbestos policy. Whether an up-to-date survey is in place and how suspect materials are handled.
- Weight class and boom configuration. A long boom or demolition boom changes the stability and loading profile.
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
How we arrange it
- You request a quoteWe take stock of your situation, your risk and your 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.
Where things go wrong in practice
Four points that make the difference between a policy that pays out and one that does not.
Vibration and settlement are excluded as standard
Hydraulic breaking, pulling out foundations and excavating next to an existing building bring vibration and ground movement with them. Cracking and subsidence at the neighbours' property is separately excluded in virtually every liability policy, or covered only with a limited provision. Arrange this in advance: have a a pre-works survey made of the adjoining properties and take measurements during the work. Without a baseline survey you lose the argument over evidence before the question of cover even arises.
Asbestos and soil contamination stay outside the policy
If asbestos is released during demolition, there is a duty to remediate and the work is halted. Liability policies almost always exclude asbestos, even where its presence did not appear in the survey. Much the same applies to soil and groundwater contamination: that falls under separate environmental cover. Always work from an up-to-date demolition survey, therefore, and record who was responsible for the investigation before the machine starts.
Collapse and control of the building during the work
A partly demolished building is a structure in an intermediate state. If part of it collapses and someone or the building next door is struck, the question arises who had control at that moment. Article 6:174 DCC places liability for a defective structure with the possessor. Set out in the contract with your client from what moment you have control of the works and until when. Damage to the object you are demolishing is also not insured property damage.
Demolition attachments and damage to the machine during demolition work
Breakers, shears and grabs load the boom and the hydraulics more heavily than digging does. Insurers check whether the machine has been declared in demolition configuration and whether the equipment suits the model. Damage caused by using an attachment too heavy for the machine is refused. Falling debris on the cab also leads to argument if the prescribed cab protection was missing; declare that equipment explicitly.
Repairs and parts
The dealer network in the Netherlands is limited; allow for longer repair times.
Acceptance differs per insurer
Not every company applies the same policy for this make. With unusual versions, the question is not what it costs but who will accept it.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Is cracking at the neighbours' property covered?
Usually not without a separate provision. Vibration and settlement damage is excluded or limited in virtually every liability policy. Have a baseline survey of the adjoining properties made in advance and take measurements during the work. Without a baseline survey it cannot be established which cracks were already there, and you lose the argument over evidence before cover is even discussed.
What if asbestos is released unexpectedly?
The work is halted and remediation follows, and usually the liability policy offers no cover for that; asbestos is almost always excluded. Even where the material did not appear in the survey, that does not change the exclusion. Work from an up-to-date demolition survey, therefore, and set out contractually who was responsible for the preliminary investigation.
Who is liable if part of the building collapses?
That depends on who had control of the structure at that moment. Article 6:174 of the Dutch Civil Code places liability for a defective structure with the possessor, but during demolition the practical situation is often unclear. Set out in the contract from what moment you take over the works and when you hand them back.
Is damage to the machine during demolition work insured?
If the machine appears on the policy in demolition configuration and the attachment suits the model, yes. If you use a breaker or shears too heavy for the machine, the damage is treated as avoidable overloading. Falling debris on the cab leads to argument where the prescribed cab protection was missing.
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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. Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.