Buildings, let property
- On a rebuild value basis
- Fire, storm, water, burglary damage
- The type of letting appears on the policy schedule
- Loss of rent often included
Let property · owner's interest · loss of rent
Which insurance do you need as the landlord of a home?
As soon as you let out a home, the risk changes. Private buildings insurance is taken out for owner occupation and usually does not cover letting.
- 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: Welke verzekering heeft u nodig als verhuurder van een woning?.
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
Ordinary buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) assumes owner occupation. If you let the property, the situation differs from what the insurer accepted: someone else lives there, you do not see the property daily and use can be more intensive. Almost all private policies therefore exclude letting or attach conditions to it. You need buildings insurance taken out for the intended use a let home.
On taking out the policy, the duty of disclosure applies under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code. You have to declare everything that matters for assessing the risk, and letting always belongs in that category. If you withhold it, the insurer can rely on Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Codewhen you claim: the payment is reduced in proportion to the premium you would have paid had you declared correctly, or lapses entirely if the insurer would not have provided cover at all had it known the true position.
Alongside the buildings cover, two other matters arise. As the owner of the building you are strictly liable under Article 6:174 of the Dutch Civil Code, and your personal liability insurance usually does not cover this where the property is let. You also run the risk that the home is uninhabitable after a loss. There is cover for loss of rent.
Which covers go with letting?
Three policies that sit side by side with a let home.
Owner's interest
The fittings that belong to you and stay behind when tenants change.
- Kitchen, bathroom, flooring, curtains
- White goods and furniture with furnished letting
- Not the same as the tenant's improvements
- The tenant's contents do not belong to you
Liability
Injury or damage to tenants, visitors and neighbours caused by a defect in the property.
- Article 6:174 of the Dutch Civil Code, even without fault
- A loose roof tile, a balcony, a stair rail
- Personal liability insurance (AVP) usually does not cover letting
- A separate property owners' policy
What is covered
| Situation | Buildings cover for owner-occupation | Buildings, let property |
|---|---|---|
| Fire and storm damage to the let property | No | Yes |
| Loss of rent for as long as the home is uninhabitable | No | Provided that |
| Owner's interest: kitchen, bathroom and fixed flooring | Provided that | Yes |
| Vandalism by the tenant or their visitors | No | Provided that |
| Damage during a long period of vacancy | No | Provided that |
| Deferred maintenance and wet rot | No | No |
Which amounts, periods and exclusions apply to you is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) you receive before taking out cover.
Four points for landlords
Where insuring a let home goes wrong.
Reporting the letting is not a formality
The intended use of the property appears on your policy schedule. If it changes from owner occupation to letting, you have to report that. If you do not, you run into Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code: the insurer may reduce or refuse payment. That applies not only to permanent letting, but also to room letting, letting to migrant workers and letting through a platform. Reporting costs a little extra premium at most. Not reporting costs you the loss.
The owner's interest and the tenant's improvements are not the same thing
What you as landlord leave in the home is your owner's interest: the kitchen, the bathroom, the fixed flooring and, with furnished letting, the furniture too. What the tenant installs or takes with them is their tenant's improvements and contents, and the tenant insures that themselves. If you do not follow that division, it turns out after a loss that nobody had insured the kitchen. Set out in the tenancy agreement who insures what.
Vacancy is a change in the risk
A home without occupiers is more vulnerable to burglary, vandalism, water damage and squatting. Policies therefore have a vacancy clause: after a certain period without occupation, cover falls back to a limited number of perils, usually only fire, storm and lightning. Report a vacancy between two tenants and certainly a long period of sale or building work. With a long period of vacancy that is not reported, you can be left without usable cover.
Damage caused by the tenant is often excluded
Many landlord policies do not cover damage caused by the occupier, or only as an extension. Usually excluded are vandalism by the tenant or their visitors, damage resulting from illegal use such as a cannabis farm, and damage arising from deferred maintenance. Damage caused by intent or recklessness also falls outside the cover under Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code. Here the deposit and tenancy law are your instruments, not the policy.
What does your premium depend on?
- Rebuild value of the premises: the basis for calculating the buildings cover
- Type of letting: a family, rooms or short stays
- Construction type and year of construction: brick, timber or thatch
- Postcode area: burglary, storm and water risk
- Loss of rent and owner's interest: amounts included
- Excess: and any separate storm excess
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.
May I keep my existing buildings insurance when I let the property?
Only if the insurer accepts the letting and states it on the policy schedule. Most private policies are taken out for owner occupation and exclude letting. Report the change in writing. If the insurer does not accept the situation, you take out buildings insurance for let homes. Continuing without reporting gives the insurer a defence under Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code when you claim.
What exactly does loss of rent cover?
Loss of rent cover pays the rental income you miss for as long as the home is uninhabitable because of an insured loss, after a fire or a major leak, for example. The cover applies for a period stated in the policy and only if the cause itself is covered. If the rent continues because the tenant stays on, or the home stands empty because of a poor market, the cover does not apply.
Who insures the contents in a let home?
The tenant insures their own contents. Those do not belong to you and are not covered by your policy. What belongs to you and stays in the home you insure as the owner's interest: kitchen, bathroom, fixed flooring, and with furnished letting the furniture and white goods too. Set out in the tenancy agreement which items belong to whom, so that it is clear after a loss who claims.
Am I liable if a tenant falls because of a defect in the property?
As the owner of the building you are strictly liable under Article 6:174 of the Dutch Civil Code. The injured party does not have to show that you did something wrong. It is enough that the building did not meet the standards that may be expected of it. Your personal liability insurance (AVP) usually does not cover this where the property is let, so property owners' liability insurance is needed.
What happens if there is a cannabis farm in my let property?
Almost all policies exclude damage connected with illegal use of the property. Fire or water damage caused by a cannabis farm is then at your expense, even if you knew nothing about it. Insurers expect you to inspect the property periodically and to check on the tenant. Set out a right of inspection in the tenancy agreement and keep a written record of the arrangements made and of your visits.
Do I have to report a vacancy between two tenants?
A short vacancy when tenants change is usually not a problem, but policies apply a period after which cover falls back to a limited number of perils. If the vacancy lasts longer than that period, or the home is up for sale or undergoing building work, report it. The insurer can set additional requirements for supervision, locks and draining the water pipes.
Read more
Within Insuring a home that you let
- Insuring a home that you letthe main page
- Verzekeringen verhuurder
- De opstalverzekering voor verhuurde woningen alle mogelijkheden bij finass verzekert
- Een verzekering voor je tweede huis wat moet je weten
- Choosing buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for the home you let
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) when letting
- Bescherm uw investering met deze tips voor vastgoedverzekeringen
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Do you let out a home?
Request a quote without obligation. We check your type of letting and set out the exclusions side by side.
Prefer to call? 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 09:00–17:00.
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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.
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.