Extended cover
- Fire, smoke and lightning strike
- Storm from force 7 upwards
- Water damage and leakage
- Burglary damage
Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for a listed building
With a listed building it is not the risk that is different but the duty to restore: after damage you may only rebuild in the original state, and that amount should be in the sum insured.
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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
A nationally or locally listed building is subject to a duty of preservation. After a fire or storm damage you may not replace the damaged part with a modern, cheaper solution: the same brick bond, the same lime mortar, the same profile in the plasterwork, the same hand-formed tile. That is craft work by specialist firms, and it takes longer than ordinary repair.
That is why an ordinary rebuild value calculator does not work here. It calculates with square metres and standard building costs and comes out structurally too low. The right basis is a valuation under Article 7:960 of the Dutch Civil Code by an expert who reflects the heritage requirements in the value. That valuation carries a period of validity; once it expires, you fall back on the ordinary arrangement and therefore on underinsurance.
The third factor is time. Restoration requires permission from the local authority or the Cultural Heritage Agency. That procedure runs on while you are living elsewhere or while rent is lost. So check how long the policy pays additional costs and loss of rent.
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What does buildings insurance for a listed building cover?
The structure of the cover in three parts, with an overview per situation below.
Comprehensive
All sudden and unforeseen damage from outside, unless excluded.
- Unnamed causes included
- A small mishap while doing DIY
- Less discussion when you claim
Basis of value
Rebuild value with a guarantee against underinsurance, or a valuation.
- Rebuild value calculator
- Valuation under 7:960 DCC
- Guarantee on your policy schedule
What is covered
| Situation | Extended | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|
| Fire, smoke and lightning damage | Yes | Yes |
| Storm damage from force 7 upwards | Yes | Yes |
| Water damage from a burst pipe | Yes | Yes |
| Burglary damage to doors and frames | Yes | Yes |
| Drilling through a pipe while doing DIY | No | Yes |
| Subsidence, pile rot and deferred maintenance | No | 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?
- Valued rebuild value including the duty to restore. The valuation reflects craft materials and specialist workmanship in the value.
- Extent of the protection. The exterior only, or also interior features such as plaster ceilings, panelling and stained glass.
- Heating installation and flues. Open fires, wood burners and unlined brick flues often lead to additional prevention requirements.
- Condition of the electrical installation. Out-of-date wiring in timber structures is an underwriting question and not a detail.
- Use of the premises. Residential, office, museum or catering use leads to a different risk profile and different conditions.
- Detection and fire protection. Smoke detection with signalling or a detection system can make acceptance possible where values are high.
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.
The valuation is the heart of this policy
Have the rebuild value set by a valuer who visits the property and names the heritage elements: paintwork in traditional paint, stained glass, carved facade stones, a carved staircase. A valuation under Article 7:960 DCC binds the insurer to the agreed value as long as it is valid. Put the expiry date in your diary; an expired valuation is in practice the most common cause of underinsurance with listed buildings.
Report the listed status, including for a locally listed building
Insurers ask about national listed status, but a local designation or a protected townscape brings restrictions too. If you withhold that, the insurer calculates with ordinary building costs and your sum insured is too low on precisely the most expensive element. Reliance on Article 7:928 DCC may also follow. Also report which parts exactly are protected. Sometimes the designation applies only to the exterior or to a single interior feature.
The chimney, wiring and heating installation determine acceptance
Most fires in old properties start in an unlined brick flue, in out-of-date wiring in timber floors, or with a wood burner standing too close to combustible material. Insurers set specific requirements here: periodic sweeping with a certificate, an inspection of the installation, sometimes a liner in the flue. Those requirements appear as prevention conditions on your policy schedule; if they are ignored, the fire cover lapses.
What the duty to restore does not cover
Deferred maintenance is excluded, and with listed buildings that is looked at strictly: rotten woodwork, washed-out pointing and a leaking gutter are maintenance, not damage. Attack by woodworm, house longhorn beetle or dry rot also falls outside cover, as does gradual damp. Improvement beyond the original state is not paid for, and neither are repairs to foundations; see foundation damage.
Open fires and chimneys
Old properties often carry additional requirements for chimneys, wood burners and wiring. Comply with them, otherwise the fire cover lapses.
A guarantee against underinsurance is not automatic
If you fill in the insurer's rebuild value calculator correctly, you will usually receive a guarantee against underinsurance: in the event of a claim the actual amount is paid, even if the sum insured turns out to be too low. Your policy schedule states whether you have that guarantee. Without it, the proportionality rule applies, and that also affects small claims.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Why is a rebuild value calculator not enough for a listed building?
Because it calculates with volume and standard building costs. With a listed building you have to restore with the original materials and techniques, carried out by specialist firms and after a permit. Those costs are considerably higher than ordinary building costs. The right basis is a valuation under Article 7:960 of the Dutch Civil Code in which the duty to restore is reflected, with an explicit period of validity on the report.
What happens if my valuation has expired?
The binding effect of the valued amount then lapses and the insurer assesses the claim afresh on the basis of the actual rebuild value. If the sum insured is below that, a proportionate payment follows. With listed buildings that difference is large, because the modern building costs that would then be used are far removed from craft restoration. Have the valuation renewed in good time.
Do I have to report a locally listed building too?
Yes. A local designation or a location in a protected townscape also imposes restrictions on how you may restore, and therefore on the costs. Also report which parts are protected. Withholding it falls under the duty of disclosure in Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code and on a claim can lead to a reduction or refusal of payment under Article 7:930 DCC.
How long is alternative accommodation paid for?
That appears as a period in the conditions and is a point to watch with listed buildings, because restoration can only start after permission from the local authority or the Cultural Heritage Agency. That procedure takes time during which you are living elsewhere or rental income is lost. When taking out the policy, check what period it applies for additional costs and loss of rent, and whether it can be extended.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
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Read more
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Request a quote without obligation. We will look at which insurer best matches your activities and your risk.
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 compiled by Finass Verzekert (LinkedIn). Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.