Refurbishment · installations · rebuilding period
Nationale-Nederlanden's buildings insurance
For a production hall or workshop, the key question is where the building ends and the installation begins, and what happens as soon as building work starts in or on the premises.
- 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: Gebouwverzekering van Nationale-Nederlanden.
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 activities
- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
In brief
Finass acts as an intermediary through, among others, Nationale-Nederlanden. Where that company is used, it follows from your risk profile and not from a preference decided in advance. We compare several insurers objectively. In construction, engineering and industry the assessment turns on two questions: what does the policy count as part of the building, and what happens during a refurbishment or extension?
With an industrial property the line between building and business equipment is rarely self-evident. A crane rail, a compressed air or process pipeline, an extraction system, a lifting table or a refrigeration installation is attached to the building but serves the process. Insurers do not always count those items as part of the structure. What is not included belongs on the business contents insurance; what falls between the two remains uninsured until you name it.
The second fault line is the building work. As soon as demolition or extension work starts, or a new hall is built on, the risk changes fundamentally: there is scaffolding, hot work is carried out and the premises are temporarily harder to secure. The buildings policy is not written for that. The work itself belongs on construction all risks (CAR) insurance for refurbishments, alongside which the existing structure must remain separately arranged.
This page deals with one situation. The full overview is on Compare buildings insurance (opstalverzekering).
What to look out for
Four points that make the difference in settlement for a production or construction property.
What the policy counts as part of the building
Go through the description literally: foundations, floors, the roof structure, fixed walls, the main electrical installation and the sanitary ware usually belong to it. Machine foundations, process installations, crane rails and industrial refrigeration often do not. Have it recorded what you do want counted as part of the building, or insure it expressly on the business contents and machinery cover.
Hot work and work by third parties
Welding, flame cutting, roofing with naked flames and grinding are the most common causes of fire in construction and maintenance work. Insurers therefore impose a hot work permit as a condition, even where an external party carries out the work. Without a completed and retained form, that non-compliance is in itself a reason to refuse payment.
Rebuilding period and permits
A hall with a specific function is not simply rebuilt. The zoning plan, the environmental permit, nitrogen allowance and steel delivery times determine how long it takes. Match the indemnity period chosen for the business interruption insurance to that; too short a period leaves you with fixed costs while the building work is still going on.
What falls outside the cover
Excluded is damage caused by construction, design and workmanship faults, by gradual pollution such as corrosion, vibration or damp, and by an inherent defect in an installation. Damage to work in progress also belongs not here but on the construction cover, and flooding caused by the failure of a primary flood defence is excluded as standard.
What does your premium depend on?
- Production process on the premises: welding, drying, machining or charging batteries counts heavily
- Construction type and compartmentation: fire-resisting separation limits the extent
- Sum insured and indexation: building costs for steel and installations move sharply
- Prevention and inspections: electrical inspection, firefighting equipment and detection
- Storage in and around the premises: material against the wall increases the risk
- Building work or extension in progress: determines whether separate construction cover is needed
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
What is covered
| Situation | Extended | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|
| Fire in the production hall that spreads to the roof structure | Yes | Yes |
| A storm lifts the roof covering off the shed | Yes | Yes |
| A lorry drives into the roller shutter door while manoeuvring | Yes | Yes |
| A pipe in the underfloor heating bursts and the floor has to be opened to find the break | Provided that | Yes |
| The concrete floor subsides after a period of prolonged drought | No | No |
| Frost splits the pipework in a hall that stood empty and unheated over the winter | No | Provided that |
All-risks also covers unforeseen events not on the list of perils, but subsidence, vacancy and construction faults remain separately assessed.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Does my buildings insurance continue during a refurbishment?
Always report the refurbishment in advance. During building work, insurers often restrict cover or set additional requirements, because the premises are open and hot work is taking place. The work itself, the materials and damage to the new part belong on construction all risks (CAR) insurance. Without notification you engage the duty of disclosure and the insurer can reduce the payment.
Is my machinery covered by the buildings insurance?
No. Machinery, tools and business equipment belong on business contents or machinery breakdown cover, even where they are anchored to the floor. In borderline cases such as a crane rail or a process installation, the description in the conditions is decisive. Have it recorded expressly on which policy such an item sits, so that it does not fall between two covers after a fire.
What if the sum insured lags behind building costs?
Underinsurance then follows and payment is proportionate, including on partial damage. An index clause absorbs the annual increase, but not an extension or a major refurbishment. A valuation under Article 7:960 of the Dutch Civil Code fixes the value for a set period and prevents later discussion about the basis.
Am I liable if something falls from my hall onto the neighbouring plot?
As the possessor of a defective structure you are liable under Article 6:174 of the Dutch Civil Code for damage caused by a defect, even without fault. If one of your employees is injured in the process, your duty of care under Article 7:658 DCC also comes into play. Both claims belong on public and employers' liability insurance (AVB) and not on the buildings insurance.
Read more
Within Opstalverzekering
Similar pages
- Commercial buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) through Avéro Achmea
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for your business premises
- What is buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)?
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for warehouses
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) through Allianz — compare & calculate your premium
Also relevant
- Additional structures insurance through Avéro Achmea
- Tenant's improvements insurance for rented business premises
- Personal insurance through Nationale-Nederlanden
- Construction all risks (CAR) insurance for structures through Nationale-Nederlanden
- Nationale-Nederlanden for self-employed professionals (zzp’ers) in construction and engineering
- Erection insurance for installation works through Nationale-Nederlanden