Damage to others · damage to your house · two policies
Liability or buildings: what is the difference?
Buildings insurance covers damage to your home. Liability insurance covers damage you cause to others. They do not overlap.
Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Aansprakelijkheid of opstal: wat is het verschil?.
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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.
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- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
Buildings insurance
Covers the building you live in: fire, storm, water damage, damage to doors and frames from forced entry. Everything permanently attached.
Your mortgage lender almost always requires it, naming itself as an interested party on the policy.
The liability insurance
Covers damage that you, your family members or your pets to others cause. A broken window at the neighbours', injury caused by your dog, a laptop knocked over while visiting.
It is not compulsory, but it is the policy virtually everyone benefits from, because personal injury claims are calculated over the victim's whole life.
Where they touch
With Article 6:174 of the Dutch Civil Code they come together: as possessor you are liable for damage caused by a defect in your property. If a roof tile falls on the neighbour's car, that is liability; the damage to your own roof is buildings cover.
That is one event with two policies — and two claims if they are with different companies.
What you need
As a homeowner, both. Buildings insurance because you have to and because your home is your largest asset; liability insurance because a single injury claim can exceed your assets.
Read more
Similar pages
- Do you need buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)?
- Home contents and buildings: what is the difference?
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering): everything permanently attached
- Is a kitchen home contents or buildings?
- Water damage: is that contents or buildings?
- What is buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)?
- Insuring buildings and contents together
- Is buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) the same as home insurance?
Frequently asked questions
The questions we are asked most often about this.
Are these the same insurances?
No; buildings cover insures damage to your home, liability covers damage you cause to others.
Do I need both?
As a homeowner, yes; they do not overlap.
What about a roof tile on the neighbour's car?
That is liability; the damage to your own roof falls under buildings cover.
Is liability insurance compulsory?
No, but a single injury claim can exceed your assets.
Does my mortgage lender require a policy?
Almost always buildings insurance, with itself as an interested party.
Do I have to report it twice?
With different insurers, yes; with the same company it runs in one file.
What is covered and what is not
Which policy comes into play
| Situation | Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) | Liability insurance |
|---|---|---|
| A pan catches fire and your own kitchen wall and ceiling are blackened | Yes | No |
| That same fire spreads to the neighbours' home | No | Yes |
| Your child smashes the neighbour's greenhouse while playing football | No | Yes |
| The hose on your washing machine comes off and the water attacks your own glued kitchen floor | Yes | No |
| A visitor trips over a loose paving slab on your path and breaks a wrist | No | Yes |
| Your window frames have started to rot because they have not been painted for years | No | No |
The buildings policy looks at your own building; the liability policy at what someone else loses because of you.