The building
- Fire, explosion, lightning strike
- Storm, hail and rainfall
- Damage to the premises from burglary
- Collision and aircraft
Rebuild value · loss of rent · glass
Buildings and premises insurance for property
Buildings insurance insures the bricks and mortar: the premises themselves, what is permanently fixed inside them and the outbuildings on the same plot. For investment property it comes down to two things: are the correct described activities on the policy, and is the sum insured still right.
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Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Opstal- en gebouwenverzekering voor vastgoed.
Calculate your premium or request a quote
Without obligation; a reply within one working day.
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 your own premium with the calculator.
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
Buildings insurance pays for damage to the building itself. That usually includes the foundations above ground level, the structure, the walls, the roof, the fixed installations such as central heating, lift and electrics, and the boundary fence. Anything not permanently attached to the building — machinery, racking, stock, tills — belongs on business contents and goods insurance. Alterations a tenant has made themselves fall under tenant's improvements, and those are usually on the tenant's policy, not the owner's.
The most important field on a commercial buildings policy is the business activity: the description of what goes on in the building. That description determines the rate, the acceptance and the prevention conditions. If it says 'office' while in fact there is welding, spraying or storage, that leads to a dispute at claim stage about the duty of disclosure under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code and about its consequences under Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code. If the use changes — including through a new tenant — report it immediately.
Two covers that are often forgotten sit alongside the buildings cover: loss of rent and business interruption. Without those separate sections the policy pays only for repairing the bricks and mortar, not for the loss of income. See also commercial property.
What does buildings insurance cover?
The policy consists of cover on the building, a consequential loss section and separate sections such as glass.
Loss of rent and business interruption
The loss of income while the premises are unusable after a covered loss.
- Loss of rent for a fixed period
- Business interruption where you occupy the premises
- The cost of temporary accommodation
- Only with a separate section
Glass
Breakage of panes in walls, doors and frontages, usually available separately.
- Breakage whatever the cause
- Emergency boarding and fitting costs
- Etching and lettering often excluded
- Vacancy limits the cover
What is covered
| Situation | Basic | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| Fire damage to the building | Yes | Yes |
| Storm damage to the roof and facade | Yes | Yes |
| Water damage from a burst pipe | Provided that | Yes |
| Loss of rent after a covered claim | Provided that | Yes |
| Glass breakage without a glass section | No | No |
| Subsidence and foundation damage | No | No |
What is actually covered, including exclusions, limits, periods and the excess, is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) you receive before taking out the cover.
Where things go wrong in practice
Four points that determine whether a buildings policy actually pays when you claim.
The described activities must match the actual use
A building that is office is insured but in practice is used as a workshop, store or production space is insured incorrectly. The insurer assessed the risk on different information. That engages the duty of disclosure under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code; when you claim, payment can be reduced or refused under Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code , depending on what the insurer would have done had the information been correct. Check the described activities at every change of tenant and record changes in writing.
Rebuild value is not market value
The sum insured should follow the rebuild value be: what it costs to build the same premises again in the same place, including demolition, clearing debris and building costs. The market value or WOZ value is no measure for that. Insurers apply an annual index , but that follows a national average and not your specific building. After conversion work, an extension or the installation of solar panels, the sum has to be raised manually, or underinsurance arises and claims are paid proportionately.
What is not included
Excluded from cover are, among other things subsidence and foundation damage, damage resulting from deferred maintenance, wear or damp over a long period, and construction and design faults. Also business interruption and loss of rent without a separate section are not paid, nor is damage caused deliberately or recklessly by the insured (Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code). Use that departs from the described activities is an independent ground for reducing payment. Flooding from non-primary flood defences and earthquake almost always have their own arrangement.
Vacancy is a change in the risk, not a detail
As soon as a building or part of it becomes empty, the risk changes: there is no supervision, damage is discovered later and vandalism and copper theft increase. Virtually all policies restrict cover during vacancy to fire, storm and explosion, or impose additional requirements on security and inspection. So report vacancy in advance and not only when you claim. The same applies to a building that has been squatted or is awaiting demolition or conversion.
What does your premium depend on?
- Business activity and use — office is weighed differently from production
- Rebuild value — the basis on which the premium is calculated
- Construction type and roof covering — brick, steel or combustible panels
- Prevention — extinguishers, compartmentation, alarm
- Vacancy and letting status — empty or partly let increases the risk
- Claims history — previous claims on the property
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is why comparing pays off.
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
The questions we are asked most often about this.
Can I put several properties on one policy?
Yes, that is usual with investment property. All properties appear on one specification, with an address, a construction type, a use and a sum insured for each. The advantage is one renewal date and one point of contact. Do keep that list up to date: a property bought or sold must be reported immediately, or a property is either uninsured or insured twice.
What is the difference between owner's interest and tenant's improvements?
The owner's interest is everything belonging to the owner: the structure, the walls, the roof and the fixed installations. Tenant's improvements are the alterations a tenant has had made at their own expense, such as a kitchenette, partition walls, floor finishes or a suspended ceiling. Those do not automatically fall under the owner's buildings policy; the tenant usually insures them themselves.
Is glass covered as standard?
Usually not. For commercial premises glass is often a separate section with its own premium, because large facade frontages and shop windows present a different risk from glass in a house. Note the exclusions within that section: breakage during conversion work, damage to lettering, film or etching and glass in greenhouses or glasshouses usually fall outside it.
Does buildings insurance also cover my tenant's loss of turnover?
No. The buildings policy pays for repairing the premises and, with the right section, your own loss of rent. The tenant's loss of turnover is their own business interruption and belongs on that business's policy. Record in the lease who insures what.
What happens if the sum insured turns out to be too low?
Underinsurance then applies and claims are paid proportionately: if the premises are insured for seventy per cent of the rebuild value, even a small claim is paid at seventy per cent. A valuation by an expert under Article 7:960 of the Dutch Civil Code prevents that argument, because the value established is then binding for a set period.
Read more
Similar pages
- Commercial buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) when letting your premises
- Business buildings insurance (opstalverzekering): which version suits your premises
- Business buildings insurance (opstalverzekering): effective protection for your business premises
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) and commercial buildings insurance (gebouwenverzekering): the same or not?
- Commercial buildings insurance (opstalverzekering): the importance of the correct described business activity
- Buildings insurance for property
- Insurance for commercial buildings
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for an industrial unit
Also relevant
Would you like your portfolio reviewed?
Request a quote without obligation; for each property we test the described activities, the rebuild value and the loss of rent and glass sections.
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 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.