Making a claim as a self-employed professional
Report a loss as soon as you know about it and limit whatever can still be limited. Those two obligations are set out in law and determine the outcome more often than the description of cover itself.
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Report a claim
Sorry to hear you've had some damage. Report it here and we'll take it from there. Is there immediate danger, or is the damage still ongoing? Then call us straight away on 072 - 509 24 56.
Report a claim
Sorry to hear you've had some damage. Report it here and we'll take it from there. Is there immediate danger, or is the damage still ongoing? Then call us straight away on 072 - 509 24 56.
- Independent advice
- Several insurers
- Switching arranged
- Help with claims
In brief
Report a loss as soon as you can reasonably be aware of it. Article 7:941(1) of the Dutch Civil Code sets out that obligation; subsection 2 then requires you to give all the information the insurer needs to assess the payment. If you report late, the insurer may only reduce the payment where its reasonable interests have been harmed as a result, for instance because the cause can no longer be established. Anyone who deliberately gives a false account loses the right to payment entirely under subsection 5.
There is also the duty to mitigate the loss from Article 7:957 of the Dutch Civil Code: you have to take reasonable measures to prevent or limit the loss, and the cost of those is for the insurer's account. For a workspace or business premises that means, turning off the water, cutting the power, covering a hole in the roof, boarding up a broken window and moving wet contents to a dry space. Consequential loss you allow to arise by doing nothing cannot be claimed later.
After that, keep everything that can show the cause. Photographs before you clear up, the damaged parts themselves, purchase receipts, the maintenance contract and, for burglary, theft or vandalism, a police report. The general route and the forms are on the page report a claim and for business owners at making a business claim. If something changes in your situation without there being a claim, use notifying a change.
This page deals with one situation. The full overview is on Compare buildings insurance (opstalverzekering).
Personal advice, not a call centre
Finass Verzekert is a licensed, independent firm. You get one advisor who knows your situation — including the moment a claim actually happens and it matters most.
Advice
Personal
ClaimsWhy 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.
What to look out for
Four points that go wrong after a loss more often than the cover itself.
Mitigating can start at once, repairing cannot
You may and must take emergency measures immediately. Permanent repair, demolition or removing damaged items waits until the insurer or the loss adjuster has seen them. If you throw away the broken equipment or have the floor replaced before the cause has been established, the evidence is missing and you carry the risk of that choice yourself.
Do not admit liability
If a customer, client or neighbour holds you liable, forward the letter and do not reply with an undertaking. Every policy contains a prohibition on admitting liability: the insurer determines the position taken in the file. Whether you really are liable is assessed under Article 6:162 of the Dutch Civil Code and that judgement goes in your favour more often than you might think at first sight.
The loss adjuster and the opposing expert
For larger losses the insurer appoints a loss adjuster who establishes the cause, the extent and the rebuild or replacement value. You may appoint your own expert alongside. The reasonable cost of that is paid on most policies. The outcome is compensation and not an improvement: Article 7:960 of the Dutch Civil Code provides that you must not end up better off.
Three notifications that produce no payment
First, damage from deferred maintenance and gradually acting influences: penetrating damp, wood rot, a roof that has been leaking for years. Second, construction, design and foundation defects, including subsidence and groundwater. Third, flooding caused by the failure of a primary flood defence and damage from earthquakes. Those fall outside the cover on virtually every buildings policy. Anyone who caused the damage deliberately cannot rely on the policy. That follows from Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code.
What does your premium depend on?
- Rebuild value of the premises: the basis of the sum insured, separate from the market value
- Construction type and roof covering: brick and a hard roof are rated differently from timber or thatch
- Use of the space: an office at home is assessed differently from a workshop
- Prevention: firefighting equipment, smoke alarms, locks and fastenings and an inspection of the installation
- Excess: often arranged separately for storm and for other events
- Claims history: earlier notifications count at renewal of the contract
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
What is covered when you notify
| Situation | Third-party liability | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|
| You run into the back of a car that suddenly brakes in a queue | Yes | Yes |
| You find a dent in your van and the person responsible is unknown | No | Yes |
| Glass damage that you have repaired straight away at an approved repairer | No | Yes |
| You only report a collision two months later, when the other party writes to you | Provided that | Provided that |
| The turnover you lose while your van is in the workshop | No | No |
| Your van is damaged while it was at the garage for servicing | No | No |
Report a loss as soon as you know about it and keep photographs; repairing first makes establishing the facts difficult.
Reviewed by the advisory team of Finass Verzekert · LinkedIn
Finass Advies B.V. · AFM licence 12016589 · Chamber of Commerce 37131781
AFM licence for: Adviseren en bemiddelen in schadeverzekeringen particulier, Adviseren en bemiddelen in schadeverzekeringen zakelijk
Last reviewed on
This page was written and reviewed by advisers of a firm licensed by the AFM (Wft). Advice and policies are always handled by an adviser, never automatically.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
How quickly must I report a claim?
The statutory test in Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code is: as soon as reasonably possible after you know of the event. Many policies also name a period of a few days for burglary, theft or vandalism, because a police report is still meaningful then. Do not wait until the contractor's quotation arrives: notifying and evidencing are two separate steps and the first can always be done straight away.
May I have the damage repaired straight away?
You may always have emergency repairs carried out to prevent things getting worse. Those costs fall under the duty to mitigate the loss in Article 7:957 of the Dutch Civil Code. Permanent repair waits for approval, unless it is a small amount and the insurer indicates that an invoice is enough. In all cases, keep photographs of the situation before the repair and the receipt for the emergency work.
What if it turns out afterwards that my details were no longer correct?
The duty of disclosure then comes into play. When you apply, Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code applies; Article 7:930 DCC then determines the consequences. If the insurer would have accepted the risk at a higher premium, a proportionally lower payment follows. If it would not have accepted it at all, there is no payment. That is why reporting changes mid-term matters more than it seems.
How long can I still report an old loss?
A claim against the insurer is time-barred under Article 7:942 of the Dutch Civil Code three years after you became aware that it was due. If the insurer has rejected the claim in writing, a separate, shorter period starts within which you have to challenge that rejection. So do not leave a file dormant in the hope that it will be picked up later after all.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.