Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for a listed national monument
With a listed national monument it is not your own preference but the permit that determines how you may carry out repairs after damage, and that makes the sum insured something other than an ordinary rebuild value.
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 situation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
In brief
A listed building falls under the Dutch Heritage Act. Repairs after fire, storm or a leak require a permit and the local authority checks whether you are preserving the heritage values. You may not replace a broken sash window with a plastic one, replace slates with tiles or replace lime pointing with cement mortar. That obligation determines the cost of repairs, regardless of what a builder would charge for modern materials.
The sum insured must therefore be based on restoration costs: craft work, equivalent materials, building history research, scaffolding on a facade that is hard to reach and a longer lead time because of the permit procedure. A valuation that works on square metres of new build will leave you structurally underinsured. Have the valuation carried out by someone who knows listed buildings and update it periodically.
What does buildings insurance for a listed national monument cover?
The structure of the cover in three parts, with an overview per situation below.
The basis
Rebuild value
What it costs to rebuild the premises.
Not the market value
Not the WOZ value (the Dutch property valuation)
Guarantee against underinsurance
Permanently fixed
What is included
Everything permanently attached to the building.
Building and installations
Outbuildings
Boundary fences
Optional
Extensions
What is excluded as standard.
Glass
Garden landscaping
Inherent defect and foundations
What is covered
Situation
Standard
With extension
Fire, smoke and lightning strike
Yes
Yes
Storm from force 7 upwards
Yes
Yes
Water damage from a burst pipe
Yes
Yes
Glass breakage
Sometimes
Yes
Groundwater coming through the floor
No
No
Wear 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.
Where things go wrong in practice
Four points that make the difference between a policy that pays out and one that does not.
Duty to restore to the original condition
The permit prescribes that you carry out repairs using the materials and techniques that belong to the building. Think of hand-formed brick, lime mortar, forged ties, glazing bars in the windows and mouldings milled to size. Make sure the policy expressly names those extra costs, including the cost of building history research and of supervision by the heritage committee. Without that clause, the insurer will pay out on the basis of standard building costs.
Roof covering, chimneys and woodwork
Thatch, slates and old tiles are the items where most damage begins. A thatched roof is assessed separately by insurers, with requirements on the distance to chimneys, on spark arresters and on the use of open fireplaces. A masonry chimney that cracks lets rainwater run right into the roof structure. Have the roof covering, the type of roof and the number of chimneys stated word for word in the description on the policy.
Foundations and damp are excluded
Many listed buildings stand on timber piles or on a masonry footing without a damp-proof course. Damage caused by pile rot, subsidence and rising damp is excluded as standard, even where the consequences become visible as cracking or a sticking door. The same applies to timber attacked by house longhorn beetle or death-watch beetle and to damage caused by poor maintenance of gutters and pointing. These are maintenance items, not insured events.
Preservation and liability
As the owner you have a duty of preservation, and as owner of the structure you are liable for damage caused by defects under Article 6:174 of the Dutch Civil Code. Loose decorative brickwork, a falling roof tile or a weathered balustrade landing on the pavement all fall under this. Document your maintenance cycle and the inspections of the roof structure; that file is your most important document both in handling a claim and in a liability case.
What does your premium depend on?
Established restoration value — The rebuild sum follows the cost of craft restoration, not the cost of comparable new build.
Type of roof covering — Thatch, slates and old tiling are assessed more strictly than a modern roof covering.
Structural condition of the shell and woodwork — Pointing, window frames, roof structure and gutters determine how quickly damage spreads.
Presence of open fire — A working chimney, fireplace or stove in a listed building calls for additional requirements and sweeping certificates.
Use of the listed building — Residential use, an office, a museum or catering within the same property each lead to a different assessment.
Permit and research costs included — Building history research, supervision and a longer lead time can be included as a separate item.
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is why comparing pays off.
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.
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.
Why is the sum insured for a listed building so high?
Because after damage you are not free to choose how to repair. The permit requires equivalent materials and historic techniques, carried out by specialist firms. Scaffolding, research and a longer lead time come on top of that. The sum reflects those restoration costs and not the price of a comparable newly built property of the same size.
Is damage to the foundations covered?
No. Pile rot, subsidence, negative skin friction and the cracking that follows from them are excluded as standard. That also applies where the damage only becomes visible in the brickwork years later. Repairing foundations is a maintenance and investment question. Have the foundations surveyed when you buy, so that you know what you are buying before you arrange the insurance.
Can I insure a thatched roof in the same way as a tiled roof?
Not automatically. Insurers assess thatch separately and often set requirements: inspected flues, spark arresters, a minimum distance to flammable objects and sometimes lightning protection. Maintenance of the ridge and the replacement cycle also come up. If you do not meet a clause and that is connected with the fire, the payout can be reduced.
What happens if the local authority delays the permit?
Repairs then drag on while your property remains unusable. So ask whether the policy takes account of the longer lead time for listed buildings, for example in the period within which you have to rebuild and in any cover for temporary accommodation or loss of rent. Set the agreements down in writing; standard periods are written with new build in mind.
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.
