Fire and water
- Smoke alarms required on every floor
- Requirements for wiring and the consumer unit
- Washing machines and connections in each room
- Firefighting equipment often required
Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for a student house
To insurers, a student house is not an ordinary home. Letting by the room raises the risk of fire and damage, and calls for a policy that reflects this.
- several insurers compared objectively
- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
- AFM licence 12016589
- Personal 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 9–17
This page in another language: Nederlands
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 situation
- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
- Independent advice
- Several insurers
- Switching arranged
- Help with claims
In brief
With letting room by room several households live in one building, each with their own cooking facilities or with a shared kitchen. That increases the risk of fire, of water damage and of general damage. Insurers therefore treat such a building as a separate risk, with its own rate and its own clauses. Ordinary private buildings insurance (opstalverzekering), taken out when the property was still occupied as a family home, then provides no cover.
Notifying your insurer is therefore not optional. If you let rooms without the insurer knowing, it can invoke the duty of disclosure under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code and reduce or refuse the payout (Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code). Insurers usually ask about the number of rooms, the number of occupants, whether there is a conversion permit from the local authority, and the fire safety provisions in the building.
Two further covers belong alongside the buildings policy. A liability insurance, because as the owner of the structure you bear strict liability under Article 6:174 of the Dutch Civil Code, for example for a defective staircase or loose treads. And cover for owner's interest for kitchens, sanitary ware and furniture that you let with the property. See also buildings insurance for a student house.
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We compare your buildings insurance across dozens of insurers, explain where the real differences lie, and arrange the switch from start to finish — without you having to chase it yourself.
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What makes a student house different
Three points on which insurers assess letting by the room differently from ordinary occupation.
Letting by the room
A separate use of the property, with its own rate and clauses on the policy.
- Report the number of rooms and occupants
- Conversion permit from the local authority
- Tenant vandalism as an extension
- Loss of rent after a covered claim
Who insures what
The structure, the owner's interest and the occupants' belongings are three different things.
- Buildings cover insures the building
- Owner's interest for fixtures let with the property
- Occupants insure their own contents
- Liability arranged separately
What is covered
| Situation | Family home | Room letting |
|---|---|---|
| Fire, storm and water damage to the premises | Yes | Yes |
| Acceptance on an ordinary private buildings policy | Yes | No |
| Vandalism by occupants to the interior | No | Provided that |
| Loss of rent during repairs after a covered claim | No | Provided that |
| Breakage of glass in windows and doors | Provided that | Provided that |
| Damage due to deferred maintenance or subsidence | No | No |
Which clauses, extensions and excess apply to you is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) you receive before you take out the policy.
What does your premium depend on?
- Rebuild value of the premises: the main basis for calculation
- Number of rooms let: more occupants, higher risk
- Fire safety: smoke alarms, wiring, compartments
- Construction type and year of construction: materials, roof and installations
- Postcode area: burglary, storm and water risk
- Extensions and the excess: vandalism, loss of rent, glass
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
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.
Why 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.
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.
Four points about letting rooms
Where cover for a student house tends to run into trouble.
Letting rooms increases the risk
A building with five occupants and five locks on five doors is a different risk from a family home. Insurers look at the number of rooms let, whether cooking takes place in each room, how the wiring has been installed and whether there are fire compartments. Some companies accept room letting above a certain number of rooms only through commercial buildings insurance. Report the situation as it actually is, even if the local authority still has a procedure running about it.
Permits and fire safety count
In many municipalities, converting self-contained accommodation into rooms requires a conversion permit under the Housing Act. Insurers ask about this and may restrict cover if it is missing. Statutory requirements also count: since 1 July 2022, smoke alarms on every floor have been compulsory in existing homes. If the building does not meet that requirement, a fire claim can lead to discussion about contributory fault and about compliance with policy clauses.
What is not covered
Usually excluded are deferred maintenance, subsidence, foundations and pile rot, wear, design and material faults and damage caused by slow-acting damp, mould or vermin. Rent arrears and vacancy are not an insured risk; loss of rent is only paid after a covered claim. Damage caused by a a cannabis plantation is almost always excluded. Normal wear and tear, and damage the tenant must repair under the tenancy agreement, fall outside cover, as do intent and recklessness (Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code).
Vacancy in summer and between tenancies
Student properties sometimes stand empty for weeks or months between academic years. With most insurers, cover falls back after a period stated in the conditions to a limited cover: fire, storm and lightning strike. Theft, vandalism and water damage are then excluded, precisely when the building is left unattended. Report any vacancy and discuss measures such as keeping the heating on, periodic inspection and turning off the stopcock. Report a claim as soon as reasonably possible (Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code).
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Can I keep my ordinary buildings insurance if I let rooms?
Not without notifying the insurer, and usually not without changes either. Letting by the room is a different use with its own rate. Many private policies do not accept it and refer you to a policy for let homes or to commercial buildings insurance. If you let without notifying the insurer, it can reduce or refuse payment on a claim.
Do I need a permit from the local authority?
In many municipalities, converting a self-contained home into non-self-contained rooms requires a conversion permit under the Housing Act. The rules differ by municipality and by district. Insurers ask about that permit. If it is missing, cover can be restricted or refused. Arrange the permit before you let the rooms.
Who insures the occupants' belongings?
The occupants themselves, on their own home contents insurance (inboedelverzekering). Students are sometimes still covered on their parents' policy, but that often applies only while studying away from home and for a limited amount. What you let with the property as owner, such as the kitchen, sanitary ware and furniture, you insure as owner's interest on your own policy.
Is damage caused by occupants insured?
Only if tenant vandalism is included, and then usually for damage to the inside of the building. Normal wear and tear, and matters the tenant must repair under the tenancy agreement, fall outside cover. Include a deposit arrangement in the tenancy agreement and record the state of each room at the start with an inventory report and photographs.
What happens in the summer when the building is empty?
After the period of vacancy stated in the conditions, cover falls back to fire, storm and lightning strike. Theft, vandalism and water damage are then not covered. Report any longer vacancy to your insurer and agree how the building will be checked. Keeping the heating on and turning off the stopcock prevents the most common damage.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
- Compare buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)The main page
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for rooms let and student housesLetting by the room, fire safety, number of units
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) with room letting: from permit to policyLetting by the room, acceptance, prevention requirements
- Insurance for let propertyBuildings insurance, vacancy, owner's interest
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for student housesRoom letting, fire safety, changing tenants
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for property landlordsProperty, let premises, portfolio
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) when letting: what does the landlord arrange?Landlord, buildings, division of roles
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for rooms letSeveral households, fire safety, permits
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for a second homeStanding empty, frost, declaring
Is your student property properly insured?
Request a quote without obligation. We check the number of rooms, the clauses and the extensions.
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 compiled by Finass Verzekert. Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.