Rebuild value
- Not the market value
- Not the WOZ value (the Dutch property valuation)
- Guarantee against underinsurance
Reporting a claim on your buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)
Reporting, limiting and recording, in that order, determines whether the insurer can still establish the extent of your loss afterwards.
- several insurers compared objectively
- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
- AFM licence 12016589
- Personal 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 9–17
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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
Reporting a claim is not a formality but a moment of proof. Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code requires you to report the damage as soon as you are reasonably aware of it. Reporting weeks later does not automatically cost you cover: the insurer has to show that the delay harmed a reasonable interest, for example because the cause can no longer be investigated. Where the circumstances are deliberately misstated, the right to payment does lapse entirely.
You also have a duty to mitigate the loss: you must do what is reasonable to limit the damage. Turn off the stopcock, cover the roof, have the consumer unit isolated. Those emergency measures are paid for, even if that means the sum insured is exceeded. What the policy does not pay for is permanent repair carried out before the insurer could assess the damage.
Photograph before you clear up, from a distance and close up, and keep the damaged material. For a larger claim the insurer sends an assessor. If the claim runs through a VvE policy, the board reports it and not you. See also the procedure for damage to the home.
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What does reporting a claim on your buildings insurance cover?
The structure of the cover in three parts, with an overview per situation below.
What is included
Everything permanently attached to the building.
- Building and installations
- Outbuildings
- Boundary fences
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.
What does your premium depend on?
- Claims history of the property. Several claims within a few years count at renewal, particularly if the cause could recur.
- Nature of the previous claims. A one-off storm claim is assessed differently from recurring leaks, which point to a maintenance problem.
- Excess chosen. A higher excess keeps small claims off the policy and lowers the premium, but increases your own share per event.
- Prevention measures taken. Leak detection, a replaced roof or an inspected electrical installation after a claim can bring acceptance back to normal.
- State of maintenance. The state of the roof, gutters and pipework determines how likely a further claim is and therefore the rate.
- Rebuild value. The sum insured remains the basis of calculation. A claims record does not change it, but it does change the rate applied to it.
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
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.
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.
Where things go wrong in practice
Four points that make the difference between a policy that pays out and one that does not.
Report first, only then repair
Do not have permanent repairs carried out before the damage has been inspected. A repaired pipe that has already been thrown away makes the cause impossible to prove, and it is precisely the cause that determines whether there is cover: a burst pipe yes, slowly seeping damp usually not. You may always take emergency measures and are in fact obliged to. Keep those invoices separate from the repair invoices, because they are paid under a different heading.
Record the circumstances as they were
Note the date, the time, what you found and who was present. In a burglary, report it to the police and pass on the report number; without signs of forced entry and a police report, theft claims almost never get through. With storm damage, the wind force on the day helps. Do not adjust your account later: a changed account of events is the most common reason for a file to go into investigation after all.
You may appoint your own assessor
If you disagree with the insurer's assessor about the extent or the method of repair, you can appoint an assessor of your own. The cost of that is paid under virtually every buildings policy, up to the extent stated in the conditions. If the two assessors cannot agree, they jointly appoint a third. That is not a dispute but a procedure set out in the policy.
What comes off the payment
The insurer deducts the excess from the amount of the claim, and for storm that often differs; see the excess on buildings insurance. Deferred maintenance, wear and tear and construction faults also remain at your expense, even where they contributed to the damage. If your sum insured is too low, payment is proportionate. So check your rebuild value in good time.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
How quickly must I report a claim?
As soon as reasonably possible, says Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code. In reality that means within a few days, and for a burglary or fire the same day. If you report later, your right does not lapse automatically: the insurer then has to show that it was prejudiced by the delay, for example because the cause can no longer be established.
May I appoint my own builder?
For emergency measures, always. For permanent repairs, wait for the insurer's approval, unless the policy allows free choice of repairer. Many insurers work with their own network and then pay the amount that network would charge. Check this in advance, otherwise you bear the difference yourself.
What if I disagree with the amount of the claim?
Appoint your own assessor. The cost is covered under most buildings policies. The two assessors jointly establish the extent and, if a difference remains, appoint a third assessor whose judgement is binding. If you still cannot agree, the internal complaints procedure is open to you and after that the Kifid (the financial services complaints institute).
What happens to evidence you keep?
Keep the damaged part until the file is closed: the burst pipe, the roof tile, the forced lock. Insurers regularly have a technical investigation carried out into the cause. If the material has gone, it can no longer be proved that the cause was a covered one and the doubt remains at your expense.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
- Compare buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)The main page
- The excess on buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)Per event, storm, choice
- Buildings or fire insurance: the differenceOld term, wider cover ·. What is included
- Who takes out the buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)?Owner, VvE, ground lease
- Is buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) compulsory?Not by law, but by contract, VvE
- Who pays for the buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)?Owner, tenant, VvE
- Water damage on buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)Consequential damage, cause, groundwater
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) with solar panelsReporting, rebuild value, fire risk
Ready to compare?
Request a quote without obligation. We will look at which insurer best matches your activities and your risk.
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 (LinkedIn). Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.