The building itself
- Walls, roof, floors and foundations
- Window frames, windows and external doors
- The fitted kitchen, bathroom and toilet
- The boiler, pipework and meter cupboard
What does buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) cover?
Buildings insurance covers the building and everything permanently attached to it. Below is what that means, including the borderline cases and the standard exclusions.
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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
The main rule: everything that would stay in place if you turned the house upside down falls under buildings insurance. That means walls, floors, the roof, foundations, window frames and windows, the the fitted kitchen and bathroom, and the the central heating system, pipework and the electrical installation. On top of that, most policies also count the shed, garage, carport, boundary fencing, paving, landscaping and the letterbox as part of the buildings, provided they are at the same address.
What you take with you when you move is not included: furniture, clothing, appliances, curtains and loose floor coverings belong to home contents insurance. It is also important that buildings insurance works with the rebuild value and not with the WOZ value. If you complete the valuation tool or address scan truthfully, the policy usually gives guarantee against underinsurance.
Some elements are not automatically insured. Solar panels, a home battery, a charging point, a swimming pool, a free-standing garden house or a let part of the property usually have to be reported separately and included in the sum insured. See also solar panels and buildings insurance.
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What is and is not included
The list differs by policy. These three groups appear with almost every insurer.
On the plot
Outbuildings and features at the same address, often up to a maximum amount.
- Shed, garage and carport
- Boundary fencing, fences and gates
- Paving, the terrace and landscaping
- Fixed external lighting and the letterbox
Additional features
These are not automatically insured and have to be in the sum insured.
- Solar panels and a home battery
- A charging point and heat pump
- A swimming pool, hot tub or veranda
- An extension, dormer window or converted loft
What is covered
| Situation | Extended | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|
| Fire, storm and water damage to the building | Yes | Yes |
| Damage to the shed, fence and paving | Provided that | Provided that |
| Solar panels and heat pump | Provided that | Provided that |
| Damaging a pipe or a tiled floor yourself while doing DIY | No | Yes |
| Furniture, clothing and equipment | No | No |
| Subsidence, pile rot, wear and vermin | No | No |
What is actually covered, including exclusions, limits and the excess, is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) that you receive before you take out cover.
What does your premium depend on?
- Rebuild value: the basis of calculation for the policy
- Construction type and roof covering: brick, timber or thatch
- Year of construction and state of maintenance: older premises, higher risk
- Outbuildings and garden landscaping: size of the plot
- Type of cover: extended or comprehensive
- Excess and extensions: glass, solar panels, charging point
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 on the demarcation
When it comes to it the line between covered and not covered falls on these points.
The line with home contents insurance
Permanently attached is the criterion, but in practice there are borderline cases. Some insurers count a glued-down floor as part of the buildings and others as contents. The same applies to sun blinds, roller shutters and a free-standing garden house. In a rented home, kitchens and floors installed by the tenant fall under tenant's improvements on the contents policy. Read the list in the policy conditions and, if in doubt, ask for written confirmation.
Insured does not mean unlimited
Outbuildings, landscaping, paving and boundary fencing are often covered, but up to a a maximum amount per event. Also, a limited list of events regularly applies to the garden and boundary fencing: storm damage is then excluded, for example, while fire does count. Check those limits if you have a large garden, a long fence or an extensive drive.
What no policy includes
Outside the cover are subsidence, foundation damage and pile rot, damage caused by deferred maintenance, wear, design and material faults, and damage caused by vermin, woodworm, mould and slowly penetrating damp. Groundwater through the floor or a wall and flooding after the failure of a primary flood defence are excluded as well. Damage caused deliberately or recklessly is excluded under Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code.
New features belong in the sum insured
Solar panels, a heat pump, a charging point, an extension or a dormer window raise the rebuild value. If the sum insured stays where it is, underinsurance arises and the insurer pays proportionately less, even for damage that has nothing to do with the extension. Reporting is also a duty: the duty of disclosure under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code applies when the policy is taken out, and a breach can reduce the payout or cause it to lapse (Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code).
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Does the garden fall under buildings insurance?
Partly. Paving, the terrace, boundary fencing and planting are insured under many policies up to a maximum amount, but often only against a limited set of events such as fire, explosion and impact. Storm damage to trees and fences is regularly excluded. Check both the limit and the list of covered events in your policy conditions.
Are solar panels automatically included?
No. Panels fixed on or in the roof belong structurally to the buildings, but only count if the sum insured has been adjusted for them. Report the installation and have the rebuild value recalculated. The same applies to a home battery, charging point or heat pump. Ask for written confirmation that the installation is insured.
Does glass fall under buildings insurance?
Often yes, but not always as standard. Some insurers include breakage of glass in windows and doors in the basic cover, others offer it as a separate section for an extra premium. Watch out for double cover: if glass also appears on your contents policy, you pay twice for the same risk without a double payment. Special glass such as stained glass often has a separate arrangement.
What if I let part of the house?
Report it in advance. Room letting, a business at home or holiday letting changes the risk and sometimes the underwriting. Not every insurer accepts that situation on a private buildings policy. If you conceal it, the insurer can reduce or refuse the payout when you claim. For structural letting, a landlord version or a commercial policy is usually needed.
Are outbuildings at another address included?
No. The cover applies to the risk address stated on the policy. A lock-up garage in another street, a store at another complex or a second home has to be insured separately. The same applies to a shed on a separate plot. State all these objects on the application, so that no gaps in the cover arise.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
- Compare buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)The main page
- What does buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) do?Rebuild value, damage to the building, exclusions
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering): what is it and what does it cover?Rebuild value, building, exclusions
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering): rebuild value and exclusionsBuilding, rebuild value, mortgage requirement
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for your own home: what counts as buildings and structures?Rebuild value, outbuildings, excess
- What does buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) cover and what does it not?Building, rebuild value, exclusions
- The basics of buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)Structure, rebuild value, contents
- Home contents and buildings: what is the difference?Loose or fixed, two policies, together in one package
Sure that everything is insured?
Request a quote without obligation. We will check the rebuild value and include outbuildings and installations.
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.