Repair or rebuilding
- Walls, roof, floors and foundations
- Kitchen, bathroom and sanitary fittings
- Central heating boiler and fixed installations
- Often the shed, garage and boundary fencing as well
Rebuild value · mortgage requirement · underinsurance
Why buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) protects your biggest asset
For most homeowners the house is the largest asset they have. Buildings insurance makes sure that a fire, storm or burst pipe does not leave a residual debt on a house that is no longer standing.
- several insurers compared objectively
- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
- AFM licence 12016589
- Personal 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 9–17
Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Waarom een opstalverzekering uw grootste bezit beschermt.
Calculate your premium or request a quote
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
- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
In brief
Buildings insurance covers the building: walls, roof, foundations, fixed floors, kitchen, bathroom, central heating system and whatever else is permanently attached to the house. The insurance is not compulsory by law, but almost every lender requires it in the mortgage conditions. That makes sense: if the house burns down, the security disappears while the loan remains.
The insurance works with the rebuild value, not with the WOZ value or the sale price. Rebuild value is what it costs to build a similar property again on the same site, excluding the land. Anyone who sets the sum insured too low runs into underinsurance : the insurer then pays proportionately, even for a claim far smaller than the total value.
Protection does not mean that everything is covered. Every buildings policy has a fixed list of exclusions, and that is there under comprehensive cover as well. If you know what falls outside, you can do something about it, for example with maintenance or a separate arrangement. Also read which insurance policies go with buying a home.
What the insurance takes care of for you
The buildings cover addresses three types of consequence of damage to the building.
Additional costs
What comes on top of the building costs when the property is unusable.
- Clearance and demolition costs
- Emergency repairs and security
- Temporary accommodation elsewhere
- The cost of mitigating the loss
Guarantee against underinsurance
If you complete the valuation tool correctly, the insurer bears the valuation risk.
- A rebuild value calculator or address scan
- Annual indexation of the sum insured
- Valuation of unusual properties
- You still have to report changes yourself
What is covered
| Situation | Extended | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|
| Fire, lightning strike and explosion | Yes | Yes |
| Storm, hail and water damage to the building | Yes | Yes |
| Burglary and vandalism to the home | Yes | Yes |
| A mishap of your own while working on the house or moving | No | Yes |
| Damage during conversion work or vacancy | Provided that | Provided that |
| Subsidence, pile rot and deferred maintenance | 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.
Four reasons to arrange this properly
Why buildings insurance is more than a formality with the mortgage.
The mortgage remains, the house does not
Lenders require buildings insurance because the home is the security. Without insurance, a fire can leave you repaying a loan on a property that has been destroyed. Many mortgage deeds state that the insurer may pay the claim directly to the lender. If the cover lapses because the premium has not been paid, that is also a breach towards your lender.
Rebuild value, not market value
The sum insured is the rebuild value: rebuilding on the same site, for the same use, to current building standards, excluding the land. That value follows from a rebuild value calculator, an address scan or a valuation. For listed buildings and thatched roofs, a valuation under Article 7:960 of the Dutch Civil Code fixes the value for a set period, so that within that period the insurer cannot rely on underinsurance.
What the policy expressly does not cover
Protection has limits. Outside the cover usually fall subsidence, foundation damage and pile rot, deferred maintenance, wear and tear and construction or material faults, and damage caused by vermin, woodworm, mould and slowly penetrating damp. Groundwater entering through the floor or a wall and flooding caused by the failure of a primary flood defence are excluded as well. Damage caused deliberately or recklessly is lost under Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code.
The policy only works if it is correct
On taking out the policy, the duty of disclosure applies under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code: the construction type, roof covering, use and previous claims all have to be stated correctly. Incorrect information can reduce or void the payout (Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code). If something changes, such as an extension, solar panels, room letting or a vacancy, report it. Report damage as quickly as is reasonably possible, as Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code requires.
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
- Postcode area — burglary, storm and water risk
- Type of cover — extended or comprehensive
- Excess and extensions — glass, solar panels, outbuildings
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is why comparing pays off.
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
The questions we are asked most often about this.
Is buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) required by law?
No, there is no law obliging you to insure the building. In practice it amounts to that: almost every mortgage lender sets buildings insurance as a condition and monitors it. With a flat, the owners' association arranges the buildings cover for the whole building; you then contribute through the service charges.
What happens with underinsurance?
The insurer then pays proportionately. If the sum insured is twenty per cent too low, you get twenty per cent less even for a claim of a few thousand euros. With a correctly completed rebuild value tool there is usually a guarantee against underinsurance and the insurer bears that risk, provided you report changes to the home.
Does buildings insurance cover my contents as well?
No. Buildings insurance covers the building and everything permanently attached to it; your furniture, clothing, appliances and other possessions fall under home contents insurance (inboedelverzekering). Items on the borderline, such as a floor, a built-in appliance or an air conditioning unit, can appear on both policies. Have that checked, so that no gap and no double cover arises.
Am I insured against flooding?
Only partly. Water from a burst pipe or a leak is usually covered. Flooding caused by the failure of a primary flood defence falls outside ordinary buildings cover; there is a separate government arrangement for that. Groundwater seeping slowly through the floor or cellar wall is excluded by almost all insurers.
Does buildings insurance also cover damage to third parties?
No, that is liability. As the owner of a building you are liable under Article 6:174 of the Dutch Civil Code for damage caused by the building not meeting the standards that may be expected of it, for example a falling roof tile. That damage to others falls under liability insurance, not under the buildings policy.
Read more
Similar pages
- The basics of buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)
- What does buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) cover and what does it not?
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering): rebuild value and exclusions
- What does buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) do?
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for your own home: what counts as buildings and structures?
- These mistakes cost you money when taking out buildings insurance (opstalverzekering)
- Buildings insurance (opstalverzekering): what is it and what does it cover?
- What is the best buildings insurance (opstalverzekering) for your home?
Also relevant
Are you sure your home is properly insured?
Request a quote without obligation; we check the rebuild value and compare premiums and conditions.
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 written and checked by an adviser at Finass Verzekert. Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.