Home insurance in the Netherlands
Home insurance, also known as "woonhuisverzekering" in Dutch protects homeowners and tenants against unexpected events that could potentially damage or jeopardize their residence.
We explore in this section
Which insurances are there for my house?
In the Netherlands you have building insurance ("opstalverzekering") and contents insurance ("inboedelverzekering").
Building insurance provides protection for the physical structure of the property, including the walls, roof, and fixed installations, while contents insurance covers personal belongings within the home, such as furniture, electronics, and valuables.
The Netherlands has a quarter of its land below sea level. Having insurance that covers you against flooding can give you some peace of mind. Additionally, policies may also offer liability coverage, safeguarding homeowners against legal claims arising from injuries or damages that occur on their property.
Understanding the specific risks associated with the Dutch climate and housing market is essential when selecting a home insurance policy.
From urban apartments to traditional canal-side houses, each dwelling has its unique features that require tailored coverage.
As the Dutch housing market continues to evolve, home insurance remains a vital aspect of responsible homeownership. This introduction serves as a starting point for individuals seeking to navigate the nuances of home insurance in the Netherlands, ensuring that their cherished homes are protected against unforeseen events.
Univé’s Home insurance for Expats
Univé house insurance (inboedel & opstalverzekering) protects your goods (inboedel) and home (opstal) against unforeseen events like breaking, fire, storm damage, and burglary. Expensive goods like mobile devices, clothing, furniture can also be insured, even outside of your home. The ‘inboedel’ insurance is one of the most important insurances to have when moving to the Netherlands and renting a house. If you are buying it is important to include the ‘opstal’ insurance.. Get in touch with Univé to learn more about the coverage and insurance that suits you. They will also help you with preventing damage by giving advice on how to secure and take care of your house.
What damage does home insurance cover?
What damage does opstalverzekering (building insurance) cover?
With building insurance, you receive compensation for damage to your home or the damage is repaired for you. An overview of the damages that are and are not insured.
Covered
- Damage from fire, precipitation, storm, leakage, burglary, or a collision.
- Damage from an accident.
- Costs for alternative living arrangements in case of damage.
- Cleanup and remediation costs up to €100,000.
- Reconstruction or repair costs.
- Home rental: insured for damage from fire, storm, burglary, theft (after burglary).
What damage does inboedelverzekering (contents insurance) cover?
Your belongings in your home are part of your household contents. By taking out household contents insurance, you insure these belongings against damage from, among other things, fire, lightning, and water. You can supplement your household contents insurance with, for example, mobile electronics or glass breakage coverage. This way, you can find a household contents insurance that suits your situation well. Among other things, the following items are insured:
Covered
- Belongings in the house, such as your furniture, appliances, or clothing
- Cleanup costs after damage
- Costs for alternative living arrangements
- Garden furniture and garden tools
Recommended insurers
FBTO
FBTO is a highly-rated Dutch insurance provider where you can adjust coverage to your needs. They offer insurance for your car, house, legal matters, and much more. Visit the website to get a direct quote.
ABN AMRO
ABN AMRO Bank N.V. is the third-largest bank in the Netherlands. They also have highly rated insurances and mortgages. If you already have an bank account with them, this is the easiest option to get Home Insurance. Check the website for more information.
Unive
Univé is a cooperative insurance company in the Netherlands. Univé presents itself as a nonprofit insurer, to express that making profit is not important and therefore has cheaper products.
Centraal Beheer
Centraal Beheer is one of the biggest insurance companies in the Netherlands with insurances for home, car, your bike and much more.
Inshared
InShared was founded in 2009 as an online insurer and became one of the most successful insurers in the online market. The go-to market strategy of online differs a lot from the traditional channels, and within this InShared made some clear choices.