What does household contents insurance cover?
You can use the contents insurance for damage to items in the home caused by fire, but the cover is much broader than that. Theft from the shed and a fire hole in the laminate floor are also covered.
Many people have home contents insurance. Yet when damage occurs, people often forget to make a claim on the insurance. That is a shame. You always pay the premium correctly and if there is a damage, do declare the damage to the insurer. Even if it is only a small claim. The premium does not go up because of a damage, as is often the case with car insurance.
What does the insurer actually reimburse?
The most important cover is probably the cover against fire. The insurer also pays out for damage caused by storms, lightning strikes and some water damage. In recent years, the all-risk household insurance has become popular. This insurance even covers damage caused by your own fault. For example, you are moving a cupboard and it falls through the glass table. The insurer will pay for both the damage to the table and to the cupboard and its contents. Of course, any excess is deducted first.
What does the contents insurance pay out?
According to the Dutch Association of Insurers, Dutch people pay an average of €10 per month for household insurance. Only 8% of the insureds make an annual claim on the contents insurance. It is likely that many more claims can be submitted. Insured persons often only claim for extensive damage. After a small kitchen fire, you file a claim, but what do you do with a burn hole in the new sofa? Also for these damages, you are entitled to compensation. If the damage cannot be repaired, you may even be entitled to a new couch. Theft from the garden or a shed/garage is also insured under certain conditions.
All-risk household insurance
In the policy conditions of the all-risk household insurance policy you can read that all damage to your household contents is insured, unless literally excluded. Intentionally causing damage to your household contents, for example, is not insured. The same applies to damage caused by flooding and an earthquake.
Dropping your phone in the toilet is usually insured, but we must immediately make a note of this. Damage to phones and tablets was often claimed on the all-risk contents insurance. Some insurers have therefore decided to greatly increase the excess. Because of this, a cracked phone screen is insured, but because of an excess of, for example, €150, this coverage in the contents insurance is useless. Sometimes smartphones are even completely excluded from coverage.
Submit all claims?
In the event of damage, it is best to contact the insurer and explain the situation. Insurers will most likely ask you to fill in a (digital) damage report form. On this basis, insurers can better assess the damage.
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