Get insurance for your vacation home

To insure your vacation home abroad, you can take out non-life insurance in the country itself or in the Netherlands. What are the advantages of a Dutch insurance policy? Or is it better to take out French, Italian or Spanish insurance for your second home?

The right insurance for your second home

To choose the right insurance for your second home, it is good to base yourself on three P’s: product, price and performance.

Product:
A Dutch policy almost always provides better coverage than a foreign one. The Dutch are spoiled when it comes to home and contents insurance. Coverage against all risks coming from outside is the norm with us, while this type of coverage is mostly unknown abroad. Take Dutch fire insurance: it covers almost any kind of damage and the insurer’s payout is usually based on new-for-old value. A big difference from many European countries, where coverage is often limited. Moreover, the policy terms are not written in your native language, which can cause discussions and problems in the event of a claim.

Price:
A low interest rate on your mortgage loan is pleasant. But remember that quality should always take precedence over price. If you get your vacation home in Spain insured for a pittance in Spain, you cannot expect to get a policy of the same quality as you are used to in the Netherlands. In the end, you always get value for money and this also applies in terms of insurance.

Performance:
Only in the event of a claim can you know whether the insurance effectively does what you expect it to do, namely compensate the damage. This often involves many issues that are not mentioned in the policy: who to contact, when exactly… If you have insurance abroad, the language barrier can cause difficulties, or the difficult accessibility of the local insurer. In that respect, a Dutch policy is more appropriate.

Insure your vacation home in the Netherlands

It is advisable to take out insurance for your vacation home in the Netherlands. Of course, a Dutch policy does not offer the ideal solution in all areas. But it is usually the best choice in terms of product, price and performance. If you buy a second home, think carefully about the insurance options anyway. That way you can enjoy it for many years!