When international students move to their new home in the Netherlands, they’ll need to compare and take out appropriate home insurance. Specifically, a home contents insurance, since students often bring valuable belongings to their new living space. A home contents insurance offers coverage for damage to all your moveable belongings caused by, i.e., fire, theft or water damage. Moveable belongings include amongst others your furniture, electronic devices, clothing, jewellery and musical instruments.
Home contents insurance
To sufficiently insure your home contents, you need to have an idea of the total value of your belongings. Insurance companies offer a maximum amount of coverage depending on your needs. Most home insurance companies give you a guarantee against underinsurance because the value and composition of your belongings normally change over time. Your belongings in your house and your garden (laundry, for example), garage or shed are covered. When comparing coverages, pay attention to the maximum reimbursements for specific belongings, such as smartphones, laptops or musical instruments. You can find this information in the policy conditions of the home contents insurance company.
Home insurance options
When you take out home contents insurance, you can choose basic or all-risk home insurance. Furthermore, some insurance companies offer the possibility only to insure your student room.
- The basic coverage includes damage caused by fire, explosion, theft, vandalism and water damage, amongst other causes
- All-risk coverage includes all unexpected, unforeseen external damages including damage you accidently cause to your own belongings
- Choose if you want to insure your student room only or a complete home (apartment, flat or small house). Some home content insurance companies do not insure student rooms only. If you have roommates, they also need to take out their own home contents insurance.
The premiums on this page are based on an example of a student living in the centre of Utrecht in a 30m2 apartment. The premium can change depending on your address and size of your home. Also building materials and the amount of security measures applied to your home influence the premium. Do you already have a Dutch home contents insurance but want to switch? In most cases you can cancel every day if you have had the insurance for more than a year. However, take into account a one month notice period.
Deductible
The deductible is a small part of the damage you have to pay yourself. Depending on the home contents insurance company, there might be a compulsory or voluntary deductible. If you voluntarily choose a higher deductible, you pay a lower premium. However, in case of damage you pay the amount of the deductible yourself first. Insurers introduce the deductible to create a small threshold for damage claims. Mandatory deductibles vary from €50,- to €150,- per claim. With other home content insurers, you can determine yourself if you want a deductible.
Additional insurance options
Next to your home contents insurance you can add several supplementary insurances. Depending on your needs, you can take out:
- A liability insurance: for damage accidently caused to others and their belongings. You can choose coverage from €1.500.000,- up to €2.500.000,-
- Electronics insurance or valuables insurance: insurance outside your home for all your portable valuables, such as your laptop, smartphone, tablet or musical instrument
- Legal insurance: legal assistance and support in case of unforeseen legal disputes.