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Immoweb Protect / Home Protect for tenant / FAQ

Find answers on everything related to Home Protect's Insurance for tenant

General questions about home insurance

Are ‘home’, ‘fire’ and ‘tenant liability’ insurance the same thing?

Broadly speaking, tenant liability insurance refers to insurance covering your home, be it for the building or its content depending on the consumer’s choice and requirements. Therefore, this insurance does not simply cover damage caused by fire, but all sorts of causes including water, electricity, or storm damage. The term home or fire insurance can be used by either an owner or a tenant.
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‍Tenant liability insurance is also part of home insurance but relates more specifically to the tenant’s cover of the building. Tenants will therefore cover their tenant liability for damage to the building in a fire insurance policy. Only tenant liability insurance is mandatory. They can also add content insurance to their fire insurance, but this is not compulsory (unless specifically requested by the property owner for a furnished property).

For further information on tenants’ home insurance, please visit the following page: The fire insurance designed for tenants

Is home insurance (otherwise known as fire insurance) compulsory for tenants?

It depends on your situation. Let us explain.
First of all, only tenants’ liability insurance is mandatory, i.e., you must take out home insurance as a tenant for damage you cause to the building.In insurance jargon: tenant’s liability = fire/home insurance for the tenant’s building.
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In which case is it mandatory?
  • If you rent a property in Wallonia or Flanders, this insurance is required by law.
  • If your lease provides for this requirement.
If you live in Brussels or if your lease does not stipulate this, it is still strongly recommended to take out this insurance to avoid paying out of your own pocket for damage caused to the property or to the neighbourhood by fire, smoke, water damage, etc. for which you are responsible.
Insurance for your content is an optional feature of your home contract to cover your furniture and personal belongings. It is not mandatory unless it is mentioned in the lease in the case of a furnished property.

Your cover

Are my content (or ‘Furniture’) also ensured?

Coverage for your content is optional. If you do not take out this ‘Furniture’ cover, you will not be covered for damage to your content and you will not have cover if your content is stolen.
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‍What does ‘Furniture’ or ‘content’ mean?
‍Here are a few examples:  
  • furniture
  • clothes and textiles
  • valuables: jewellery, collections, works of art, etc.
  • sports, music, or leisure equipment
  • decoration, crockery, lights
  • electrical and multimedia devices
  • but also, all objects and improvements that have been installed in a permanent manner by the tenant (e.g., a cupboard/garden shed)

What is the minimum amount insured for my content?

If ‘Furniture’ cover (for your content) has been taken out, the minimum amount insured is €44,536.23 to the ABEX 878*. This corresponds to a majority of cases, taking into account all your belongings in your home: furniture, electrical appliances, decoration, textiles, bedding, various materials, crockery, etc. If the value of your content is higher, you can get insurance cover up to €250,000.

‍* What is the ABEX? The ABEX is an index that represents changes in the price of construction. All ‘Fire’ contracts are subject to this index. It changes twice a year. For more information on the ABEX and its evolution, please see: https://www.abex.be/fr/indice-abex/

I live in a shared flat, how do I insure myself and my shared flat?

Depending on your contract, you will either have one insurance policy for the whole flat or one per flatmate. The total cost will be the same. You can adapt your insurance contract to your lease.
Visit our special page on shared accommodation with its specific FAQ to find answers to all your questions.

My landlord has already agreed to waive my liability as a tenant, why should I take out additional insurance?

Your landlord has added a ‘waiver against the tenant’ clause to their fire insurance policy and tells you that you do not have to take out tenants’ liability insurance.  

‍What does this mean?
‍It means that if you cause damage to their building, they will not act against you to recover the damage and their insurance will pay them directly. Most of the time, the extra cost of this clause will be added to your rent.

‍Advantage:
‍The price of the clause costs less in comparison to a home insurance tenant’s liability contract. In addition, from an administrative point of view, you have nothing to do.

‍Disadvantage:
‍The clause does not replace the tenant’s home insurance as only damage to the rented property will be covered by the landlord. Damage to your own content or even damage that you might cause to a third party, such as neighbours, will not be covered.If you don’t have home insurance, and you cause water damage (for example, a visible heating pipe bursts causing damage to the neighbour) or a fire (for example, a short circuit in a socket that causes a fire and spreads throughout the building) for which you are responsible, you will have to pay for the damage caused to others and for your content from your pocket.

‍Our advice:
‍Be cautious. It is best to take out your own insurance to cover your content and any damage you may cause to neighbours.

What is a deductible? How is it calculated?

What is a deductible?
Deductible is the amount that you will have to pay in the event of a claim.
In other words:
  • if the amount of your claim does not exceed the deductible, you will have to pay for the damage.
  • if the amount of your damage exceeds the amount of the deductible, you will be entitled to compensation after deduction the deductible: Claims - deductible = your compensation
How much is the deductible?
The deductible fluctuates every month in line with the consumer price index. In February 2021, the standard deductible was €266.10 (at the consumer price index of 256.85). The reference is a basic deductible of €123.95 at the 1981 CPI of 119.64.
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The deductible does not apply to assistance or replacement of locks following the loss or theft of your keys.

What are the most important exclusions?

The most important exclusions are:
  • damage for which the tenant is not responsible: force majeure, fault of a third party and fault of the owner
  • damage caused by environmental pollution (damage caused by fuel oil is still insured)
  • damage resulting from construction work or a building under construction. (Damage resulting from fire or explosion is still insured for minor work)
  • damage caused by asbestos
  • intentional damage caused by an insured individual
  • damage caused by the police, the army or war
See general terms and conditions for a full list.

Can I ensure my second home?

With our Home Protect product, we only offer cover for homes used as the main residence with regular occupancy, i.e., a home that has not been unoccupied for more than 120 nights in the 12 months prior to a claim. A night is considered to be from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
We therefore do not cover secondary residences.

What is the minimum rent that can be insured?

The minimum rent that can be accepted excluding service charges is €250 per month.

How is the value of the building to be insured estimated?

By communicating how much rent you are paying, you use our building appraisal system. With this system, we estimate the real value of the rented building to be insured.
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What does this mean?
‍We will compensate your landlord for damage you have caused by estimating the replacement value and deducting wear and tear. The aim is to compensate your landlord fairly so that he or she can recover an identical property. Don’t worry, thanks to our rent-based appraisal system, even if the estimated value of the building is lower or higher than the actual value of the building, we will still compensate the full amount of the damage within the limits of the actual value of the building and deducting any applicable deductible. The value estimated by the appraisal system is indicative and does not limit the maximum amount of compensation.

Your contract

Who is behind this insurance?

Home Protect insurance is :

  • marketed by Immoweb Protect, the trading name of Immoweb Financial Services SA/NV, an insurance broker registered with the FSMA under number 0727.442.788
    => this means you bought it from Immoweb Protect which markets the insurance.
  • managed by Qover S.A., insurance broker registered with the FSMA under number 0650.939.878.
    => this means Qover takes care of the administration and management of your contract and your claims. Qover will be your first point of contact if you have any questions about your contract or if you need information.
  • insured by Baloise Insurance and by Euromex for legal protection.
    => this means Baloise and Euromex will pay your claims in case of coverage.
    24/7 assistance is provided by Europ Assistance
    => this means they will take care of providing you with assistance in the event of an urgent problem.

    You will find the limits of their services and more information in the general terms and conditions.

How can I get an insurance certificate to prove to my landlord or welfare that my home is insured?

An insurance certificate is not necessary to prove the existence of your contract. If your landlord or social welfare asks you for a certificate to prove that the accommodation is still covered, you can provide them with:
  • a copy of your insurance contract
  • a copy of the payment notice (with the period of cover to be paid)
  • proof of your payment
These are sufficient to prove that the property is insured.

Would you like to change your policy? How do you do this?

Would you like to change your policy by adjusting the amounts of cover or adding an option?
Your contract can be adapted to meet your needs. Simply send an e-mail to our team at contact@qover.be, and we will take care of it.

Are you moving or would you like to change your policy? How do you do this?

Are you moving?
If you move house and remain a tenant in Belgium, your contract will continue to apply. All you need to do is tell us your new address, the date you are moving, the new rent you will be paying and the value of the content to be insured, if this needs to be adjusted, and we will take care of updating your contract to suit your new home. Don’t forget to inform us of your new address in advance.

Good news! If you are moving, we will cover the previous address and the new address for 120 days. This will give you the flexibility to prepare your new home without having to pay for two fire insurance policies at the same time. After 120 days, only your new home will be covered.

Are you becoming a homeowner?
You can terminate your policy because the risk ceases on the date your lease ends. We can offer you our Home Protect product for owners, which protects you as the owner of your new home.
For further information on this product, please visit the following page: https://protect.immoweb.be/home-owner/assurance.  

Would you like to adapt your policy by adjusting the amounts of cover or adding an option?
Your contract can be adapted to meet your needs. Simply send an e-mail to our team at contact@qover.be, and we will take care of it.

Can you cancel the contract with my previous insurance company?

We do not undertake the procedures ourselves, but we can advise you.If you want to change insurance company, there are two ways you can terminate your contract:
  • If the main term of your contract is more than three months away, you can terminate your contract for this main term. All you have to do is send a cancellation letter by registered mail. Most companies also accept an email, so don't hesitate to ask. Below is an example of a renunciation letter to use.
  • If the main term of your policy is less than three months away, you can only cancel if your premium or the conditions have changed. Indexation of the premium (based on the ABEX) is not considered as a modification.
How can I check if there has been a change in my tariff or conditions?
The company is required to give notice of this on your payment statement, giving you the option of cancelling if you do not accept a change in price or conditions. To cancel, you should follow the same principle as above. Below is an example of a cancellation letter to use in the case of a change in price or conditions. If there have been no changes to your tariff or conditions, you will need to wait until the next annual renewal date to terminate your contract.

How to cancel your policy?

  • Did you take out insurance less than 14 days ago? Then you can cancel your policy free of charge within 14 days of receiving your contractual documents by filling in the cancellation form provided at the time of purchase.
  • No longer have a home to insure? Send us an e-mail to request the termination of the contract with proof that the risk no longer exists. We will terminate your contract on the date you leave your insured home.
  • Would you like to terminate your contract? You can terminate your contract by sending us an e-mail at least three months before the main expiry date. The termination will then take effect on the main expiry date.

How long does my contract last?

A home insurance contract is valid for one year and is automatically renewed at the end of that year. In order to terminate the contract before the one-year period, it is necessary to prove that the risk no longer exists and that you no longer have a home to cover as a tenant.

Can I cancel my contract if I move?

In Belgium
‍If you will still be a tenant, your contract will still apply, and we will adapt the contract to the home. Don’t forget to tell us in advance and provide us with the information necessary to adjust your contract (see FAQ: Are you moving, or would you like to change your policy? How do you do this?’)
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You can only cancel your contract because the risk has ceased if:
  • you can prove that your future home was already insured before you moved in
  • you become a homeowner
  • you no longer have a home and content to insure
    You will be reimbursed for the excess premium paid.
Thanks to your Home Protect contract, if you move, you will be covered for 120 days at both your old and new address. This will give you the flexibility to prepare your new home without having to pay for two fire insurance policies at the same time. After 120 days, only your new home will be covered.

Abroad
You can terminate your contract because the risk ceased at the end of your lease, provided you can prove that you are moving abroad. You will be reimbursed for the excess premium paid.

Your claims

What to do if you need our help?

Do you have a problem that needs to be dealt with urgently?

Don’t panic! Just one number to remember: Baloise Assistance +32 3870 95 70

‍Contact our 24/7 assistance service and you will be in direct contact with Europ Assistance Belgium SA. They handle assistance in Belgium for Baloise Insurance.

In which cases can we help you?
  • Provide contact details of professionals or services
  • Put you in touch with quality repairers
  • Locked out of your home? We will send a locksmith to open the door for you
  • Is your heating system down? We will send a technician to your home within 24 hours and will cover a certain amount of the cost.
In addition, if you need help and assistance after a covered claim (transport, home help, diverse services), we will provide additional services and pay part of your costs.

How do I report a claim?

It is easy, simply fill in this form. Do you have any questions? Please contact Qover on +32 2 588 25 50 or by e-mail: contact@qover.be.

Which documents are necessary to make a claim?
Any documents that are needed to substantiate your claim:
  • Pictures
  • Quotes/Invoices
  • Police report (required in the case of theft)
  • Third-party claims
  • Expert reports

What happens after I have made my claim? How long will it take to receive compensation?

Upon receipt of your claim, we will examine whether you are covered.

After confirming the cover, we will forward the file to an expert to assess the amount of the damage. As soon as the amount of the damage is assessed, in agreement with the various parties, we will proceed to pay compensation.

Processing time will depend on:
  • the type of claim: Can the cause be easily identified? Can the damage be assessed? Does the assessor have all the information they need to assess the damage? Does the assessor confirm the information received?
  • the people involved: Has the person responsible been identified? Does everyone agree on the cause and the amounts to be compensated? Will everyone involved be available to carry out the assessment and be easily reached in order to settle the case?
A clear, easily identifiable, assessable claim (e.g., a broken window) will always be dealt with much more quickly than a claim with multiple parties and unknown factors (e.g., water damage where the cause cannot be found).

Do you still have questions about home insurance? We are there for you.

Contact us