Safety in and around the house

Safe living

Insurers insure homes and contents against crime and fire, make people aware of risks and encourage them to take safety measures. Because of the claims they receive, they know exactly which neighbourhoods are burgled the most, for example. This makes them an ideal sparring partner to think along with on this subject. The emphasis is on two themes: crime and fire.

Crime prevention initiatives

• Residential Burglary Risk Monitor. Since 2013, the Association has published an annual analysis of burglary claims received by insurers. It shows clear trends and also shows the effects of preventive measures such as the Police Quality Mark for Safe Living and WhatsApp groups. View the latest Home Fire Risk Monitor, previous monitors can be found under 'Publications'.
• Police Quality Mark Safe Living. The Association is a partner of the Centre for Crime Prevention and Security (CCV), the organisation behind the Police Quality Mark for Safe Living.
• National Burglary Prevention Weeks. The Association was one of the parties that concluded the Safety Deal Burglary Prevention in 2014. This Safety Deal forms the basis of the National Burglary Prevention Weeks, which have been organised every year since.
• Safety Deal Home Robberies. For victims, a home robbery is a very drastic event. In the Safety Deal for Home Robberies, the Association and Victim Support Netherlands agreed to work together more in the aftercare phase. View the Safety Deal, more documents can be found under 'Publications'.
• What preventive measures are needed? The Improved Risk Classification (VRKI) is an instrument to determine the burglary risk of homes and to determine which preventive measures are needed. The Association has developed the VRKI together with the security and installation sector. The VRKI is managed and kept up-to-date by the CCV. Insurers can use this tool, for example by giving a discount on the premium if a home is secured according to the VRKI.

Fire

• Home Fire Risk Monitor. Since 2014, the Association has published this annual analysis of the fire claims received by insurers. Since 2016, this has been done together with the Netherlands Fire Brigade. View the latest Home Fire Risk Monitor, previous monitors can be found under 'Publications'.
• National Fire Prevention Weeks. The Association is a partner of the National Fire Prevention Weeks, which are organised every year by the Dutch Burns Foundation, the Institute for Physical Safety and the Netherlands Fire Brigade.
• Covenant Cooperation in Fire Investigation in the Netherlands. Fire research increases insight into the origin and development of fire. With this covenant, the Public Prosecution Service, the National Police, the Netherlands Fire Service and the Dutch Association of Insurers want to promote and guarantee cooperation in fire investigations.
• Collaboration with the fire brigade. At the beginning of 2015, the Dutch Association and the Netherlands Fire Service signed a letter of intent, which will allow insurers and the fire brigade to work together on a more structural basis. Various projects are now underway, including the Residential Fire Risk Monitor.

Prevention is important, but just as important are good care for residents and good damage handling after a fire. To promote this, the Association has taken the following initiatives:

• The Salvage Foundation helps residents immediately after a fire with practical matters such as arranging accommodation. The foundation was set up by the joint fire insurers, who are all members of the Association.
• Fire Scenario: This describes how insurers coordinate matters such as communication and damage inventory in the event of disasters. The Fire Scenario was drawn up in 2016 as part of the Association's Large-Scale Emergencies Protocol.

Safe entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurs run many risks, such as damage caused by crime or fire. A lot of damage can be prevented by taking the right preventive measures. The Association has taken the following initiatives, among others, to stimulate safe entrepreneurship:

Criminality

• Transport crime. The damage caused by cargo theft amounts to hundreds of millions of euros per year. To do something about this, the Dutch Association of Transport and Logistics (TLN) and shippers' organisation EVO signed the Transport Crime Safety Deal in 2014. Among other things, this was the basis of www.preventieinzicht.nl, which entrepreneurs can use to test their knowledge about testing cargo theft. In addition, the Association is a member of the Transport Crime Steering Committee. At the end of 2016, the Commission drew up a new action plan. Important objectives are to set up a central reporting point and to increase the willingness to declare.
  
  
• Security in outdoor areas. In recent years, criminal gangs have regularly invaded car company premises to steal car parts. Transport and logistics companies also have to deal with crime on their outdoor sites. In response, the Association has drawn up a guide for security measures for outdoor areas of mobility companies and transport and logistics companies. Insurers and automotive, transport and logistics companies can use this to determine which preventive measures are needed at a specific company. The measures in the guide have already led to a decrease in the number of parts thefts.

  Guidelines for outdoor areas
  - Mobility companies
  - Transport and logistics companies

• Intrusion prevention. The Improved Risk Classification (VRKI) is an instrument to determine the burglary risk of companies and to determine which preventive measures are needed. The VRKI has been developed by the Association in collaboration with the security and installation industry and is managed and kept up-to-date by the CCV. Insurers can use this tool, for example by giving a discount on the premium if a company is secured according to the VRKI.
  
  
• Cybercrime. Although companies are increasingly hindered by cybercrime, many entrepreneurs are not insured against it. The Association is committed to increasing risk awareness and stimulating the supply of cyber insurance. Read more on the Cybercrime page.
  
  
• Action Plan for Safe Entrepreneurship. The Association participates in this initiative of the National Platform for Crime Control (NPC). A number of the spearheads mentioned above – cybercrime and transport crime – are also reflected in the Safe Business Action Plan. In addition, the plan focuses on other forms of crime, such as receiving stolen goods and fraud.
  
  
• Risk Expertise Platform. Risk experts play an important role in assessing safety risks at companies and providing prevention advice. That is why the Association established the Risk Expertise Platform in 2014. This platform advises the Association on prevention and safety.

Fire

• Fireproof electrics. Every year, many thousands of fires occur in companies due to problems with the electricity. Proper inspection can help against this. That is why the Association and the IKeur Association signed the Safety Deal VIER in 2013. This has now led to a NEN assessment technique, the Dutch Technical Agreement, with accompanying certification.
  
  
• Checklistbrand.nl. On this website, entrepreneurs will find various checklists that help them prevent fires. The Association has developed the site together with VNO-NCW, MKB-Nederland and the Netherlands Fire Brigade.
  
  
• Barn fire action plan. This action plan aims to reduce the number of barn fires and animal casualties. The emphasis is on more fire-safe operations, more fire-safe barns for humans and animals and an improved understanding of the causes of barn fires and their controllability. The action plan is an initiative of LTO Nederland, the Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals, the Dutch Association for Fire Service and Disaster Management, the Dutch government and the Dutch Association. Read more about risks in the agricultural sector on this theme page.

Remaining

• Code Healthy and Safe Warehouse. Every year, 150 serious accidents occur in Dutch warehouses. The 2016 Healthy and Safe Warehouse Code of shippers' organisation EVO offers entrepreneurs information and practical tips about safety in the warehouse. The Association helped draw up the code.

Safe Use of Lithium-ion Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries are the most common batteries in our daily lives. You can find them in electric bikes, smartphones, power banks, and cars. According to the Netherlands Fire Brigade, every household has an average of 125 of these batteries.

The use of these types of batteries is not without risk. They can overheat and catch fire. This happens during charging, due to the use of non-original chargers and in the event of overcharging or damage. Therefore, check out the '10 tips for safe handling of lithium-ion batteries'.

Asbestos roofs

Some insurers offer no or limited coverage for asbestos roofs when taking out a new home insurance. Other insurers only under certain conditions. How insurers deal with asbestos roofs is a matter for each insurer to assess. Read more about insurers and asbestos roofs.