Insurers insure houses and household effects 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 in which neighborhoods, for example, the most burglary takes place. This makes them an ideal sparring partner to think along on this subject. The emphasis is on two themes: crime and fire.

Initiatives in crime prevention

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

Fire

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

• The Salvage Foundation helps residents immediately after a fire with practical matters such as arranging shelter. The foundation was founded by the joint fire insurers, who are all members of the Association.
• Brand playbook: It describes how insurers coordinate issues such as communication and damage inventory in the event of disasters. The Fire Playbook was drawn up in 2016 as part of the Covenant's Large-Scale Calamities Protocol.

Entrepreneurs run many risks, for example damage caused by crime or fire. A lot of damage can be prevented by taking the right preventive measures. Among other things, the Association has taken the following initiatives to stimulate safe entrepreneurship:

Criminality

• Transport crime. The damage caused by cargo theft amounts to hundreds of millions of euros per year. To combat this, the Dutch Association, Transport and Logistics Netherlands (TLN) and shippers' organisation EVO concluded the Safety Deal Transport Crime in 2014. This was, among other things, the basis of the website www.preventieinzicht.nl, with which entrepreneurs can test knowledge about testing cargo theft. In addition, the Association is a member of the Transport Crime Steering Group. It drew up a new action plan at the end of 2016. Important objectives in this are the establishment of a central declaration point and increasing the willingness to declare.
  
  
• Security outside 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 areas. The Association then drew up a guide for security measures for outdoor areas of mobility companies and transport and logistics companies. Insurers and car, 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 (version January 2022)
  - Mobility companies
  - Transport and logistics companies

• Burglary prevention. The Improved Risk Classification (VRKI) is a tool to determine the burglary risk of companies and to determine which prevention measures are needed. The VRKI was 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 instrument, for example by giving a discount on the premium if a company is protected according to the VRKI.
  
  
• Cybercrime. Although companies are increasingly affected by cybercrime, many entrepreneurs are not insured against this. The Association is committed to increasing risk awareness and stimulating the supply of cyber insurance. Read more on the cybercrime page.
  
  
• Action plan 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 healing and fraud.
  
  
• Platform risk expertise. 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 Electricity. Every year, many thousands of fires occur in companies due to problems with the electricity. Good inspection can help against this. That is why the Association and Association IKeur signed the Safety Deal VIER in 2013. This has now led to a NEN assessment technique, the Nederlandsche Technische Afspraak, with associated 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.
  
  
• Action plan barn fires. This action plan aims to reduce the number of barn fires and animal victims. The emphasis is on fire-safe business operations, fire-safe stables for humans and animals and improved insight into the causes of barn fires and their manageability. The action plan is an initiative of LTO Nederland, the Dierenbescherming, the Dutch Association for Fire And Disaster Management, the national government and the 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 Code Healthy and Safe Warehouse of shippers' organization EVO from 2016 offers entrepreneurs information and practical tips about safety in the warehouse. The Association helped to draw up the code.