Decennial insurance

Builders’ Ten-Year Liability

Under the Belgian Civil Code, the constructor of a building is liable for a period of ten years after completion for any defect related to waterproofing or structural stability that compromises the building’s strength or stability.

By extension, this liability also covers technical installations and finishing works.

This specific liability applicable to construction stakeholders — contractors, architects and engineering firms — results in a mandatory ten-year warranty granted to the client. The ten-year period starts upon formal acceptance of the works.

Decennial Insurance Coverage

To mitigate this risk, the contractor or the project owner may subscribe to a specific insurance policy known as decennial insurance or construction control insurance.

The project owner may either:

• Take out the decennial insurance directly, or

• Include the requirement in the specifications for the architect, contractor, engineering firm or any other construction stakeholder.

Within the framework of decennial insurance, insurers require verification by an independent third party to confirm that structural risks are properly controlled and normalized.

SECO’s expertise as an independent technical control body is recognized by all Belgian insurers and major international reinsurers for this purpose.

The Origins of Decennial Insurance

SECO was founded in response to the industry’s need for independent risk control and expert quality assurance.

In the 1930s, following the collapse of two bridges over the Albert Canal, the Belgian construction sector took action to prevent similar disasters. A cooperative company was created: SECO.

Since then, SECO has independently monitored construction quality. Its expertise has been recognized by insurers in the context of decennial insurance and beyond.