Does owner's defect insurance cover this?

The rule behind everything else on this page. If the defect is described in the tilstandsrapport — whatever its classification — it is a known issue and not covered. The same goes for anything in the electrical report. This is why a report full of remarks effectively protects the seller: the documented defects are precisely the ones the insurance will not pay for.

The core of the insurance and the situation it exists for. Defects in load-bearing structures, floor separations or the roof structure that existed at handover, were not visible at the viewing, and did not appear in the report. Covered under both basic and extended.

Hidden defects in the foundation are classic covered territory. Settlement cracks are a frequent source of dispute, though: if the cracks were visible or noted in the report, they are known. An underlying foundation failure nobody could see falls within cover.

Damp damage not documented in the condition report and not visible at the viewing is generally covered. The condition is that the damp existed at handover — not that it developed later because a roof or gutter went unmaintained.

Extended cover only. Many older houses still have a buried oil tank in the garden even though the heating was converted to gas or district heating long ago, and a leaking tank can contaminate the soil. Remediation after oil contamination is one of the single most expensive items in any Danish property purchase, and it is the main argument for extended cover on an older house.

Generally not covered. Asbestos is not a hidden defect but a known characteristic of properties built before 1988, when the material was common in roofing sheets, pipe insulation and tile adhesive. The insurance covers the unknown — not a well-understood property of the building's age. If you want to know whether a property contains asbestos, commission a separate asbestos survey before buying.

Illegal or unsafe electrical work falls under "illegal building work", which only extended cover includes. Note the order of operations: if the issue is named in the electrical report, it is a known condition, and then neither basic nor extended will pay. How to read the Danish electrical report →

The line runs at the foundation. Hidden defects in drainage under or within the foundation can qualify as a hidden structural defect under basic cover. Illegal drainage outside the foundation, by contrast, is explicitly part of extended cover. If the drainage is simply old and worn, that is maintenance, not a hidden defect.

Slagger is a by-product of coal burning that was used as fill under floors in Danish houses from roughly the 1930s to the 1960s. It can absorb moisture and cause sulphur attack on concrete and steel. Many insurers write an explicit reservation for slagger into the policy — and if yours has it, the damage is excluded whether you hold basic or extended. Check this specific point if the house dates from that period.

Damage to bathrooms and toilets is typically part of extended cover rather than basic. Leaking wet rooms are among the more expensive hidden defects in older houses, because the consequential damage to the structures underneath often exceeds the cost of the bathroom itself.

Extensions, enclosed terraces or converted loft and basement rooms without a building permit count as "illegal building work" and are covered only under the extended policy. This matters most for houses from 1960-1980, where unpermitted DIY extensions are widespread.

Depends entirely on whether the damage is hidden or is wear. A leaking roof with a hidden structural defect may be covered; a roof approaching the end of its service life is normal ageing — and in practice will already be noted in the condition report.

Genuine dry rot and rot that existed hidden at handover can be covered. But fungal damage is also classic house-insurance territory, often as an add-on. If in doubt, report it to both insurers and let them settle who is liable — that is a normal and accepted approach.

Attacks by insects and pests — including mortar bees, which bore into mortar joints — normally fall under house insurance rather than owner's defect insurance. Many Danish house policies offer insect and fungal damage as an optional extension. Check that policy first.

A hidden installation defect in the underfloor heating that existed at handover and did not appear in the report can be covered. If the system is simply worn out or at the end of its life, that is ageing. Underfloor heating installed by previous owners without authorised help may also count as illegal building work — and so only be covered under extended.

Heating systems and appliance-like installations are typically treated as wear and ageing rather than hidden defects, and their condition is usually already described in the condition report. If the installation was outright illegally performed, extended cover may come into play.

Depends on the policy. Secondary buildings are not always covered on the same terms as the dwelling, and some policies exclude them entirely. Check also whether the building was included in the condition report at all — if it was not surveyed, cover is unlikely.

Never covered, under any policy type. A 40-year-old roof covering that has worn out is not a defect — it is expected service life. The insurance covers the unexpected and hidden, not the building's ordinary ageing.

Discolouration, scratches, stains and uneven grouting are not covered. There must be a defect of genuine significance to the building's function or structure.

Not covered — this belongs to your ordinary house insurance. It is also a frequent rejection ground: if the insurer's surveyor finds evidence the damage arose or worsened after the handover date, the claim is refused.