If the stolen historic golden helmet and the three bracelets are not found, the Dutch government must pay the damage thereof. It concerns an amount of 5.8 million euros. The insurance of the Drents Museum does not have to pay anything. This is evident from data in the hands of RTV Drenthe and is confirmed by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.
The only thing that the Drents Museum has to pay is the deductible. The amount of that amount is not known.
The golden helmet and the three bracelets from Romania that were stolen almost two weeks ago from the Drents Museum in Assen are insured for 5.8 million euros. The total collection of 673 objects is insured for more than 30 million euros.
The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, and therefore the Dutch government, guarantees just over 9 million euros. It concerns 30 percent of the total insured value. This means that in the event of theft, loss or damage the Netherlands is also partly liable and therefore has to pay.
Only when the damage is more than what the government guarantees, does the museum’s insurance come into the picture for paying. Since the insured value of the four stolen objects is less than the 9 million euros that the Netherlands is responsible for, the insurance of the Drents Museum does not have to help.
Because the government takes part of the risk in the event of damage or theft, museums have to pay less money to insurers. For the Drents Museum it saves between 25 and 30 percent in premium for this exhibition.
“It makes it possible for museums to show these kinds of beautiful objects and exhibitions to the public,” Eppo Bruins (NSC), Minister of Education, Culture and Science previously told RTV Drenthe. “Otherwise it is priceless for museums.” In general, the discount on the insurance for museums increases to 30 to 40 percent, in some cases it is more than 50 percent.
If the helmet and the three bracelets are found damaged, the ministry will also pay for these costs.
It will be for the first time that the Netherlands has to pay such a large amount of damage. Since 1989, museums can turn to the government to be partly for temporary exhibitions with artworks from abroad.
It concerns dozens of billions of euros that the ministry has already guaranteed. To date, the Netherlands has paid for a total of 8,000 euros in damage to artworks. Last year the government was responsible for nearly 460 million euros in artworks that have been lent to thirteen museums.
There are three suspects stuck in connection with the art robbery in the Drents Museum. The police are still looking for a fourth suspect. The ministry says “put everything in place to detect the pieces”. The police work with dozens of investigators and specialists on the case.
