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Indemnity

Evaluation of the indemnity and guarantee scheme and development of a security test.

The indemnity scheme was evaluated and a security test developed. The implementation of the scheme, a regular task of the RCE, took place outside the project.

The indemnity garantee softens the impact of disasters and theft.

The indemnity garantee softens the impact of disasters and theft.

Indemnity means compensation. The indemnity scheme is a guarantee regulation for museums, under which the Dutch State assumes part of the risk of damage and loss concerning international loans. By granting a guarantee of indemnity for special exhibitions and long-term loans, the insurance premium for the museum is significantly lower than without this guarantee.

Insurance costs

The prices of art works have sky rocketed in recent decades. Insurance costs for loans are therefore often a problem in organizing exhibitions. The indemnity regulation was created to make special exhibitions still possible, to encourage national and international collection mobility and to promote cultural participation.

Assessment

In assessing indemnity applications risk and interest are weighed up against each other and whether the State can stand surety is considered. Only when damage or loss occurs is money actually paid out. If no events occur, the indemnity declaration expires after the exhibition with no money having being involved throughout the process.

Past history

A form of indemnity guarantee is applied in most European countries and also in the United States and Canada, amongst other countries. The first Dutch indemnity regulation dates from 1989, was renewed in 2005 and modified in 2008. The ministerial decree of the OCW and Finance Ministries is now entitled, the 'Indemnity for Loans Subsidy Scheme 2008'. Implementation of the scheme has been carried out by the Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage (ICN) since 2005; ICNmerged with the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE) in 2011.