Fire and Life Insurance in the Dutch Republic. (eBook)

The thesis researches the influence of marine insurance law on the development of fire and life insurance law in the Dutch Republic (1581-1795). Fire and life insurance are often seen as offspring of marine insurance, following the latter's principles and rules >mutatis mutandis<. However, this theory of marine insurance as a single starting point for other types of insurance is rebutted by the various mutual fire insurance contracts found in the Zaanstreek and other parts of the Dutch Republic. This study reviews sources already known and hitherto unknown sources. As most of the sources consist of contracts, the research deals with insurance contract law. These contracts were concluded throughout the Dutch Republic at different times by varying parties. Therefore, instead of resorting to a uniform and doctrinal approach, the study takes on a casuistic approach. Instances of fire and life insurance are treated on a case-by-case basis within their own relevant circumstances.

Delphine Sirks successfully completed both her bachelor's and master's degree in Dutch Law at the Universiteit Leiden. Having spent semesters abroad at the Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, the Universität Wien and the Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3, as well as a research period at the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome as a student, she took the opportunity to conduct her PhD research in legal history at the Universität Augsburg within the >A Comparative History of Insurance Law in Europe<-project, which she successfully defended in a joint doctorate at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She currently works at the latter university as an assistant professor in legal history.