SCIOS Scope 10: inspection of electrical installations for fire risk

SCIOS Scope 10 is an inspection of your electrical installation and connected equipment for fire risk, carried out according to the method of NTA 8220 (Dutch Technical Agreement). Scope 10 is not legally required, but many insurers make it a condition of the fire insurance. The usual interval is every three to five years, depending on your policy.

SCIOS is the certification scheme for inspection companies. Scope 10 was developed with the electrical sector and the insurance sector, based on NTA 8220 from NEN. It is a different inspection from the NEN 3140 inspection or SCIOS Scope 8. Those cover occupational safety, while Scope 10 covers fire.

Check your policy first. It states whether your insurer requires Scope 10, within which interval and how quickly you must repair defects. Those conditions carry more weight than general advice.

Why does your insurer require a Scope 10 inspection?

“Most fires start from unsafe situations in electrical installations,” SCIOS writes. A NEN 3140 inspection covers that only in part, because it mainly looks at protection against contact and injury. That is why insurers helped develop a separate method that focuses on overheating, poor connections and overloading.

On its Scope 10 page , Interpolis states it plainly: not legally required, but a condition for fire insurance with many insurers. If you make a claim and a required inspection is missing, this can affect the payout. How that plays out depends on your policy terms.

What is checked in SCIOS Scope 10?

NTA 8220 starts with a risk analysis of the building. The inspector then tests the equipment with a visual check, measurements and thermography. According to NEN, thermography follows the guidelines of NPR 8040-1. The inspector assigns an urgency class to each defect.

Component	Examples
Distribution units	Meter cabinet, main distribution board and sub-distribution boards
Thermography	Thermal image of switchgear and distribution units to find hot connections
Measurements	Insulation resistance, operation of earth leakage circuit breakers
Use in practice	Overloaded socket outlets, cable reels, extension cords
Environment	Dust and dirt, high-risk rooms and machines
Energy storage	Battery systems for energy storage (EOS), module from 2026

What is not covered by Scope 10: solar panels (that is Scope 12), electrical hand tools under the Arbowet (Dutch Working Conditions Act, Scope 9) and the repairs themselves. The Dutch Association of Insurers (Verbond van Verzekeraars) announced in May 2026 that energy storage systems are being added to Scope 10 as a module . If you have a battery system, the inspector includes it.

How often should a SCIOS Scope 10 inspection take place?

SCIOS itself does not set a fixed interval, only that the inspection takes place periodically. Three to five years is common. The Dutch Association of Insurers, for example, advises in its fire prevention tips for barns to have a Scope 10 inspection “periodically (after three to five years)”.

The interval in your policy always takes precedence. After a renovation, an extension or a fire, an extra inspection is sensible, even if the interval has not yet run out.

Scope 10 or Scope 8: what is the difference?

The two inspections look alike, but they have a different purpose and a different client in mind.

	SCIOS Scope 8	SCIOS Scope 10
Purpose	Occupational safety: no injury from electricity	Fire safety: no fire from electricity
Basis	NEN 3140	NTA 8220
Who asks for it?	Employer, Labour Authority (Arbeidsinspectie), sometimes the client	Insurer
Legal framework	Arbobesluit art. 3.4 and 7.4a	Policy conditions
Thermography	Not standard	Yes

Many inspection companies combine the two in one visit. Interpolis mentions a combination discount of up to 40% for Scope 8 and Scope 10 together.

Example: Scope 10 findings and a remediation plan

After the inspection, you receive a report with defects and urgency classes. The exact classification is in your inspection company’s report. Turn the findings into a remediation plan straight away. Here is a fictional example for a wholesaler:

No.	Finding	Urgency	Action	Who	Deadline	Done
1	Hot connection in main distribution board (thermography 68 °C)	High	Have the connection replaced	Installer	1 week	21 Oct ✔
2	Cable reel fully wound and in use at packing line	Medium	Have a fixed wall socket installed	IV	1 month
3	Dust on distribution board in warehouse	Low	Add to cleaning schedule	Facilities	3 months

If your policy asks for it, send the report and the signed remediation plan to your insurer. Keep both with your NEN 3140 documentation, so you have everything together if a claim arises.

What does the insurer want to see?

A report from a company that is SCIOS-certified for Scope 10. Check this in the SCIOS register .
Repair of the defects within the deadline in your policy.
A new inspection before the interval runs out.

According to SCIOS, the inspector must be competent for Scope 8 and hold a Scope 10 diploma. Inspectors are assessed every eighteen months on knowledge and practice.

Common mistakes with SCIOS Scope 10

Having a normal inspection done. An electrician without a Scope 10 certificate does not produce a report that the insurer accepts.
Thinking Scope 10 covers the Arbo obligation. For your employees you still need a NEN 3140 inspection and an inspection of electrical hand tools.
Leaving high-urgency defects unrepaired. These are exactly the findings a claims expert looks at after a fire.
Forgetting solar panels. They fall under Scope 12, a separate inspection.

What does a SCIOS Scope 10 inspection cost?

Situation	Indication (excl. VAT)
Small premises, for example an office or shop	From about €350 to €400
Medium-sized premises, for example hospitality or light production	About €500 to €900
Large or complex premises	From about €900, up to more than €2,000

These are starting prices and ranges from inspection companies, not fixed rates. Sources and a worked example are on the costs of a NEN 3140 and SCIOS inspection.

Frequently asked questions about SCIOS Scope 10

What is NTA 8220?

A Dutch Technical Agreement from NEN: a method for assessing electrical equipment for fire risk. The first edition was published at the end of 2017. Risk experts from insurers contributed to it. NEN notes that the NTA may later be developed into NEN 8220.

Can the same inspector do Scope 8 and Scope 10?

Yes, if they are competent for both. According to SCIOS, a Scope 10 inspector always needs the competence or diploma for Scope 8. That is why many companies combine the two inspections in one visit.

What happens if I do not repair the defects?

That depends on your policy. Many policies state a deadline for repairing defects. If you do not repair them and a fire occurs, the insurer can take that into account when settling the claim. Read the terms, and ask your broker if anything is unclear.

I rent a building: who arranges the Scope 10 inspection?

Whoever has the requirement in their policy. That can be the owner, the tenant or both, for example if the tenant has its own contents insurance. Record in the lease who arranges the inspection and who pays for the repairs.