1. Law 25-90: BTP decennial obligation in Morocco
- Architects: absolute obligation from CNOA registration
- BTP contractors: OCBT qualification required
- Study offices: coverage of design + site supervision
- Developers: require decennial certificate before contract signing
- Sanctions absent insurance: permit refusal + unlimited personal liability
Law 25-90 on subdivisions, housing groups and parceling, supplemented by the provisions of the Dahir of Obligations and Contracts (articles 769 to 780), imposes decennial insurance on all construction stakeholders: architects registered with CNOA, BTP contractors qualified by OCBT, technical study offices and project managers. This obligation is verified at the issuance of the building permit and at the compliance certificate.
Decennial insurance covers, for 10 years from the works handover date, damages compromising the solidity of the structure or which, affecting one of its constituent elements or indissociable equipment, render it unfit for its intended use. The project owner (developer, individual) benefits from this guarantee as of right without having to prove the contractor's fault.
2. 5 major insurers compared (2026 rates)
| Insurer | 2026 rate | Max cap | Specialty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wafa Assurance | 0.9-1.3% | 50 MMAD | Real estate development, multi-site policies |
| AXA Maroc | 1.0-1.5% | 40 MMAD | Large tertiary and industrial sites |
| RMA Watania | 0.8-1.2% | 30 MMAD | BTP SMEs, collective residential |
| AtlantaSanad | 1.0-1.4% | 35 MMAD | Public works, ADM/ONEE contracts |
| Sanlam | 0.9-1.3% | 25 MMAD | High-end villas, condominiums |
The Moroccan decennial BTP insurance market is concentrated around 5 companies that together hold more than 90% of contracts. Rates vary between 0.8% and 1.5% of the total works contract value, depending on the nature of the work (residential, tertiary, industrial), the contractor's qualification and claims history. Contracts can be subscribed site by site or as an annual multi-site policy for active companies.
3. Subscription conditions (CNOA, OCBT, RC Pro)
- CNOA registration certificate (architects) or OCBT qualification (contractors)
- Up-to-date professional RC with paid premium receipt
- Balance sheets of last 3 fiscal years and updated statutes
- List of ongoing sites and references from last 5 years
- Technical description of structure to insure (plans, soil study, CCTP)
- Recent tax and CNSS certificate
- Risk questionnaire completed and signed by the director
To subscribe to decennial insurance, the BTP company must submit a complete file to the insurer who will assess the risk before issuing the contract. The mandatory documents demonstrate the technical and financial capacity of the constructor as well as regulatory compliance.
4. Works handover: guarantee trigger
The works handover, formalized by an adversarial report between the project owner and the contractor, constitutes the starting point of the decennial guarantee. This date must be precisely recorded as it conditions the duration of the 10 years of coverage. Handover can be pronounced with or without reservations: reservations lifted within the perfect completion period (1 year) do not affect the start of the decennial.
Types of handover
- Handover without reservations: immediate start of decennial + biennial
- Handover with reservations: decennial starts but reservations must be lifted within 1 year
- Tacit handover: occupation by project owner = presumed handover
- Judicial handover: pronounced by court in case of unjustified refusal
Documents to keep for 10 years
- Handover report signed by all parties
- Nominative decennial certificate delivered to project owner
- Executed works file (DOE) with as-built plans
- Soil study and structural calculation notes
- Invoices and delivery notes for structural materials
5. Detailed coverage: structure, waterproofing, equipment
The decennial guarantee covers three families of damages clearly defined by Moroccan case law. Any claim falling within one of these categories opens the right to compensation without the project owner having to prove the constructor's fault (strict liability).
Structure and shell
- Structural cracks in load-bearing walls and concrete walls
- Sagging of slabs, floors or foundations
- Total or partial collapse of the structure
- Damage affecting stability against wind or earthquakes (RPS 2000 zone)
Waterproofing and weatherproofing
- Water infiltration through roof terrace or covering
- Capillary rise affecting habitability
- Waterproofing defects of facades and exterior joinery
- Infiltrations of basements and buried premises
Indissociable equipment
- Central heating embedded in the slab
- Pipes buried in walls or foundations
- Elevators and their structural shafts
- Electrical installations embedded in the shell
Biennial guarantee exclusion
Dissociable equipment (taps, sanitary ware, removable radiators, shutters) falls under the biennial good operation guarantee (2 years) and not the decennial.
6. Compensation caps: 5 to 50 MMAD by contract
| Type of structure | Recommended cap | Indicative premium |
|---|---|---|
| Individual villa (< 5 MMAD works) | 5-10 MMAD | 30-75 kMAD |
| Small collective R+3 (5-15 MMAD) | 15-20 MMAD | 75-225 kMAD |
| Real estate development R+8 (50 MMAD) | 30-40 MMAD | 400-750 kMAD |
| 4-star hotel (100 MMAD) | 40-50 MMAD | 800 kMAD-1.5 MMAD |
| Industrial complex (200 MMAD) | 50 MMAD + extension | 1.6-3 MMAD |
Compensation caps negotiated with the insurer depend on the nature of the structure, the contract amount and the company's risk profile. For standard residential structures (villa, small collective), common caps are between 5 and 15 MMAD. For real estate development operations, hotels, hospitals or industrial complexes, caps can reach 30 to 50 MMAD with sometimes tailor-made extensions.
Under-insurance advice
An insufficient cap triggers the proportional rule: the insurer compensates pro rata. Better to pay 20% more premium for a comfortable cap than to suffer under-compensation in a major claim.
7. Concrete claim case: balcony collapse 5 years after delivery
Casablanca developer delivers an R+5 building in 2021 with Wafa Assurance decennial insurance, 20 MMAD cap. In 2026, a 4th-floor balcony collapses following accelerated corrosion of the concrete slab's rebar, due to insufficient cement dosage during construction. Fortunately no casualties, but 3 apartments must be evacuated and adjacent load-bearing structures consolidated. The claim is reported within 5 days by the syndic to the project owner who forwards to the insurer.
Claim procedure step by step
- Claim declaration within 5 working days (recommended LR/AR)
- Designation of an ACAPS expert within 15 days by the insurer
- Adversarial expertise with possible counter-expertise (project owner)
- Expertise report within 45 days with repair costing
- Compensation paid within 60 days after report acceptance
Detailed compensation
- Balcony reconstruction + structural consolidation: 1.4 MMAD
- Rehousing 3 families during works: 350 kMAD
- Expert and structural BET fees: 150 kMAD
- Loss of enjoyment for co-owners: 100 kMAD
- Total paid by Wafa Assurance: 2 MMAD (out of 20 MMAD cap)
8. Cross-sell: BTP RC Pro and all-risk site insurance
Decennial insurance only covers post-handover defects. A BTP company must complement its protection with two indispensable additional contracts: BTP professional RC (damages caused to third parties during the site) and all-risk site insurance or Tous Risques Chantier - TRC (damages to the work under construction). This trilogy covers 100% of risks from the design phase to 10 years after handover.
BTP professional RC
- Covers bodily/material damage caused to third parties during site
- Rate: 0.3-0.6% of annual turnover
- Standard cap: 5-20 MMAD per claim
- Mandatory to respond to public tenders
All-risk site insurance (TRC)
- Covers damages to the work under construction (fire, theft, weather, vandalism)
- Rate: 0.2-0.5% of contract value
- Duration: throughout construction + maintenance period (12 months)
- Often subscribed by the project owner on their account or the company's
3-in-1 pack economy
Subscribing the 3 contracts (decennial + RC Pro + TRC) with the same insurer allows obtaining 10 to 20% commercial discount and unified claims management. Wafa Assurance and AXA Maroc offer integrated BTP packs.
9. FAQ
Q.Is decennial insurance mandatory in Morocco in 2026?
Q.How much does BTP decennial insurance cost in Morocco in 2026?
Q.Who are the 5 major decennial insurers in Morocco?
Q.When does the decennial guarantee start?
Q.What exactly does decennial insurance cover?
Q.What compensation cap to choose?
Q.What is the procedure in case of a decennial claim?
Q.What is the difference between decennial, biennial and perfect completion guarantee?
Q.Is BTP professional RC needed in addition to decennial?
Q.What is Tous Risques Chantier (TRC) insurance?
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