Freelancers in the Netherlands are not yet required to take out disability insurance to provide them with an income if they become too ill to work — but change is on the way. So what are the most important things to take into account?
Disability insurance (AOV) is not yet mandatory for self-employed people in the Netherlands, but it is generally considered to be a good idea. The government is working on a mandatory basic disability insurance scheme for the self-employed, and those plans have currently been put out to consultation.
“If you are a freelancer, a ZZP’er, you do not get sick pay or disability coverage from an employer or from national benefits agency UWV,” says Koen Kuijper from comparison website AOVzzp.nl. “If you become unable to work — due to illness, accident or burnout — your income can drop to zero overnight.”
The mandatory system, known by the acronym BAZ, was originally scheduled to take effect in January 2027, but that deadline has since been postponed until at least 2030 due to a number of challenges not least of which is making it compulsory for all freelancers.
Where to start?
Until then, the self-employed can turn to the private sector and take out one of the many policies currently on offer. So where to start?
There are a number of key issues to consider, says Koen. “Firstly, many disability insurance policies increase in price as you age. This means the insurance seems affordable at the start but can become very expensive later on.” It is important, he says, to calculate the total premium over the full insured period.
You also need to consider how much money you will actually receive. Is it enough to cover your fixed costs, or do you have savings or other sources of income to make up the difference?
In addition, there is a waiting period before the insurance kicks in — usually a year, six months or three months. Do you have enough money to tide you over until you can start claiming? The longer the waiting period, the lower the premium tends to be.
Policy conditions
And, says Koen, it is essential to check what type of work is covered. “Check the policy conditions,” he says. “Make sure your job is actually covered. People doing heavy physical work, for example, may find themselves excluded from some policies.”
You may also be able to insure yourself against mental health issues and pregnancy through some providers. However, you will not be covered if your disability is caused by addiction to alcohol or drugs, or through “reckless” behaviour.
The best-rated policy on AOVzzp.nl in June 2025 is the one offered by Insify, which costs €95 a month and pays out €2,500 a month for a 38-year-old IT worker.
Premiums
So how does this compare to the government plans? The compulsory BAZ will apply to everyone who files a tax return as a freelancer, and the premium — under the current proposal — will be around 6.5% of income, up to €195 a month.
The insurance will cover up to 70% of income from self-employment, to a maximum of 100% of the minimum wage — currently €14.40 per hour for an adult, or €2,496 gross per month for a 40-hour week.
Meanwhile, in May, the Dutch actuary association – the people who calculate insurance risks – has suggested the 6.5% in the government’s calculations should be nearer to 5.6%.