Choosing the right disability insurance - 4 options
- Willeke Leensma
- 25 March 2022
- Edited 16 February 2022
- 1 min
- Starting
As a self-employed professional, a zzp'er, you will not receive benefits in the event of illness or an accident. You may be able to compensate for a few days or weeks of not working due to illness with savings. But if you are unable to work for a longer period of time, or if you become incapacitated for work, then there is no safety net. With disability insurance ('arbeidsongeschiktheidsverzekering' or AOV in Dutch) you can compensate the loss of your income in the event of illness or disability. Other options are a mutual savings scheme, crowdsurance, or UWV insurance.
Which solution works best for you depends on your situation and preferences. Use the table in this article to see how the different types of disability insurance compare.Â
Find more information about the options by clicking the links below:
- Disability insurance
- Mutual savings scheme
- Crowdsurance
- Voluntary AOV via UWV
- Misconceptions  about  AOV
Overview of AOVs
This table shows you the differences and similarities between the types of AOV available.
|  | AOV | Mutual savings scheme (schenkkring) | Crowdsurance | UWV |
| When to register | You decide | You decide | You decide | Within 13 weeks after employment or benefits have ended |
| Health declaration / medical screening | Yes | No | No | No |
| Wait time/excess period | You decide | At least 1 month | At least 1 month | 2 years |
| Mandatory meetings |
No | Yes | No | No |
| Minimum number of participants | No | 20 | No | No |
| Maximum number of participants | No | 50 | No | No |
| Maximum benefit duration | You decide | 2 years | 2 years | You decide |
| Fixed monthly premium | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Fixed deposit into your own savings account, money remains yours | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Tax-free payment when ill | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Premium deductible from income tax return | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Doctor's declaration when ill | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Reintegration support | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Prevention | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| You have to be invited | No | Yes | No | No |
| Social and business network | No | Yes | No | No |
| Pregnancy benefit | Yes | No | No | No |
Mandatory disability insurance
The Statistics Netherlands (CBS) 2023 self-employed  (in Dutch) shows that 35% of entrepreneurs have made no provisions in case of disability. Also, 30% of zzp'ers indicate that they cannot manage without income for more than 6 months. That is why the government and the employers' and employee organisations have decided in the new pension agreement that entrepreneurs who pay income tax will be legally required to take out insurance. It is not yet known exactly how this obligation will be enforced. It will come into force in 2027.
