Disability insurance

In this article, we’ll discuss disability insurance (AOV) for people who work (partly) as self-employed individuals. As the name suggests, this insurance protects you against loss of income if you’re unable to work for a short or long period of time. If you’re an employee, you automatically pay premiums and are covered by the social safety net in the Netherlands. This does not apply to self-employed individuals; they are responsible for arranging their own coverage. The government plans to make AOV mandatory for self-employed individuals in the future (no sooner than 2023). This was decided in the 2019 Pension Agreement. There are still many uncertainties regarding the implementation of this requirement. At this time, the relevant organizations—such as the Tax and Customs Administration, the UWV, the national government, and regional authorities—are not yet able to implement the plan. In short, this proposal is still being worked on. It is therefore expected that the insurance requirement will take effect in 2023 at the earliest. We therefore recommend that you continue to follow developments on this topic, whether or not through Cultuur Academy.

Disability

Incapacitation can be caused by an accident in the workplace, for example, but you can also include things like stress or overwork in this context. The issue of disability is a personal issue. For example, the duration and degree of disability may vary. In addition, you may no longer be able to perform your current job, but may be fit to perform other work. Then it may be a choice to retrain or simply take on other jobs. It is important to focus on prevention in the first instance. Among other things, that means looking at how you can arrange practical conditions so that you don't get sick. A good example of this is setting up your workplace so that you sit in good posture. You can also try to prevent stress by making sure you get enough relaxation or rearranging your schedule. This will save you money in the long run and increase your health.

What choices do you have as a self-employed person?

So prevention is paramount. In addition, especially until AOV becomes mandatory, you have several options to be assured of income in case of disability. For example, you can choose private insurance in the form of disability insurance, accident insurance or a private pension plan. You can also participate in a bread fund (donation circle). You can read more about these two options below. However, there are also self-employed people who choose to take care of their own in case they become disabled. If you choose this option, it is advisable to set aside 8% to 10% of your income as a savings pot. If you want to include your pension provision, then supplement that amount to about 15% of your income. Of course, it is up to you to take a closer look at what the interest rates (or fees) are on savings.

Private disability insurance

If you make the choice to insure yourself (additionally) against disability, accidents and/or your pension, you will take out insurance with an insurance company. You can do that directly and you can approach an intermediary (insurance agency). It is not up to us to recommend a specific insurance company. However, we can tell you that there are many offerings and that these offerings vary tremendously by company or insurance company. Consider the following tips before purchasing insurance:

• Not all insurance policies have the same coverage. You can assume that more items will be excluded the lower the insurance premium. For example, some policies do not have coverage when disability arises from stress.
• Discuss your situation with your doctor, see if certain ailments run in the family, try to assess the specific risks associated with your profession or work, and finally, take a critical look at your lifestyle (which is also useful in the context of prevention).
• Look carefully at the terms and content of the insurance in relation to the costs. Also pay close attention to whether separate advisory fees are charged, for example.
• Include not only the cost of the premium in your decision-making process but also determine whether the insurance company has a fine counseling function, whether they can help you in the area of prevention and how they handle reintegration options during or after the period when you are unable to work.
• If you don't know much about this, feel free to ask others for help. This could be someone in your personal circle but also an insurance agency or other intermediary.
• Generally, the cost of disability insurance is deductible and the amount of insurance you accumulate does not count as savings.
• If desired, use one of the many comparison websites.

Brood fund or endowment

For several years now, the bread fund (or endowment fund) has gained tremendous popularity. A bread fund is a group of about twenty to fifty people who all set aside a fixed amount per month. When one of the members is ill, a monthly amount is donated from the bread fund that allows you to still receive (part of) your income. A bread fund focuses on a maximum period of two years. This helps most people sufficiently. Some choose to take out additional insurance for the longer term. Then you end up with a private insurance company. Brood funds can be found throughout the Netherlands. You can take the initiative to set up a mutual fund yourself or join an existing initiative. For more information, visit the websites of the BroodfondsMakers and/or Stichting SmartFund Services.

Disclaimer

For this article, we drew on the knowledge and expertise of Peter van den Bunder who is an advocate for the visual arts & self-employed at the Kunstenbond. The Kunstenbond provides advice in the form of workshops, among other things. If you are a member of the Kunstenbond you can also have a personal conversation. The Kunstenbond provides independent advice because they are not tied to particular products or companies. This article was written in April 2021. At that time, we can say with great certainty that the insurance requirement will be in place, but it is not expected to take effect until 2023 at the earliest. Through Cultuur Academy 's online channels, we will keep you informed of developments and, where appropriate, organize a workshop or information session.

If, from your expertise, you yourself have knowledge that would fit this topic, or if you see opportunities to improve this text, we look forward to receiving your message at info@cultuuracademy.nl.