The government is pressing ahead with plans for a mandatory disability insurance scheme for the self-employed. Despite significant criticism from the Council of State and other bodies, the bill will be formally submitted to the House of Representatives, as announced by Minister for Social Affairs Thierry Aartsen following a cabinet meeting.
A compulsory insurance policy for the self-employed (ZZP’ers) has been in development for years, originating from the 2019 pension agreement between trade unions, employers, and the government. However, finalising the details has proven difficult, with major concerns regarding whether agencies like the UWV (Employee Insurance Agency) and the Tax Authority can actually handle the administrative workload. Despite these hurdles, the new coalition government confirmed its commitment to the measure in its recent coalition agreement.
The scheme will apply to self-employed individuals who do not already have private insurance to protect against loss of income due to illness or injury. Participants will pay a monthly premium of up to €171. Crucially, they will still need to maintain their own financial buffer, as the insurance only kicks in after the first two years of being unable to work.
This two-year “waiting period” has drawn criticism from the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (CPB), which recently warned that many self-employed workers would see little benefit from the scheme. Defending the proposal, Minister Aartsen described it as a “basic social safety net,” explaining that the government had to strike a difficult balance between preventing poverty and keeping monthly costs affordable for small business owners.
@anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
