Disability criterion
- Occupational disability: your own occupation
- Suitable work: education and experience
- Generally accepted work: the widest standard
- Recorded on the policy schedule
Incapacity for work and your income
Disability insurance replaces income you lose when illness or an accident stops you working. The value of the policy lies not in the amount, but in the definition of incapacity for work.
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- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
- AFM licence 12016589
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Work out for yourself what it would cost.
Enter your details; you will receive a proposal within one working day.
- We compare the offerings of several insurers
- An adviser checks whether the cover suits your situation
- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
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- Independent advice
- Several insurers
- Switching arranged
- Help with claims
In brief
Employees who fall ill are covered first by their employer's continued payment of wages and then by the WIA. Business owners, directors and major shareholders and self-employed people do not have that safety net: there is no benefit, only your own capital. A disability insurance (AOV) fills that gap and pays out for as long as you are incapacitated for work as defined in the policy, up to the agreed end age at the latest.
The most important choice is not at the top of the quotation. The disability criterion determines what your limitations are measured against. Under occupational disability that is your own occupation, with the tasks it actually involves. Under suitable work the test is work that matches your education and experience, and under generally accepted work it is almost any work you could still do. For a surgeon, roofer or dentist, the difference between those three is the difference between being paid and not being paid.
You also choose the waiting period (also called the deferred period): the period after reporting sick during which you do not yet receive a payout. A longer waiting period lowers the premium, but you have to bridge those months yourself. Also see the full AOV page and the version for directors and major shareholders.
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What does an AOV consist of?
In essence an AOV consists of three choices which together determine when, for how long and for what you receive a payout.
Waiting period and duration
When the payout starts and up to what point it continues.
- Waiting period after reporting sick
- An end age you choose yourself
- Sometimes a shorter payment period
- Payout in proportion to the percentage
Sum insured
The annual amount that forms the basis for the payout, matched to your income.
- Linked to your actual income
- Indexation or no indexation
- The payout is taxed in box 1
- The premium is generally deductible
What is covered
| Situation | Occupational disability | Suitable work |
|---|---|---|
| You can no longer practise your own profession | Yes | Provided that |
| You can still do other work that suits your experience | Yes | No |
| Payout for partial incapacity | Yes | Provided that |
| Conditions that already existed before the start date | No | No |
| Mental health conditions | Provided that | Provided that |
| Incapacity for work after the end age | No | No |
Which criterion, which waiting period and which medical limitations apply to you is set out on the policy schedule and in any exclusion clause imposed on acceptance.
What does your premium depend on?
- Profession and risk class: physical work weighs more heavily
- Age at inception: starting later costs more
- Annual amount insured: a higher amount, a higher premium
- Waiting period: a longer deferred period lowers the premium
- End age: running on longer costs more
- Health on acceptance: loading or exclusion clause
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
How we arrange it
- You request a quoteWe take stock of your situation, risk and wishes.
- We compareseveral insurers, on premium as well as conditions.
- You receive a proposalWith an explanation of the differences and the exclusions.
- We arrange the switchIncluding cancellation, so there is no gap in cover.
Why arrange it through Finass Verzekert?
We look at the terms as well as the premium, and stay your point of contact when there is a claim.
Independent
We are not tied to one insurer and compare on the basis of an objective analysis of several companies.
One fixed adviser
You call or email someone who knows your file. No menu options, no changing call centres.
Switching without hassle
We cancel your old policy and align the start date, so you are never a day without cover.
Help with claims
We report the claim and monitor how it is handled. In urgent cases you can reach us on the emergency line.
9.5New policy
9.8Claims handling
Customers rate our service on four aspects: personal service, service delivery, availability and the outcome. The reviews are collected and published by NH1816 and come from customers who have actually taken out a policy with Finass Advies B.V. or reported a claim.
Where things go wrong in practice
Four points that determine whether your AOV actually pays out if you stop working.
Own occupation or suitable work is the key question
A policy based on occupational disability looks at the tasks of your own occupation. If a physiotherapist can no longer treat patients, he is incapacitated for work, even though he could still teach. Under suitable work that other possibility does count and the percentage paid falls. Some policies start with the occupation criterion and switch to suitable work after a few years. Check this, because the premium then looks attractive while the cover narrows over time.
Mental health and back conditions are rarely covered without limits
The two most common causes of long-term incapacity, mental health conditions and and back, neck and shoulder conditions, are limited under many policies. That is done in three ways: a shorter payment period for this category, a requirement that there be an objectively determinable medical disorder, or an individual exclusion clause following the health declaration. Anyone with a history in this area needs to know how the insurer deals with it before taking out the policy.
What is not included
The following, among others, are outside the cover: conditions that already existed when you applied or for which you were receiving treatment, incapacity for work caused by intent or recklessness (Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code) and by excessive use of alcohol or drugs, the consequences of cosmetic procedures without medical necessity, incapacity resulting from high-risk sports such as motorised speed competitions, and incapacity during a prolonged stay abroad without consent. Imprisonment and war situations are also excluded.
The health declaration and the notification are decisive
On acceptance you complete a health declaration. That falls under the duty of disclosure of Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code. If you fail to disclose a condition or an earlier period of illness, the insurer may reduce or refuse the payout under Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code, even years later. Report incapacity for work as soon as reasonably possible (Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code); late notification costs cover and makes the medical assessment harder. Cooperating with recovery and return to work is also a policy obligation.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
What is the difference between occupational disability and suitable work?
With occupational disability the test is whether you can still perform the tasks of your own occupation. With suitable work, work that matches your education, experience and earning capacity also counts. The more specialised your occupation, the greater that difference: you may lose your profession and still be assessed as only partly incapacitated for work.
What exactly does the waiting period mean?
The waiting period, also called the deferred period, is the period between the first day of illness and the moment the payout starts. You pay for that period yourself. A longer waiting period noticeably reduces the premium, but calls for reserves or savings to bridge those months. So choose a period you can genuinely carry.
Up to what age does an AOV pay out?
Up to the end age you choose when taking out the policy. That may coincide with your state pension age or fall earlier, for example if you do not expect to practise your occupation until the end. For physically demanding occupations, insurers often apply a lower maximum end age. If you become incapacitated for work after that date, there is no cover.
Are burnout and nervous exhaustion insured?
Often, but rarely without limits. For mental health conditions insurers usually impose additional requirements, such as a diagnosis that can be established objectively in medical terms, or they apply a shorter payment period for this category. Where there is a history of mental health problems, an exclusion clause is regularly imposed on acceptance. Ask about this expressly before you sign.
Is the premium deductible?
In principle the premium for an AOV counts as expenditure on an income provision and is therefore deductible in your income tax return. The payout is then taxed in box 1. So work with a sum insured that still leaves you enough after tax; otherwise your net income during incapacity will fall short after all.
As a self-employed person, can I fall back on a UWV benefit?
In principle, no. Anyone leaving employment for self-employment can take out voluntary insurance with the UWV within a limited period, but after that the option lapses. A broodfonds or mutual support fund provides a temporary payment between members and is not insurance. For long-term incapacity, an AOV remains the only structural solution.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
- Compare disability insurance (AOV)The main page
- Illness and disability: who pays what?Continued pay, WIA, AOV
- A mortgage as a self-employed professional (zzp'er)Proving income, annual figures, possibilities
- The career-ending policy through HienfeldFixed-sum insurance, own occupation, medical examination
Read more
Within Arbeidsongeschiktheidsverzekering
Want to know which criterion suits you?
Request a quote without obligation. We will set the criterion, waiting period and end age of each insurer side by side.
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About our service
Finass Verzekert is a trading name of Finass Advies B.V. We advise on and arrange non-life insurance on the basis of an objective analysis of several insurers, and receive commission for this from the insurer, which is included in the premium. You pay no separate advice fee. Before you take out cover, we establish your wishes and needs.
You will find our licence, KvK and Kifid details and our complaints procedure at the foot of every page.
This page was compiled by Finass Verzekert (LinkedIn). Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.