Different types of insurance
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In the Netherlands, you can take out different types of insurance to protect yourself and your belongings. Some insurances are mandatory. Others are useful to have. On this page you can read which insurances there are.
An insurance policy is a contract with an insurance company
An insurance company gives you money if something happens for which you are insured with the insurance company. For example, if you get sick and have to go to the hospital or if you accidentally break something at someone else's house.
You pay money for the insurance policy you have a contract for. You usually have to do this every month. This is called a "premie" (premium). You get proof from the insurance company that you are insured. This is called a "polis" (policy). This shows what insurance you have and what exactly is insured.
There are many types of insurance where you can take out a contract. Some insurances are mandatory in the Netherlands. Your contact from
Below you can read about the different types of insurance:
Compulsory insurance
These insurances are compulsory:
Healthcare insurance
Everyone in the Netherlands must have healthcare insurance. This insurance reimburses costs for doctor's visits, medications and hospitalisations.
In addition to the compulsory basic insurance, you can take out additional insurance if you wish. For example, for dental care or physical therapy.
Sometimes compulsory: liability insurance
A liability insurance policy is a type of insurance that protects you if you accidentally break something or injure someone. Imagine you are visiting someone and you accidentally knock over an expensive vase. Or your dog runs into someone in the park, causing them to fall. If you have this insurance you do not have to pay all the costs yourself if something goes wrong. The insurance takes care of this for you.
If you own a car, motorcycle, moped or scooter, liability insurance ("WA-verzekering") is compulsory. If you damage others with your motor vehicle or cause a serious accident, for example, you are insured for this.
This is how compulsory health insurance works
Important insurances
Below you will read about insurances that are not compulsory but are important:
Contents insurance
With household contents insurance, you insure everything in your home such as furniture, appliances, clothing and books. The insurance company pays out money if the things in your home are damaged due to, for example, fire, water, lightning or burglary.
It depends on the insurance company which items are insured, as does the maximum amount of money you get from the insurance company if something happens to it.
Funeral insurance and repatriation
Funeral insurance pays part of the cost of your funeral or cremation. This is important so that your family and friends will not be faced with high bills when you pass away. Funeral insurance usually pays for the casket or urn, flowers, funeral cards, transportation and catering.
You pay a monthly
You can choose your own insurance company and the insurance you want. You decide what you want to insure. You can have the funeral arranged by the insurance company, or your next of kin can do it themselves with the money they get from the insurance company.
It is possible in the Netherlands to arrange a funeral according to Islamic guidelines. If you want an Islamic funeral in the Netherlands, you can arrange this yourself in your insurance. If you want to be buried in your country of origin, you can also insure yourself for "repatriation". This means that if you die you will be taken to your country of origin. This insurance is usually expensive.
There are several Islamic funeral insurance companies in the Netherlands. But there are also non-Islamic insurance companies with whom you can take out insurance for an Islamic funeral and repatriation. You can arrange this the way you want.
Other insurances
There are many other insurance policies you can take out, such as travel insurance, life insurance, disability insurance and legal expenses insurance. First, see if you really need the insurance. Ask yourself the following two questions:
Is the premium too high relative to the amount you will be paid if something happens?
Is the insurance premium too expensive for you? If you do not really need the insurance, it might be better to cancel it.
Your contact at VWN or your social worker from another organisation can support you in choosing insurance policies.
Travel insurance
Travel insurance is there to help you if something happens when you are on holiday. For example:
If you lose your luggage.
If you need to see a doctor abroad.
If your trip cannot go ahead due to something unexpected.
This insurance is also useful if you get sick or have an accident while abroad. Then the insurance company can arrange for you to return home safely.
There are major differences between different travel insurance policies. For example, there is a difference in the distance, duration and type of trip. You can get insurance for a single trip. But if you travel a lot, you can also take out "doorlopende reisverzekering" (multiple-trip travel insurance). Then you pay a small amount every month and you are insured as long as you have the insurance.
Healthcare insurance often covers medical expenses abroad. For this, read the terms and conditions of your healthcare insurance policy carefully.
Life insurance
Life insurance is insurance that gives money to your family when you die. The money is meant to help your family financially when you are no longer around. For example, they can pay for funeral expenses and pay off other bills.
Disability insurance
If you are self-employed, it may be helpful to have disability insurance. If you have such insurance and you get sick or injured, you will get money to pay your bills and take care of yourself and your family. It is important because it gives you financial support if you cannot work and therefore have no income.
Death insurance
Another type of life insurance is death insurance. This is a temporary insurance policy. You take out this insurance for a certain period of time and for a certain amount. You decide for how long and for what amount. You take out this insurance to ensure that your survivors have enough money to continue paying the rent or
Death insurance only pays out a sum of money if you die within the term of the insurance. This insurance is not compulsory, but it is sometimes a condition for obtaining a mortgage. The bank that gives you a mortgage wants to be sure that the mortgage will continue to be paid after your death.
Legal expenses insurance
Legal expenses insurance helps you if you have problems with the law. For example, if you get into an argument over a contract or if something bad happens in traffic. It is not always necessary to have this kind of insurance.
If you earn little, you can get help from