Mandatory occupational disability insurance (AOV) for self-employed professionals

What changes?

The government wants all self-employed professionals to be insured against disability. This will be compulsory.

Are you a self-employed professional (zzp'er)? You will be obliged to take out insurance against occupational disability (arbeidsongeschiktheidsverzekering, AOV).

A new compulsory insurance scheme will reduce the financial risks due to illness. Self-employed workers will then be entitled to disability benefits if they can no longer earn the minimum wage due to long-term illness. With compulsory insurance for the self-employed, all workers will be protected against the consequences of disability. Compulsory insurance also reduces costs and risks for society.

For whom?

• self-employed professionals

When?

It is expected the Compulsory Insurance for the Self-Employed (Loss of Income due to Incapacity for Work) Act (Wet Basisverzekering arbeidsongeschiktheid zelfstandigen, Baz) will come into effect on 1 January 2027.

Please note: The effective date of this measure is not yet final. Entry into force is subject to its passing through the upper and lower houses of parliament or proclamation of the Order in Council (Algemene Maatregel van Bestuur, AMvB) or ministerial decree and publication in the Staatsblad or Staatscourant (Government Gazette, in Dutch).

Do you think government rules are unclear?

Do the rules create unnecessary administrative burdens? Or do you know how the rules could make doing business easier? You can report this (anonymously) to the Regulatory Reporting Centre (Meldpunt regelgeving, in Dutch).