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AOV insurance for the self-employed

AOV insurance, also known as disability insurance, is insurance that ensures that you as an entrepreneur still have an income at the time you become disabled.

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All about AOV insurance for the self-employed

AOV insurance, also known as disability insurance, is insurance that ensures that you as an entrepreneur still have an income at the time you become disabled. The government does not pay out benefits to entrepreneurs. When you as a ZZP'er or entrepreneur become unexpectedly disabled (due to illness or accident) for work, a disability insurance pays out a pre-negotiated amount as income. The amount of this benefit depends on the degree of disability.

AOV insurance for a self-employed person

As an entrepreneur, you are responsible for your own income. If you become incapacitated as an independent entrepreneur, this can have significant financial consequences. After all, the costs of your business continue. As a ZZP'er you do not claim benefits from employee insurance (with the exception of a possible maternity benefit). The concept of AOV insurance ZZP is nothing more than the inability or inability to perform your work properly. This could be because you suddenly become physically or mentally ill or suffer an accident. For female ZZP'ers or entrepreneurs, this can also include pregnancy.

The cause of your inability to work does not have to be directly related to your work. So this also means that the reason (the accident, illness or pregnancy) is caused by something outside your work and in your spare time. If you as a self-employed person enjoy playing tennis in the evenings, you always have a chance of injury. If you become disabled due to this injury, AOV insurance for ZZP'ers still applies.

In almost all cases, AOV insurance is not valid in case of intent, gross negligence and alcohol or drug abuse. In addition to self-employed persons, director-major shareholders and independent professionals are also entitled to occupational disability insurance.

Is an AOV obligatory as a self-employed person?

Employees are in most cases automatically (compulsorily) insured against the risks of disability. As a ZZP'er this can mean a considerable financial blow. Yet it is not mandatory to take out AOV insurance. Many entrepreneurs are perfectly capable of dealing with the financial consequences of short-term disability. Although it is not compulsory, it is advised to take out insurance in case of a long-term period of disability, because this could jeopardize your business.

Why an AOV insurance for self-employed people?

You hope not, of course, but you can become disabled at any time in your life. For example, because you are affected by a virus or bacteria, but also because you have a nasty fall or are injured in a car accident. A salaried employee will simply receive an income during that period because his employer has taken out disability insurance. As an entrepreneur you are responsible for taking out an AOV insurance. Without AOV insurance, you miss out on a large part of your income, while the fixed expenses continue. Many ZZP'ers have built up a buffer, but this is not unlimited. With an AOV insurance you are assured of an income and you know for sure that you can continue to pay the bills.

What are the benefits of AOV insurance?

Taking out an AOV insurance has a number of advantages:

  • With AOV insurance, you are guaranteed an income the moment you become disabled. It is a financial safety net
  • You determine the portion of income you want to insure up to a maximum percentage (the lower the amount insured, the lower the premium)
  • The insurer provides reintegration assistance
  • The premium of an AOV is often tax deductible

Take out AOV insurance directly through Alpina

So while taking out AOV insurance as a ZZP is not mandatory, it is often wise. Because you are not a salaried employee, you are responsible for paying all the bills of your business. Being unable to work can be a major financial blow for a ZZP'er. If you are sick for a long time or need to recover, you miss out on a lot of income, while the fixed expenses continue as usual.

On Alpina.nl you can directly request a quote for AOV insurance ZZP. Based on your personal data, we can make an accurate quote. You can then compare the offer yourself. Do you have any questions about AOV insurance or about requesting a quote? Please contact us!

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Compare

On Alpina.nl you can easily compare your AOV insurance ZZP. After filling in some data you get an overview of all AOV insurances, including premiums. Besides the basic coverage of the insurance and the amount of the premium, there are other things you can pay attention to when comparing and buying insurance. Think carefully about what you do or do not want to insure. How much do you spend monthly on fixed charges and expenses, and what do you need to live on? This will help you determine the amount you want to insure.

Mandatory

Currently, it is not yet mandatory to have AOV insurance. However, there is talk of making AOV compulsory. In that case, you would be obliged to insure yourself against disability as of 2024. Regardless, it is wise to insure yourself against disability. The government does not pay benefits to entrepreneurs. When you, as a ZZP'er or entrepreneur, become unexpectedly disabled (due to illness or accident) for work, disability insurance pays a pre-negotiated amount as income.

Costs

What you pay for an AOV insurance ZZP depends on your wishes and your personal situation. For example, your age and profession play a major role in determining the premium. Here the focus is on how risky your profession is. For example, a 50-year-old landscaper pays more premium per month than a 50-year-old accountant, because figures show that landscapers run a higher risk of becoming disabled. There are also a number of factors that affect the cost, such as the amount insured, the deductible and the benefit period.

Entrepreneur

As an entrepreneur, you are not covered by employer insurance. This means that you will not be paid if you become ill or disabled. With an AOV insurance you ensure that you still have an income if you cannot work. Occupational disability can occur because you become physically or mentally ill or get into an accident, but also, for example, because of pregnancy. The cause of your disability does not have to have anything directly to do with your work. So this also means that the reason (the accident, illness or pregnancy) is caused by something outside your work and in your spare time.

Salaried

For someone in salaried employment, AOV insurance works differently than for a self-employed person. As an employee, you pay social security through your gross salary. When you become disabled and can no longer work, you are entitled to a benefit. The amount you continue to receive is not as high as the salary you would receive under normal circumstances. However, it is part of it, which at least allows you to pay expenses such as rent or mortgage and other fixed cabinets.

Mortgage

If you become disabled, your fixed expenses, such as your mortgage, will continue. If you do not have AOV insurance, but you are employed, you will enter the sickness law during the first two years. In that case you receive a sickness benefit that is supplemented by your employer. As a ZZP'er you obviously don't have this, you can then apply for an assistance benefit. Disability insurance is not required for a mortgage, but it does provide financial security in the event that you become disabled.

Frequently asked questions about AOV insurance

What is an AOV insurance?

AOV insurance is an insurance that ensures that you as an entrepreneur still have an income at the moment you become disabled. With disability insurance you insure yourself against loss of income.

When am I incapacitated for work?

You are incapacitated for work the moment you are at least 25% limited to perform your professional activities. With this insurance you can choose how the disability is assessed.

The degree of disability is determined by a percentage. The disability percentage can be calculated on the basis of a formula that balances measure wage, earning capacity and residual earning capacity. In short, this calculates the balance between what you earn without being disabled and what you can still earn when you are (partially) disabled.

What is the best AOV for self-employed people?

What is the best AOV insurance for a ZZP'er is different for each person. An important factor here is your profession. Among other things, an insurer looks at how risky the profession is. For example, a job where you work with dangerous machinery or heavy parts is riskier than an office job, because the chance that you will have an accident is higher. As a construction worker you will therefore pay more premium for an AOV insurance than an accountant, because the risk of becoming disabled is higher.

You can find the best AOV insurance by comparing providers. When comparing, pay attention not only to the amount of the premium, but also to the conditions such as the waiting period. The waiting period in an AOV is the period before the payment of the insurance begins. During this period you do not receive any benefits, but you pay the excess. The waiting period also affects the amount of the premium. The longer the waiting period, the lower the premium. Of course, this means that you have to wait longer for your first benefit.

What about the AOV insurance premium and taxes?

If you, as a ZZP'er or entrepreneur, are the insured yourself, the premium for your AOV insurance is deductible for Income Tax. This premium is deductible in Box 1 on your income tax return. The counterpart, however, is that this taxes any benefits again.

How is the benefit level determined?

He benefit level of AOV insurance is determined by the percentage of disability and, of course, the insured amount. Most insurers that Alpina compares use the following table:

(The benefit rate is determined by an independent insurance physician).
Disability rate Payout ratio
Less than 25% 0%
25 - 35% 30%
35 - 45% 40%
45 - 55% 50%
55 - 65% 60%
65 - 85% 75%
85 - 1005 100%

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