Taking out voluntary insurance against illness (Ziektewet-verzekering)
Are you employed? Then you are insured under the Ziektewet (Sickness Benefits Act). Are you ill? Then either your employer will pay your wages or you will receive a Ziektewet-uitkering (sickness benefits). Are you stopping your work for a short period of time? Or are you going to work abroad? You will often then not be insured under the Ziektewet. So if you become ill, you will not receive a Ziekte-wetuitkering. However, you can choose to take out voluntary Ziektewet-verzekering (Sickness Benefits Act insurance).
Last updated 10 November 2021
Eligibility for voluntary insurance under the Ziektewet
If you want to be insured against loss of income in case you become ill, you can take out voluntary insurance under the Ziektewet. You will then be able to receive a Ziektewet-uitkering if you become ill. You can take out insurance under the Ziektewet in the following situations:
- you are providing domestic care or services in the home (in Dutch);
- you are stopping your work for a short period of time (in Dutch);
- you are going to work abroad (in Dutch).
Applying for voluntary insurance under the Ziektewet
You can apply for Ziektewet-verzekering through the Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen – UWV (Employment Insurance Agency).
Ziektewet-uitkering (Sickness Act benefit)
You can find out more about the Ziektewet-uitkering at the UWV website.
Laws and regulations (in Dutch)
Regels vrijwillige ziekengeldverzekering 2007