A third of highly educated self-employed support plans for mandatory disability insurance (AOV). However, almost half are in favor if self-insurance is allowed as an alternative. So says research by HR-tech service provider HeadFirst Group among more than 1,400 participants. CEO Marion van Happen shares the opinion about this opt-out: "We support the principle of an AOV for all self-employed people, but choices are a crucial success factor in this."
Opt-out scheme
By January 1, 2025, there should be a law to make it mandatory for self-employed workers to have insurance against disability. With the aim of preventing large income risks for individuals and countering unfair competition on working conditions. The rules and conditions of the intended law were recently discussed again during the Labor Market Policy Committee debate. In it it was announced that a simple AOV can be implemented by 2027, more customization means postponement to 2029. Minister Karien van Gennip of Social Affairs and Employment is investigating customization in the form of an opt-out arrangement.
Van Happen - along with the SER - stresses the importance of introducing an AOV with the right choices. "Mandatory disability insurance is important to protect vulnerable self-employed people and offer security. At the same time, we must keep in mind the diversity of the self-employed population with different assignments, starting motives and hourly rates. The option for self-pay insurance, which is at least equal in content to the public AOV, can count on support because it fits well with the different wishes and needs of this group of workers," Van Happen said.
Half of self-employed have nothing arranged
Last year HeadFirst Group also surveyed the opinion of self-employed people in the field of AOV. The results are virtually unchanged. Currently just under half of the self-employed have covered the risks of disability themselves - for example through a private party or a mutual fund. The most important reasons for highly educated self-employed workers to take out insurance is that they are unwilling (58 percent) or unable (17 percent) to bear the financial risk themselves. Another 11 percent cannot fall back on their partner's income. Of the self-employed who have not taken out disability insurance, 31 percent say they can bear the financial risk. Furthermore, over a quarter feel the costs do not outweigh the benefits and 15 percent consider the risk of disability low.
For self-employed people who have not yet made any arrangements should they become disabled, HeadFirst Group offers a low-threshold provision: Select iCommunity Crowdsurance (SiCC). This is an endowment-based provision. It is a net benefit for up to two years. In line with the need for an affordable, flexible solution that does not pay out until retirement age, but for a framed period. This provision also matches the desire of self-employed workers to bridge the 52-week self-risk period with a bread fund - desired by 12 percent of research participants - or to shorten the waiting period (35 percent).
Check out the survey results in this infographic.