Dutch employers must pay at least 70% of salary for up to 2 years when an employee is sick (loondoorbetalingsplicht), and must fund reintegration under the Wet verbetering poortwachter. This applies from your first employee, permanent or temporary contract.
- For small teams the risk is lumpy. With 4 employees, one long-term sick colleague costs roughly 25% of payroll for up to 2 years, plus reintegration costs and a replacement hire.
- Larger organizations, or organizations with strong financial reserves, often self-insure instead: over time premiums usually exceed claims, and they can absorb a bad year. This is a deliberate risk-bearing choice, not an oversight — but it only works if the reserves are really there.
- can you pay 2 years of salary for your highest-paid employee, plus a replacement, without endangering the mission? If not: insure.
- — covers the loondoorbetaling. Premium typically 2–3% of gross payroll (loonsom).
- (exists since 2020) — verzuimverzekering plus full Poortwachter case management plus indemnity against UWV wage sanctions. Best default for small orgs without in-house HR.
- Optional: — covers the income gap if an employee becomes partially disabled after 2 years. Roughly 0.2–0.3% of payroll.
- Pick a deliberate waiting period (eigenrisicoperiode) of 2–6 weeks: it cuts the premium significantly, and short absence is affordable to carry yourself.
Whether you insure or not, every Dutch employer must have occupational health support under the Arbowet: a contract with an arbodienst covering absence registration, access to a bedrijfsarts, and Poortwachter compliance. See the Arbodienst service role for our recommended provider. Differences that matter more than the headline premium: waiting-period options, how much the premium rises after a claim year, whether an arbodienst is integrated, and contract lock-in. Request quotes through a broker (free for you; they earn commission) — see the Insurance Broker service role for our recommended brokers. When adopting this pattern, record your organization's choice: insured or self-insured, insurer, waiting period, and arbodienst.