This question has probably unconsciously been nagging on the back of my mind. And even more so ever since I keep getting unwanted phone calls from insurance companies.
A few weeks ago I started getting calls from unlisted number. It turned out that the calls were from 2 insurance companies. They were offering me an uitvaartverzekering. The literal translation would be funeral insurance and indeed it is an insurance that covers a part or the whole part of your funeral. And I thought, "Jeezzz... a funeral insurance? What a strange insurance. Are they wishing me dead or so?" Sure I've heard of life insurance, car insurance and travel insurance. But what kind of insurance company offers you a funeral insurance? I have never heard of it until now in the Netherlands. How those companies got my phone number is still a mystery to me.
Today as I was having dinner with some Dutch people I know, again I came across another type of insurance available in the Netherlands. The lady I was having dinner with told me about her experience with WA-verzekering or wettelijke aansprakelijk-heidsverzekering.
Every week she goes to an elderly house to do a voluntary work. There she visits an old lady and does things for her (have a talk, clean up the old lady's things, etc.). And one day she when she was cleaning up the old lady's drawer, she found a vitamin bottle (from one of those brands like century, etc.). It was light and when she shook the bottle, there was no sound. So thinking it was an empty bottle, she threw it away. On her next visit, the old lady told her that she kept her paper money in that bottle and that there was 110 euro worth of money there. My acquaintance was of course a bit shocked. She then gave 110 euro to the old lady and called her insurance company asking if this incidence was covered by the WA-verzekering. The insurance company said it was and a few days later she got 110 euro back from the insurance company.
From this story I gathered that the WA-verzekering covers incidents that makes the insured person liable to a third party.
This story also triggered my curiosity again as to whether the dutch people are really insecure.
I decided to google the types of insurances they have here in the Netherlands.
And yes, this country loves insurances. They have insurance for everything.
According to UNIVE website, there are 8 groups of insurance for an individual:
1. Insurance related to your health:
- Zorgverzekering (health insurance)
- Collectieve zorgverzekering (collective health insurance)
- Jongerenverzekering (health insurance for young people)
- Autoverzekering (car insurance)
- Motorverzekering (motor insurance)
- Bromfietsverzekering (electric bike insurance)
- Fietsverzekering (bike insurance)
- Klassiekerverzekering (for cars that are at least 20 years old)
- Reisverzekering (travel insurance)
- Autohulppakket (for if you have accident with your car)
- Caravanverzekering (caravan insurance)
- Kampeerautoverzekering (camper insurance)
- Watersportverzekering
- Inboedelverzekering (to insure the things in your house)
- Woonhuisverzekering (to insure your house against damage)
- Hypotheken (mortgage - I don't know why it falls under insurance)
- Woonlastenbeschermer (for example if you are forced to sell your house)
- Kostbaarhedenverzekering (insurance for things you consider priceless)
- Gezinsongevallenverzekering (related to accidents that happen in private environments)
- Tijdelijke ongemaksverzekering (temporary inconvenience insurance)
- MijnGemak (a sort of service offered by Unive)
- Rechtshulpverzekering (insurance for when you need legal aid)
- Aansprakelijkheid particulier
- Pensioenen (retirement insurance)
- Lijfrente (for if you want to retire early)
- Uitvaartverzekering
- Overlijdensrisicoverzekering (to help those you leave behind when you die)
Created at 23.53 local time.
