Your Uitvaartverzekering, Decoded
Two-thirds of Dutch households hold a funeral policy. Around 40% of those policies will not cover today's funeral. Here's how to find out which group you're in — in twenty minutes.
The two kinds of policy
Almost every uitvaartverzekering in the Netherlands is one of two things. Knowing which you have decides everything else.
| Type | What it pays out | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Naturapolis | A funeral "package" from the insurer's preferred provider. | Cost grows; the package shrinks. |
| Kapitaalpolis | A fixed sum of money paid to your heirs. | Sum is rarely indexed to inflation. |
Why so many policies fall short
The average funeral in the Netherlands now costs over €10 000 (NOS, 2024). Most policies were taken out twenty or thirty years ago, when €5 000 felt generous. Unless your policy has an explicit indexation clause, the gap is on your family.
Six things to check this weekend
- Type — natura or kapitaal?
- Insured sum — and is it indexed?
- Beneficiary — is the right person named?
- Premium status — paid up, or still owing?
- What it excludes — flowers, catering, location fees often aren't covered
- Provider list — for natura, which funeral homes are in network
The conversation to have
Once you know what the policy actually does, ring the insurer and ask three questions: what is currently insured, what would it cost to raise that sum to €12 000, and what would it cost to switch to a kapitaalpolis. You will get an answer in one phone call.
Insurance you bought in 1998 isn't insurance for a funeral in 2026. It's a deposit on one.
If this article is useful, the practical follow-up is the Everly app — a free planner that walks you through your policy, documents and wishes in about an evening.