Insurance: which policies matter when you die

1. Uitvaartverzekering — funeral insurance

Funeral insurance is the most common insurance product touching death in the Netherlands. Roughly 70% of adults have one. The largest provider is DELA, with more than 5 million insured; Monuta and a.s.r. are the other major names. Yarden was taken over by DELA in 2021.

There are two main types:

Naturaverzekering (in-kind insurance). The insurer organises the funeral itself, through its own network. The family receives services, not money. The big advantage: the family barely has to organise anything. The trade-off: limited choice of funeral home and services, and any extras come at the family's cost. Tax-wise, a policy that pays out in kind simply covers the funeral costs, which heirs may otherwise deduct; only a payout exceeding actual costs has to be declared for inheritance tax (erfbelasting).

Kapitaalverzekering (capital insurance). The insurer pays a fixed sum to the heirs, who then arrange the funeral themselves. Full freedom — but if the policy is old, the amount may not cover the actual cost.

The underinsurance problem. A large share of older policies no longer match today's costs. Many were taken out years ago for EUR 3,000–5,000, while today's average funeral costs around EUR 10,000 (DELA puts an average cremation at around EUR 8,500 and a burial at around EUR 10,500). If you find a policy well below that, the choice is to top up, take out an additional policy, or accept that the family will pay the difference from the estate.

What to do. Find every policy (search documents and email for "uitvaartverzekering", "polis"). Check the coverage amount. If it falls short, contact the insurer.

2. Levensverzekering — life insurance, broadly

"Levensverzekering" is an umbrella term in Dutch for several products that pay out either at death or at the end of a fixed term (or both). The most relevant for death planning are:

• Overlijdensrisicoverzekering (ORV) — pays out only on death within the term. See section 3.
• Gemengde levensverzekering — combined product that pays out either on death or at a set date if you are still alive.
• Lijfrente — a savings product that converts to periodic payments; on death, treatment depends on the contract and the named beneficiary.
• Kapitaalverzekering eigen woning (KEW) — older mortgage-linked savings product, still active for many homeowners with pre-2013 mortgages.

Each of these has its own claim procedure. The common thread: the insurer needs to know about the death, and they need the right documents — usually the policy, the deceased's ID, and the akte van overlijden (death certificate). For larger payouts, a verklaring van erfrecht (declaration of inheritance) may also be requested. Average time to payout, once the file is complete: 6–12 weeks.

3. Overlijdensrisicoverzekering — term life, often linked to a mortgage

ORV is a term insurance that pays a fixed sum to the named beneficiary if the insured dies within the term of the policy. It is often taken out alongside a mortgage, where the payout is sized to clear the remaining loan.

Why it matters. If the deceased was the main earner on a couple's mortgage, the ORV payout can mean the difference between staying in the home and selling under pressure. If no ORV is in place, the mortgage continues and the lender expects the remaining holder (or the estate) to keep paying.

How beneficiary mechanics work. Most ORV policies name the surviving partner directly, or — in mortgage-linked policies — the bank as begunstigde first, with the partner second. The payout goes directly to the beneficiary, outside the estate (nalatenschap) — but it is usually still subject to inheritance tax (erfbelasting) under article 13 of the Successiewet if the deceased paid the premiums. For couples, ask an adviser about a kruislingse polis (cross-policy), where each partner insures the other's life and pays the premiums; that structure can keep the payout outside erfbelasting.

How to claim. Notify the insurer immediately by phone (number on the policy). Provide:

1. The policy.
2. The deceased's ID.
3. The akte van overlijden from the gemeente.
4. A verklaring van erfrecht, if the insurer requests it (not always).

Where to look for an ORV you may not know about. In the mortgage paperwork, in bank statements (a small monthly debit to an insurance company), or by calling the mortgage bank directly. If the insurance is linked to the mortgage, the bank usually receives the payout automatically.

4. AOV — arbeidsongeschiktheidsverzekering (disability insurance)

AOV is a disability income insurance, mostly held by zzp'ers (self-employed people) in the Netherlands. It does not pay out on death — it pays a periodic income if the insured becomes unable to work due to illness or accident. So why is it relevant in a death-planning article?

Two reasons.

First, when an AOV policyholder dies, the policy itself ends. Any premium paid in advance can usually be reclaimed pro rata by the estate — easy to forget in the first weeks.

Second, some AOV policies include an aanvullende module that pays a one-off sum on death (overlijdensdekking) or contains a disability-to-death conversion clause. The family will not know this without reading the polisvoorwaarden (policy conditions).

What to do. If the deceased was zzp, find the AOV policy. Notify the insurer of the death, request termination, and ask explicitly whether any death benefit applies. Keep a copy of all correspondence — the file may need to come back to the estate later.

5. Ongevallenverzekering — accident insurance

Ongevallenverzekering pays out on accidental injury or accidental death. It is sometimes a standalone product, sometimes a rider on a travel insurance, car insurance, or employer benefits package. Many people have one without remembering.

When it pays. Only if the cause of death meets the policy's definition of an accident — typically "an unexpected, sudden, external event causing bodily injury independent of any illness". Death from natural causes, illness, or self-inflicted injury usually does not qualify.

How beneficiary mechanics work. Like ORV, the policy names a begunstigde. The payout goes directly to that person, outside the estate — but, as with ORV, it is usually still subject to inheritance tax if the deceased paid the premiums.

Where to look. Travel insurance documents, employer benefits booklets, bank packages (some banks include accident cover on premium accounts), credit-card statements showing a small annual debit to an insurer.

A note on beneficiary mechanics

Several insurance products in the Netherlands let you name a begunstigde directly. When you do, the payout goes to that person — outside the estate (nalatenschap). That does not mean it escapes inheritance tax: under article 13 of the Successiewet, a payout from a policy whose premiums the deceased paid is normally taxed as if it were part of the inheritance. This applies to ORV and most personal life insurances, and it can also apply to ongevallenverzekering and some lijfrente structures. The exact treatment depends on who paid the premiums and how the policy is set up — ask a notaris or financial adviser for your situation.

The practical implication: the begunstigde line on a policy is one of the most consequential decisions a person makes about their finances. Reviewing it after marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, or the death of a previously named beneficiary is essential. An ex-partner who is still listed as begunstigde on a policy from 2008 will receive the money in 2026 — even if your will says otherwise.

What to keep, what to cancel

A short framework for nabestaanden working through the deceased's policies.

Keep / claim:

• Uitvaartverzekering — claim the funeral arrangement (natura) or the payout (kapitaal).
• Levensverzekering / ORV — claim, with full document set. The payout to a named beneficiary is outside the estate, but usually still counts for erfbelasting.
• Ongevallenverzekering — check whether the cause of death qualifies, then claim if it does.

Cancel and reclaim premiums where possible:

• AOV — the policy ends with the policyholder; reclaim any prepaid premium.
• Travel insurance, car insurance no longer needed, etc. — cancel and request pro-rata refund.

Keep open temporarily:

• Liability insurance (aansprakelijkheidsverzekering) covering the household — useful for the surviving partner and dependants.
• Home insurance — the property is still standing and must remain covered.

What the planner can do now

Three actions, each measured in minutes.

1. List every policy. Insurer, type, policy number, premium amount, start date, who is the named begunstigde. If the begunstigde line is blank or out of date, fix it.

2. Check the uitvaartverzekering coverage. If it is well below today's average funeral of around EUR 10,000, top up or add a second policy. The longer you wait, the higher the monthly premium — at age 30–40 it can start at EUR 10–20 per month. At 60+, premiums climb steeply.

3. Tell someone where the policies are. A short note: "Insurance file is in the bottom drawer of the desk. The mortgage ORV is with [bank]. The funeral policy is with DELA." Without that note, nabestaanden often spend weeks trying to find what is owed to them.

Revisit the begunstigde line after life events — marriage, a new child, a divorce, the death of a previously named beneficiary.

In the app

Money & Accounts has a card for each insurance policy: type, company, policy number, monthly premium, coverage. The notes field is where you record the named beneficiary and when you want to revisit it. You fill it in at your own pace. Together with Legal Papers, it goes into a Zorgmap PDF that you print or give to the people you trust, so your family has the inventory they need.

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Sources

1. Verbond van Verzekeraars (Dutch Association of Insurers) — overview of categories: Uitvaartverzekeringen, Overlijdensrisicoverzekeringen, Leven & Inkomen, Pensioenen, Gezondheid werk en inkomen. https://www.verzekeraars.nl
2. Consumentenbond — uitvaartverzekering and life-insurance reviews; underinsurance findings; consumer-side claim procedures. https://www.consumentenbond.nl
3. Rijksoverheid — life insurance and inheritance, akte van overlijden, verklaring van erfrecht. https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/erfenis
4. DELA, Monuta, a.s.r. — provider documentation on natura vs kapitaal policies; DELA annual figures. https://www.dela.nl, https://www.monuta.nl, https://www.asr.nl
5. Successiewet 1956, article 13 — insurance payouts treated as inheritance. https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0002226
6. Belastingdienst — kapitaalverzekeringen; deducting funeral costs from the inheritance. https://www.belastingdienst.nl