Your pensions in the event of occupational disability
It can happen that you are no longer able to work due to illness or an accident. Pension schemes usually include coverage for contribution waiver. Are you declared (partially) unfit for work? Contribution waiver ensures that you and your employer no longer need to pay (part of) the contributions for your pension scheme. We will then pay (part of) the contributions. This way, you remain insured and continue to build up your pension.
Occupational disability and your pension.
Insurance for your pension in case of disability
Occupational disability can have consequences for your pension and income. These insurances are included in pension schemes at Zwitserleven.
Contribution waiver in case of occupational disability
If your employer has included contribution waiver in your pension scheme, your pension accrual will partially or fully continue in the event of occupational disability. Zwitserleven will then pay (part of) the pension contribution for you and your employer. This way, you remain insured and continue to build up your pension, even if you are no longer working. Contribution waiver is arranged by your employer; you cannot opt for it yourself.
Disability pension
Are you partially or fully unable to work and, as a result, earning less or no income? In addition to the government’s WIA benefit, you may be eligible for a disability pension. This is an additional monthly benefit that continues until your retirement date. Whether you have this insurance depends on your pension scheme. Your employer may have already arranged this for you, but in some cases, you can take out this insurance yourself via MijnZwitserleven.
Check whether anything is insured for you
In MijnZwitserleven, under 'MijnPensioen', you will find the section 'Disability'. Here, you can see whether this is included in your insurance and whether you have a choice in this matter.
Is a disability pension something for me?
A disability insurance policy is there for cases where you are (partially) unable to work due to illness or an accident. If working becomes less or no longer possible, your income may drop significantly. Disability pension insurance then provides a monthly supplement to your WIA benefit, helping to reduce your financial shortfall.
Advantages
- Because you receive a supplement to your WIA benefit, your total income decreases less.
- If you are declared partially disabled, you no longer need to pay the premium for the covered portion. And if you are 80% or more disabled, you do not have to pay any premium at all.
Disadvantages
- You pay the premium yourself through your employer.
- If you report sick within six months after the start of the insurance, and if this was foreseeable given your health at the start of the insurance, you will not receive a disability pension. This is arranged to prevent misuse of the insurance.
May be suitable for you if:
- You need the monthly supplement to your WIA benefit to make ends meet.
- You have a job where disability is more likely to occur.
May not or less suitable for you if:
- You do not need the monthly supplement to your WIA benefit to make ends meet.
- You are super healthy and expect never to become disabled, even in case of an accident.
- You prefer to take out disability insurance separately from your employer's pension scheme. In that case, it is good to know that the premium for separate insurance may be higher than the premium for coverage under your pension scheme.
What happens if you become disabled?
If, as an employee, you become ill for an extended period, you will initially continue to receive your salary from your employer. Typically, during the first year of illness, you receive 100% of your salary. In the second year, you are paid 70% of your most recent salary. If, after 2 years of illness, you are still unable to work fully, you can apply for the Work and Income (Capacity for Work) Act (WIA).
Under the WIA, you can receive a benefit if you are at least 35% disabled. There are four types of WIA benefits. For three of them, the amount of the benefit depends on two factors:
- the percentage of your disability
- how much you earned before you became ill
Did you earn more than the WIA salary limit before you became ill? Then your benefit will be calculated based on the WIA salary limit. The WIA salary limit for 2026 is € 79,409 per year.
Are you partially disabled (35% to 80%)? Then there will come a time when the UWV will assess how much you are earning. If you earn less than 50% of what you could potentially earn, you will receive a benefit based on the minimum wage. The amount of the benefit depends on the percentage of your disability. The benefit is a maximum of slightly more than half of the minimum wage.
Would you like to know more about the WIA? Visit www.uwv.nl/wia