Hera Life and BNP Paribas Cardif introduce insurance for self-employed

Hera Life and BNP Paribas Cardif introduce Hera Zelfverzekerd. The insurance pays out when a self-employed person (zzp and zmp) loses a physical function.

Hera Zelfverzekerd pays out when self-employed people can be expected to lose more than 12 months of physical function and:
• Can no longer see, hear or speak
• Are no longer mobile
• Are no longer able to use their arms or hands

More than accident cover and an alternative for the AOV
The insurance offers more than an accident cover and is not classified as an AOV, because the payment is not linked to an occupation and not based on a disability percentage or loss of income. The insurance is particularly suitable for self-employed persons who do not want to pay for a full AOV, but do need a safety net solution. And for entrepreneurs who already have an AOV or participate in a mutual fund, but would like some extra security and protection.

A free to spend, single payment
For a low monthly premium, Hera Zelfverzekerd offers financial support in the form of a one-off payment between €35,000 and €200,000. The entrepreneur chooses this amount himself and the payment is tax-free. Hera Zelfverzekerd is a safety net solution which can be used to reorganise work and life. For example, to absorb a period of loss of income, for training or retraining, to hire a replacement or to make the necessary adjustments to the home. Virtually all professions are insured.

A social problem: fewer and fewer self-employed insured
The number of self-employed (zzp & zmp) in the Netherlands has been rising for years, but fewer and fewer of them are insured. A trend that entails major social risks. A few facts in a row:
• In 2021 there will be 1.1 million people in the Netherlands with a main job as a self-employed person, which is 12% of all employed people¹.
• 1 in 4 entrepreneurs become disabled².
• 75% of self-employed people have no disability insurance³.

Co-production between Hera Life, Munich Re and BNP Paribas Cardif
Hera Zelfverzekerd is a co-production of Hera Life, insurer BNP Paribas Cardif and reinsurer Munich Re. The distribution and marketing of the insurance goes through independent advisors, mortgage advisors and industry associations. There is a continuous commission payment on the insurance.

Sander Franken, director Hera Life: “More than 75% of the self-employed do not take out an AOV or put it off. Too expensive, too complicated, it will not happen to me’ are often heard arguments.
What also does not help is that fewer and fewer advisers have a WFT income diploma and that, in addition to the high premium, they have to invoice the client for advice and management. With Hera Zelfverzekerd we offer clients a simple and affordable solution for when things really go wrong. Because Hera Zelfverzekerd is a non-life insurance, the advice is not reserved for advisers with the diploma WFT income and the intermediary receives a continuous fee for advice and management.”

Olaf Siemsen, Munich Re’s Senior Client Manager for the Dutch insurance market, adds: “For us, the Netherlands represents strong entrepreneurship and also an established market for insurance products. Although AOV covers have been sold in the Dutch market for many years, we see great potential for the many zzp’ers and zmp’ers who are looking for attractive alternative solutions. Therefore, we are very pleased to introduce the new product Hera Zelfverzekerd (Self-insured) in the Netherlands. This product offers a newish transparent and affordable protection for the entrepreneur to remain independent in case of unexpected ordeals.“

“For years, we have seen an increase in the number of self-employed people in the Netherlands, and they are insuring themselves less and less against impactful life events that could jeopardise the future of their business. As we all know, this trend brings with it great social risks. Together with Hera Life and Munich Re, we have developed a product that meets the needs of the self-employed: affordable insurance with a payout that offers flexibility. With Hera Zelfverzekerd, we make insurance more accessible for the over 1 million self-employed in the Netherlands,” said Marieke van Zuien, CCO BNP Paribas Cardif in Belgium and the Netherlands.

More information on Hera Zelfverzekerd can be found at: https://heralife.nl/hera-zelfverzekerd-klant/

¹https://www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/dossier/dossier-zzp/ontwikkelingen-zzp
² https://www.adfiz.nl/media/1274/adfiz_arbeidsongeschiktheidsrisicos_infographic_def.pdf
³ https://www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/onze-diensten/methoden/onderzoeksomschrijvingen/korte-onderzoeksomschrijvingen/zelfstandigen-enquete-arbeid–zea–