The Dutch social security system does not apply to my children. What does this mean?

State old age pension

Your children are not insured under the General Old Age Pensions Act (AOW). It may be possible for them to take out insurance under the General Old Age Pensions Act voluntarily.

Was your child aged under 15 when you started working for the international organisation? In that case your child has never been insured under the General Old Age Pensions Act, so they cannot take out insurance voluntarily.

Later, once your child is covered by compulsory insurance, for instance because they leave home or get a job, they can buy the pension rights they missed out on. The Social Insurance Bank (SVB) can provide more information about the various aspects of insurance under the General Old Age Pensions Act.

Surviving Dependants Act (ANW)

Your child is not insured under the Surviving Dependants Act. The Social Insurance Bank (SVB) can provide more information about voluntarily taking out insurance under the ANW.

Medical expenses

If your children are excluded from the Dutch social security system, the obligation to take out healthcare insurance under the Healthcare Insurance Act does not apply to them. They are not insured under the Chronic Care Act either. These two types of insurance cannot be taken out voluntarily.

If your employer has a collective healthcare insurance scheme, your children are covered by it as well. The scheme may be less or more advantageous than the Dutch system. Several Dutch healthcare insurers offer special supplementary healthcare insurance for this kind of situation.

Financial support for young disabled people.

To qualify for benefit under the Incapacity Insurance (Young Disabled Persons) Act (Wajong) your child must be a resident of the Netherlands on their 17th birthday. If they are excluded from the Dutch social security system under the agreement with the international organisation you work for, they will not receive benefit when they are 18. This exclusion is permanent. They cannot claim entitlement to Wajong benefit at a later date.

If your child already receives Wajong benefit when you start working for the international organisation, they will continue to receive it. But from that moment on, your child ceases to be insured under the General Old Age Pensions Act (AOW), the Surviving Dependants Act (ANW) and the Chronic Care Act (WLZ). Your child’s health insurance will also be discontinued.

Extraordinary medical expenses

Your child is not insured under the Chronic Care Act (WLZ). Your child may receive long-term care or home care, but this will not be paid for under the Chronic Care Act.