As a self-employed professional, you can be held liable for damages caused to third parties. This can become quite costly. Fortunately, there are two important types of insurance that offer protection:
You can get a Business Liability Insurance starting at around €10 per month, and a Professional Liability Insurance from approximately €20 per month. Both can be easily applied for online.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Why Is Liability Insurance Important for Self-Employed Professionals?"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. Especially when it comes to major damages, you don’t want to be stuck with the costs yourself. Although liability insurance for self-employed professionals is usually not legally required, it is highly recommended. It helps prevent your business from running into financial trouble.
"}},{"componentType":"accordion","accordionList":[{"title":"When Is Liability Insurance mandatory?","richBody":{"value":"For certain professions—such as financial advisors, lawyers, and notaries—professional liability insurance is mandatory. Clients or industry organizations may also require you to be insured.
"}},{"title":"What Risks Do You Face as a Self-Employed Professional?","richBody":{"value":"For a copywriter, business risks are usually not very significant. But a plumbing company can cause an unexpected pipe leak. A construction company, for example, can cause damage during a renovation if one of the scaffolds is not properly assembled and collapses. That’s why there is an additional insurance for self-employed professionals in the construction sector.
"}},{"title":"Do You Have Staff? Then the Risks Are Greater","richBody":{"value":"As an employer, you are also liable for damage caused by your employees. Even damage caused by hired self-employed professionals can fall under your responsibility.
"}}]},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Which Business Liability Insurance Suits You?"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Most self-employed professionals choose one or both of the following insurances:
"},"alignedImage":{"position":"bottom"}},{"componentType":"comparisonCards","comparisonCardList":[{"title":"Business Liability Insurance (AVB)","subtitle":"Covers damage to third parties, such as:","image":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/a7a3ae6e-2d35-439a-85a9-36ef0273bf56/BB-Insurance-only_Large_MS-PPT_Web-Mid-adult-woman-working-outside-on-a-house-building-siteoverall","type":"image","width":1920,"altTextNL":"Aansprakelijkheidsverzekeringen voor ondernemers","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/2684af180fe3a669/original/BB-Insurance-only_Large_MS-PPT_Web-Mid-adult-woman-working-outside-on-a-house-building-siteoverall.jpg","extension":"jpg"},"usps":[{"body":"Material damage (e.g., knocking something over at a client’s location)","iconType":"check-mark"},{"body":"Personal injury (e.g., a visitor trips over a cable)","iconType":"check-mark"},{"body":"Damage caused by workplace accidents","iconType":"check-mark"}],"cta":{"componentType":"cta","textLink":{"url":"/zakelijk/verzekeren/bedrijfsaansprakelijkheidsverzekering","text":"Read more AVB"}}},{"title":"Professional Liability Insurance (BAV)","subtitle":"Covers damage caused by professional errors, such as:","image":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/ee13287a-1ec1-4a7b-abfa-91e1b94d6fed/BB-Insurance-only-side-view-of-young-man-sitting-on-table-at-home","type":"image","width":1700,"original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/14cb4cd5ced8b847/original/BB-Insurance-only-side-view-of-young-man-sitting-on-table-at-home.jpg","extension":"jpg"},"usps":[{"body":"Incorrect calculations","iconType":"check-mark"},{"body":"Incorrect advice","iconType":"check-mark"},{"body":"Forgetting important information","iconType":"check-mark"}],"cta":{"componentType":"cta","textLink":{"url":"/zakelijk/verzekeren/beroepsaansprakelijkheidsverzekering","text":"Read more"}}}],"title":"Business Liability Insurance (AVB),Professional Liability Insurance (BAV)"},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"What does liability insurance cost for self-employed professionals?"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"The costs depend on your profession, revenue, and number of employees. Fortunately, the premiums are relatively low and tax-deductible.
"},"alignedImage":{"position":"right"}},{"componentType":"accordion","accordionList":[{"title":"Company Liability Insurance Premium","richBody":{"value":"Calculate your premium directly online
Note your deductible: you choose the amount of your deductible yourself. The higher the deductible, the lower the premium.
"},"alignedImage":{"position":"right"},"textLinks":[{"url":"https://mijnzakelijk.ing.nl/banking/insurances/business/company-liability","text":"Calculate your premium in My ING Business"}]},{"title":"Professional Liability Insurance Premium","richBody":{"value":"Deductible: when taking out a BAV, you choose the maximum insured amount per claim. This amount may vary by profession.
"},"textLinks":[{"url":"https://mijnzakelijk.ing.nl/banking/insurances/business/professional-liability","text":"Calculate your premium in My ING Business"}]},{"title":"Which factors affect the premium of these insurance policies?","richBody":{"value":"The premium of a public liability insurance (AVB) or professional liability insurance (BAV) depends on several important factors. For both types of insurance, we look at:
The more risk involved in your work, the higher the premium.
Higher turnover increases the chance of claims. This is reflected in the premium — for both AVB and BAV.
If you employ staff, the risk of causing damage increases. More employees generally means a higher premium.
The higher the maximum insured amount per claim, the higher the premium. This is especially relevant for BAV, where you choose the coverage level that fits your work.
For both insurances, choosing a higher deductible typically results in a lower premium.
Tip: Want to know what your premium would be? Calculate it directly in My ING Business or in the ING App to get an amount tailored to your situation.
"}}]},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"How Do You Take Out Liability Insurance?"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Are you already an ING customer? Then you can easily apply for liability insurance via the ING app or My ING Business. Not yet a customer? First become a customer and then take out your insurance through ING with insurer Allianz Benelux.
"},"alignedImage":{"position":"right","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/1e337b97-55fd-4b83-a8d9-fa8ab6cca6a5/Woman-formal-broken-vase-insurance-scene","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/7202feb6b67ea8f2/original/Woman-formal-broken-vase-insurance-scene.svg","extension":"svg"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"What should you consider when taking out liability insurance as a self employed professional?"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Start by mapping out your risks and choose an insured amount that fits your type of work. Pay attention to the deductible and any optional coverages you may need. Would you like a clear overview of your risks and how to protect yourself against them? Schedule a free Zakelijk Inzicht (Business Insight) consultation.
"}},{"componentType":"linkList","iconTitle":{"icon":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/712f0411-7ffc-473e-bf7e-7c27d9e265bc/Feedback-Light_Bulb_Filledin","type":"image","width":24,"altTextNL":"\"\"","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/1a0207ffb56322e/original/Feedback-Light_Bulb_Filledin.svg","extension":"svg"},"title":"You may also like"},"textLinks":[{"url":"/zakelijk/verzekeren/bedrijfsaansprakelijkheidsverzekering","text":"Apply for company liability insurance"},{"url":"/zakelijk/verzekeren/beroepsaansprakelijkheidsverzekering","text":"Apply for professional liability insurance"},{"url":"/en/business/insurance","text":"All business insurances"},{"url":"/zakelijk/betalen/zakelijke-rekening","text":"Become a business customer at ING"},{"url":"/zakelijk/zzp/bankzaken","text":"Products for the self-employed"}]}]}}}