Voluntary insurance - You are going to live or work outside the Netherlands

As a rule, if you start living or working outside the Netherlands, you will cease to be covered under the AOW old age pension scheme and the Anw survivor benefits scheme.

Avoid an AOW pension shortfall

If you are temporarily not insured under the AOW scheme, you will get a reduced AOW pension when you turn 65. Your pension will be reduced by 2% for each year of non-insurance. You can avoid the resulting pension shortfall by taking out voluntary insurance.

Still entitled to Anw benefit

If you are not insured under the Anw scheme, your partner will not get an Anw survivor benefit, or only a partial one, if you pass away, and your children will not get an Anw orphan's benefit. You can take out voluntary insurance so that your partner and children will be entitled to a benefit.

You can take out voluntary insurance for:  

• AOW 
• Anw
• both AOW and Anw

Apply within 12 months

You can take out voluntary insurance up to 1 year after your compulsory AOW and Anw insurance ends.

We advise you to take out voluntary Anw insurance as soon as you start living or working outside the Netherlands. If you should die, your partner or child under 18 will then qualify for a benefit.