Doing Business in the Netherlands 2012 - American Chamber of ...

Doing Business in the Netherlands 2012
b) General Surviving Relatives Act (Algemene nabestaandenwet
or Anw)
Under specific conditions, the Anw provides benefits for the partner
of the deceased and his/her (half) orphans. These conditions involve
taking care of a child under age 18 who does not belong to another
family, or being at least 45% disabled, or born before 1950 and being
younger than 65 years.
c) General Child Benefit Act (Algemene Kinderbijslag Wet or
AKW)
The AKW provides benefits with regard to children, stepchildren and
foster children up to age 18. The amount of the benefit depends on
the age of the child and whether the child lives at home.
d) Exceptional Medical Expenses (Compensation) Act
(Algemene Wet bijzondere ziektekosten or AWBZ)
The AWBZ insures all residents in the Netherlands against risks for
exceptional expenses, which are not covered by the Health Insurance
Act (see item e).
e) Health Insurance Act (Zorgverzekeringswet or Zvw) and the
Act on the Health Insurance Allowance (Wet op de
zorgtoeslag or Wzt)
The Zvw obliges all residents of the Netherlands and all individuals
who work in the Netherlands and pay tax on wages, to take out at least
a standard insurance for medical expenses. The employee is
compensated by its employer and/or the social security authorities for
the mandatory income-related contribution of 7.10% (in 2012) of the
annual salary maximized to an annual salary of EUR50,056 (in 2012).
The employees, however, pay tax on wages and premium on national
insurance over the amount of the compensation. The Wzt provides
under certain conditions extra health insurance allowance
(zorgtoeslag). The employee has to pay the nominal premium to the
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