Business insurance for international entrepreneurs
You started a business in a country whose insurance system you didn’t grow up with. The terms are Dutch, the rules are local, and most comparison sites assume you already know which cover you need. You don’t have to. Here’s what a business in the Netherlands typically insures, and where the international angle changes things.
What most businesses here insure
- Liability (AVB). Covers damage your business causes to other people or their property. The baseline for most companies.
- Professional indemnity (BAV). Covers a client’s financial loss from a mistake in your advice or work. Essential for consultants, IT, agencies.
- Business interruption. Keeps income flowing if you can’t operate after an incident.
- Property and inventory. Your premises, stock, and equipment.
- Sector cover. Cyber, transport, professional licences, depending on what you do.
Which of these you actually need depends on your work, your clients, and your contracts. More cover isn’t better cover; the right cover is.
What’s different when you’re international
Two things trip up international founders. First, contracts: Dutch and international clients increasingly require specific liability or professional indemnity limits before they’ll sign, and the policy has to match the wording. Second, structure: how you’ve set up (eenmanszaak, BV, branch of a foreign company) affects what you can and should insure, and who’s liable for what.
How we help
We’re independent, we compare dozens of insurers on price and conditions and recommend what fits your business, not what pays us best. We work in English, handle the Dutch side, and start with a short risk review so nothing important is left uninsured and you’re not paying for cover you don’t need.
Frequently asked
Which insurance is legally required? Few are strictly mandatory, but your clients and contracts often make liability or professional indemnity effectively required. We check what applies to you.
AVB or BAV, what’s the difference? AVB covers physical damage and injury; BAV covers financial loss from a professional mistake. Many businesses need both.
Is the premium tax-deductible? Business insurance premiums are generally deductible as business costs. We’ll confirm for your setup.
Not sure what your business should be insured for? Do the free business insurance check, or book a short call, we’ll map your risks and tell you straight what you need.