Metalektro WIA - information for employees

Your employer can take out disability insurance for you. Disability insurance provides a supplement to your statutory WIA benefit. There are two types of statutory WIA benefits (from UWV):

• WGA benefit. You receive a WGA benefit if you are still able to work, but can only earn 65% or less of your old wage. This is called your residual earning capacity. WGA is the Return to Work (Partially or temporarily Disabled Persons) Scheme (Werkhervatting Gedeeltelijk Arbeidsongeschikten).
• IVA benefit. If it is unlikely that you will be able to work again, you will receive an IVA benefit. IVA is the Fully Disabled Persons Income Scheme (Inkomensvoorziening Volledig Arbeidsongeschikten).

In the first two years of absence due to an accident or illness, you will work with your employer and the occupational health and safety service to try to return to work as soon as possible. This is required by law. We have designed a roadmap to help you with that. 

Your employer will continue to pay some or all of your wages for the first two years if you cooperate in your recovery. This is arranged in the Metalektro collective labour agreement (CLA). For further information, see Metalektro CLA, articles 3.8.6 and 3.8.7.

If you are unable to return to full employment within two years due to disability, you will be eligible for a WIA benefit.

Illness longer than two years

If you have not fully returned to work after nearly two years, you will undergo an examination by the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV). UWV will determine what you can still do and how much you can earn. This is how UWV determines the percentage of your disability—your disability rating. The WIA provides a (temporary) supplement to your wages. If UWV determines that you have a disability rating of 35% or more, you will receive this from them. For more information about the UWV examination and benefits, visit the UWV website.

UWV benefits do not always bring your income to the level you were accustomed to. The Metalektro WIA insurance package supplements your income. To determine your eligibility for compensation, we look at what you had insured on the first day of illness. The compensation you receive from Metalektro WIA also depends on your disability rating. This is also how UWV calculates benefits. Calculate your income with our WIA calculator. 

Questions for the help desk

If you are suffering from a long-term illness or disability, your employer often already has a good framework in place to support you and help you reintegrate. As such, we do not call your employer right away. If you do need help or advice at that point and are unable to work things out with your employer, please call our helpdesk on +31 55 579 2449 or send an email to langverzuim@achmea.nl. We are happy to help. If you have questions about the compensation you are already receiving, please call +31 55 579 82 26 or email WIA-schadeservice@achmea.nl.

The WAO

If you became ill before 1 January 2004 and have not fully returned to work fully since that time, you receive a WAO benefit ((previous) law for disability insurance, Wet op de arbeidsongeschiktheidsverzekering) from UWV. You are not eligible for additional insurance if you receive a WAO benefit.

You can only participate in our insurance if your employer has taken out Metalektro WIA insurance with Achmea. The Metalektro WIA insurance package has been specifically developed for employers and employees covered by the Metalektro collective labour agreement (CLA). If your employer recently joined the Metalektro CLA, they will receive an offer from Metalektro WIA. Your employer can choose whether or not to use it. Check which situation applies to you.

Employers insured before 1 January 2023
Ask your employer what insurance you have. If you would like additional insurance, be sure to let your employer know. Your options are displayed below. Your employer will register your choice through the online reporting tool.

Employers insured on or after 1 January 2023
You will be automatically registered for the insurance policies you have chosen. You indicate your choice to your employer in advance. If you do not wish to participate in Metalektro WIA insurance, sign the waiver and submit it to your employer. Your employer will inform us.

Entering employment after 1 January 2023
You choose your insurance and pass your choice on to your employer. Your employer will register your choice with us, and you will be insured automatically. You can also choose not to participate. Note: if you choose not to participate but change your mind later, you will need to complete a comprehensive health statement as part of the acceptance procedure for the Metalektro WIA insurance. In certain cases, we may deny you insurance.