Conditions for Applying for AOW Voluntary Insurance in Rotterdam

The application for an AOW voluntary insurance has strict conditions, particularly relevant for Rotterdam residents who have worked in the port area or elsewhere in the region. You must be at least 18 years old and have not yet reached AOW age. Applications can be made at the latest 15 years before your AOW age, without overlap with previous compulsory insurance periods. For migrants in Rotterdam, often from maritime sectors, this insurance only supplements missing years before establishment in the Netherlands, provided you have resided there for more than six months. The premium depends on your income and is adjusted annually to the minimum wage, taking into account the high cost of living in Rotterdam-South or the port neighbourhoods. Retroactive claims go back a maximum of three years. According to Article 10, paragraph 2 AOW, the application must be submitted in writing to the SVB in Rotterdam (Kralingseweg 23), with documents such as passport, residence permit and proof of Rotterdam residential or work history. Rejection is imminent in case of insufficient financial capacity or limitation. Local SVB advisors in Rotterdam offer free consultation hours; consult a financial expert via the Rotterdam welfare network to check whether premium contributions outweigh future benefits, given the long port careers. (212 words)