Reforming social insurance in the Netherlands

This paper discusses recent reforms of social insurance in the Netherlands. It describes how a serious economic crisis in the beginning of the 1980s s et the stage for the subsequent reform process. The most fundamental reform s were introduced in the areas of sickness insurance, which was privatized, and disability insurance, which now involves experience rating. After expl oring various challenges affecting the future of social protection, the pap er discusses various remaining policy options.