Liability insurance for psychotherapy intern in NL

[KramlTherapy]

Hello,

I am an American living in Amsterdam getting my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy online from a program in the United States. I am set to start my internship and I am planning to complete it here under the supervision of an American therapist living here. I have my ZZP and trying to find out any legal or ethical issues being a therapy intern here and starting to see my own clients. 

Does anyone have any knowledge about this or can point me in the direction of someone who does? That would be so helpful.

Thank you. 

[Norbert Bakker]

Hi KramlTherapyand welcome at the Higherlevel forum.

 

Finding a liability insurance for an intern can be quite difficult!

 

In the Netherlands an internship implies a relation of authority between the supervisor and the intern. And although internship is generally not actual employment, according to several laws and regulations, interns are treated the same way as employees with regards to safety and liability.

 

This means interns are not liable to clients and thirds themselves, but the company of the supervisor is. And it is the supervisor that should check if this is also insured at the company’s liability cover (and if not: that is at the risk and cost of the supervisor)

 

An other problem is that internship is not compatible with a sole proprietorship (calling this a “ZZP” is a common mistake. ZZP is a marketing buzzterm without any actual fiscal or legal meaning at this time). The reason why is the implied relation of authority, witch makes it impossible to combine with sole proprietorship without causing severe fiscal and legal risks for you and the supervisor, like actual employment.

 

Is there a solution for this al? It depends….mostly on if the term “intern” is actually correct and if there is a relation of authority . If both not, you can work as a sole proprietor and easily get a liability insurance yourself.