Public trust in banks, insurers and pension funds remains stable

DNB measures Dutch households’ trust in financial institutions, such as banks, pension funds and insurers, every spring. The latest survey results reveal that this trust in financial institutions remained stable over the past year. Figure 1 shows that 53% of those surveyed had either fairly high or very high trust in financial institutions, while the remaining 47% had little or no trust. Trust in businesses, national politics and tech companies remained largely unchanged. At the same time, there was a small uptick in trust in DNB and the civil service. Three-quarters of respondents had either fairly high or very high trust in DNB.

Figure 1 - Public trust in financial institutions remains stable
Share of respondents with fairly high or very high trust

Public trust in financial institutions reflects the average level of trust in banks, insurers and pension funds.

Public trust in the financial health of banks, insurers and pension funds

Specifically, the survey shows that Dutch households have trust in the financial health of banks, insurers and pension funds. Just over three-quarters of respondents were mostly or completely confident that their own bank would be able to repay the money entrusted to it at all times. Last year’s survey showed a similar result. People’s trust in the financial health of their own bank was slightly higher than their trust in the financial health of the banking sector overall: 71% said they were mostly or completely confident that Dutch banks would be able to repay the money entrusted to them (see Chart 2). Remarkably, the households surveyed were slightly less concerned about the possibility of Dutch banks failing this year. In 2024, 30% of respondents said they thought about this sometimes or often, compared to 38% last year. This could be related to the problems at banks in the United States and Switzerland in spring 2023 (more on this here). 

Households also have trust in the financial health of insurers and pension funds. Figure 2 shows that 63% of respondents were confident that insurers would be able to meet their payment obligations to policyholders. For pension funds, 57% of those surveyed were mostly or completely confident that they would be able to meet their commitments to pensioners. Both of these trust indicators were somewhat lower compared to spring 2023, however, when 68% and 62% of respondents were confident in the financial health of insurers and pension funds, respectively.

Figure 2 - Public trust in the financial health of banks, insurers and pension funds
Share of respondents who were mostly or completely confident