Bonnetje

Bonnetje, the legal app for claiming your rights in the Netherlands and Belgium

Bonnetje is a legal services app that presents itself as the largest legal app in the Netherlands and Belgium. Its model is based on handling claims by individuals against third parties — insurers, public authorities or employers — and on funding itself through the compensation those third parties pay for the costs of the proceedings. The company states that more than 500,000 people have used its services and that it receives more than 7,500 reviews, with a rating of 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store.

Services for the Dutch market

The catalogue aimed at the Netherlands is organised into several lines of action:

• Traffic fines: free appeals against traffic and parking fines. The company maintains that a quarter of appealed fines turn out to be unjustified and that the user can scan the fine from the app itself.
• Personal injury: claims for injury compensation, with specialised legal experts and lawyers. Bonnetje points out that many victims lose money by not claiming or by claiming incorrectly, and that there is a right to compensation even in cases of minor injuries.
• Driving licence withdrawal: assistance from a specialised lawyer to get the licence back, with the stated aim of achieving this within two weeks.
• BKR registration: review and possible removal of negative credit registrations that hinder access to mortgages, lease agreements or loans.
• Settlement agreement (VSO): free, no-obligation review of the proposed termination of employment by an employment law specialist, to avoid losing unemployment benefit rights or financial conditions.
• Criminal law: representation of victims and defendants, with lawyers who assess the case file, explain rights and prepare the defence.

Services for Belgium

For the Belgian market, the platform offers assistance in matters before the police court and in personal injury claims.

How it works and the free-of-charge model

The process is structured in three steps: the user checks in less than half a minute whether they have the right to claim by answering a few questions; the legal team takes on the case, gathers evidence and builds the file; and finally, the user receives the amount due to them, whether it is a refund of a fine, compensation, casino losses or transition compensation, among others. The company explains that its services are free because the costs are passed on to the responsible party, the authority or the insurer. When a fine is won, the user keeps the full amount of the fine and the Public Prosecution Service pays Bonnetje compensation for the hours spent on the case, the so-called proceskostenvergoeding. Since 1 January 2024, according to the information published, the authority pays that compensation directly into the user's account, who then transfers it to the company. Bonnetje states that it does not charge without prior agreement and that it does not handle strafbeschikkingen (criminal penalty orders), only appeals against ordinary fines.

Case tracking and user support

The app allows users to check the status of their case at any time. The company warns that updates may take time due to the length of legal proceedings. Users highlight in reviews the simplicity of the form, daily tracking and the speed of response. Bonnetje estimates that more than one billion euros a year in compensation goes unclaimed.

Location and contact

Beethovenstraat 385, 1083HK Amsterdam, Noord Holland · Email: info@bonnetje.nl