Room for Improvement: Accessibility of Financial Websites Not Yet Optimal

Although websites of insurers and couches While leasing and crypto companies are among the most accessible in the financial sector, they appear to score significantly worse. Research by Digitaal Toegankelijk (Digitally Accessible) shows that there is still considerable room for improvement in this area, as none of the analyzed websites fully comply with the European Accessibility Act (EAA).

The EAA, which came into effect on June 28 of last year, requires companies offering services and products to consumers to make them accessible. This applies not only to websites and apps, but also to physical products and customer service.

Accessibility is key to financial independence

According to Digitaal Toegankelijk (Digitally Accessible), it's crucial that the financial sector is accessible so that everyone can manage their banking independently and securely. Inaccessible services increase the risk of errors and poor choices, which can lead to dependency on others and potential abuse.

Digital Accessibility examined the accessibility of 62 organizations in five subsectors of the financial sector: consumer banks, insurers, crypto platforms, leasing companies, and pension investors. Both manual and automated checks were performed to ensure compliance with legal requirements.

Confronting results and striking outliers

The results were stark: none of the companies examined fully complied with the EAA. A total of 2.587 errors were discovered on 580 web pages, representing an average of 45 errors per website. Critical errors, which prevent some visitors from using the site safely, were also discovered on the homepages of 17 websites. Furthermore, 16 websites lacked an accessibility page, making it unclear to consumers where to go with complaints or requests for assistance.

Within the sector, insurers perform best, with ASN Bank and Triodos Bank came out on top in the test. Both websites contained only six errors and no critical ones. Menzis, Anderzorg, and VinkVink also scored well. Leasing companies, on the other hand, performed worst, with 70% of companies lacking an accessibility statement.

Positive examples: Rabobank and Triodos

Rabobank and Triodos received special mentions for Digital Accessibility. Rabobank was praised for offering special readers for people with disabilities and for offering telephone banking and statements in Braille. Triodos was praised for its user-friendly approach and accessibility page.

Questions and answers

Which financial websites are the most accessible according to the research?
According to the Digital Accessibility study, the websites of insurance companies and banks are the most accessible, with ASN Bank and Triodos Bank as outliers.

Which companies perform worst in terms of accessibility?
Leasing and crypto companies score significantly worse on accessibility. 70% of leasing companies lack even an accessibility statement.

Which companies deserve special mention for their accessibility efforts?
Rabobank and Triodos received special mentions from the Digital Accessibility Foundation. Rabobank was praised for its readers for people with disabilities and telephone banking, while Triodos was praised for its user-friendly approach and accessibility page.