If you plan to live and/or work in the Netherlands, you are covered under the Long-Term Care Act (Wlz). This means you are required to obtain Dutch health insurance.
For Expats:
- Non-EU/EEA/Swiss Nationals: Must get Dutch health insurance within four months of receiving their residence permit, even if they have existing foreign insurance.
- EU/EEA/Swiss Nationals: Must get Dutch health insurance within four months of registering at their local city hall.
Main Health Insurance Companies in the Netherlands:
Dutch Health Insurance Companies:
- LoonZorg (No mandatory excess)
- FBTO
- Zilveren Kruis
- UnitedConsumers
- ONVZ
- OHRA
- De Friesland
- LoonZorg (For international students)
International Health Insurance Companies:
- Cigna
- GeoBlue (for US citizens)
- IMG Global Medical Insurance
- SafetyWing (Travel medical insurance for digital nomads)
To compare Dutch health insurance plans and prices, visit Zorgwijzer (website in English) or Independer.
International Students and Dutch Health Insurance: International students may not always need to take out Dutch health insurance. This depends on factors such as the duration of their stay, whether they are doing an internship or working, and if they have insurance from their home country. Learn more about Dutch health insurance for international students.
Health Insurance Options for Foreign Students:
- Take out Dutch health insurance.
- Use an EU Health Insurance Card if you are an EU citizen.
- Have private healthcare insurance from your country of origin.
LoonZorg offers two insurance options that cover most unforeseen care expenses for international students. Check out their Student Insurance Policies!
The Dutch Health Insurance System: Unlike many other European systems, the Dutch government ensures the accessibility and quality of healthcare but does not manage it. The Dutch health insurance system combines private health plans with social conditions based on solidarity, efficiency, and value for the patient. Healthcare is funded through taxation: mandatory health insurance fees and income tax (with pre-specified tax credits).
Health insurance in the Netherlands is mandatory for long-term stays and covers medical care costs. All expats must have Dutch health insurance, even if they are already insured in their home country (for exceptions, see our other health insurances page). Within four months of receiving your residence permit (or registering at the Dutch city hall for EU/EEA nationals), you must obtain a basic health insurance (basisverzekering) package.
Dutch Health Insurance Costs
There are two main costs associated with Dutch health insurance:
- Monthly Premium (Premie): This is a fixed fee deducted from your bank account each month.
- Own Risk Amount (Eigen Risico): This is an annual amount you must pay out of pocket for certain treatments and medicines before your insurance covers the rest. In 2024, the eigen risico is up to a maximum of €385. If you have no medical costs in a year, you pay no eigen risico.
Consequences of Not Taking Out Health Insurance
If you do not obtain basic Dutch health insurance within four months, the government will send you a letter from the CAK, asking you to sign up within three months. Failure to do so will result in:
- A fine of €496.74 in 2024.
- A second fine of the same amount if you still haven’t taken action after six months.
- Automatic registration with an insurer by the CAK after nine months, with the premium deducted from your salary.
If you become ill without any health insurance (Dutch or foreign), you must pay for medical costs yourself.
Exceptions: Assessing Your Wlz Insurance Position
If you are unsure whether you are insured under the Wlz scheme, you can apply for an assessment via the SVB (Sociale Verzekeringsbank) website or by mail. It may take SVB eight weeks or longer to make a decision.
Types of Dutch Health Insurance
There are two types of health insurance in the Netherlands:
- Compulsory Basic Insurance (Basisverzekering): This is mandatory and provides the same basic health coverage across all insurers, as set by the government.
- Optional Additional Insurance (Aanvullende Verzekering): This covers additional healthcare services not included in the basic package.
Basic Health Insurance Coverage
The basic health insurance costs around €100 per month and covers:
- Doctor appointments (huisarts)
- Hospital stays, surgery, and emergency treatment (ziekenhuis)
- Ambulance services and patient transport (ambulancevervoer)
- Prescription medicines (medicijnen)
- Blood tests (bloedonderzoek)
- Dental care for children under 18 (tandarts)
- Limited dental care for adults over 18 (dental surgery, x-rays)
- Mental health care (geestelijke gezondheidszorg)
- Appointments with medical specialists (dermatologists, allergists, etc.)
- Pregnancy, birth care, and midwifery services (zwangerschaps- en geboortezorg)
- Maternity care (kraamzorg)
- Handicapped care (gehandicaptenzorg)
- Aged care (ouderenzorg)
- Nursing on location (wijkverpleging)
- Some therapeutic services (speech therapy, occupational therapy, diet advice)
- Physiotherapy for chronic disorders (covered from the 21st treatment onwards)
Basic Insurance and Eigen Risico
For most services covered by Dutch health insurance, you will need to pay a portion of the costs through your annual eigen risico amount, which is up to a maximum of €385 in 2024.
Services Exempt from Eigen Risico:
- Appointments with your doctor (huisarts)
- Dental health care and physiotherapy for children up to 18 years
- Pregnancy, birth care, and midwifery services
- Maternity care (kraamzorg), though a separate hourly rate applies
For an up-to-date overview of basic insurance coverage, you can visit the Dutch government website.
Additional Insurance Coverage (Aanvullende Verzekering)
You may need extra coverage for additional medical treatments. Private health insurance providers (zorgverzekeraars) offer various policies tailored to your health needs and lifestyle.
Examples of Services Covered by Additional Insurance:
- Dental care for adults over 18 (check-ups, fillings, hygiene, cleaning, dental implants)
- Emergency healthcare for travel abroad
- Alternative medical treatments (acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy)
- Vaccinations
- Contraception
- Glasses and contact lenses
- Hearing aids
- Plastic surgery
Register with a GP (Huisarts)
After choosing your Dutch health insurance provider, register with a general practitioner (GP). Your GP will be your first point of contact for health issues and can refer you to specialists, clinics, or hospitals as needed.
You can find Dutch doctors online by searching for “huisarts” and your city name. Some websites also provide comparative listings based on patient reviews.
You may also need to register with a local pharmacy (apotheek) to keep a record of your medication history and facilitate prescription management.
Children and Dutch Health Insurance
Children under 18 must be insured, but their coverage is free, with no monthly premium and no eigen risico. They can usually be covered by their parents’ insurer, but other providers are also an option. Once a child turns 18, they must start paying their monthly premium. Newborns must be registered for health insurance within four months of birth.
what to know about Dutch Health Insurance
- Dutch insurance companies are legally required to offer the basic package and cannot deny coverage based on gender, age, or health profile.
- You can only change your health insurance provider once per year, with the deadline to switch being December 31.
- If you have a low income, you may be eligible for the healthcare allowance (zorgtoeslag) to help cover your monthly premiums.
- Many businesses, including international companies, have collective agreements with insurance companies, offering discounts to employees.
- Be aware that there may be long waiting lists for certain services.
- Most doctors in the Netherlands speak English.