How to get Dutch health insurance: Providers and costs

Learn about Dutch health insurance with our guide. Find out the best providers, costs, and who needs health insurance in the Netherlands.

Ivandzhelin

3 minute read

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30 Sep 2024

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Living

Health insurance is mandatory in the Netherlands for anyone living or working in the country. Luckily, the Netherlands has excellent healthcare, affordable insurance plans, and plenty of providers from which to choose. To help you navigate Dutch healthcare and pick the right premium, we’ll guide you through the system, the best providers, and the costs of health insurance in the Netherlands.

Dutch health insurance is mandatory for everyone risiding in the Netherlands for more than 4 months. The system is a blend of public and private services, where the government mandates basic coverage (Basisverzekering), and private insurers provide the actual policies. The basic health coverage is mandatory for everyone. It covers medical care such as GP visits, hospital and emergency care, prescription medicine, and some maternity care.

Don’t forget to sign up for a GP soon after your move to the Netherlands.

While the basic insurance covers essential healthcare, many people opt for supplementary insurance to cover services that aren’t included in the basic package, such as:

• Dental care (for adults)
• Physiotherapy
• Glasses or contact lenses
• Alternative treatments (e.g., acupuncture)

Supplementary insurance is optional, and the coverage and costs vary depending on the insurer and package. As additional coverage is optional, insurers are allowed to set higher premiums based on your age and medical history.

Do students need health insurance in the Netherlands?

Students from EU member countries don’t need Dutch health insurance. They can use their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which provides basic health coverage when traveling within the EU and certain other countries.

If you are coming from outside the EU to study in the Netherlands, you need to sign up with an international health insurance provider in your home country or sign up for private health insurance.

Regardless of which country you come from, if you start working in the Netherlands during your studies, you’ll need to get Dutch health insurance.

Basic health insurance in the Netherlands costs between €130 and €160 monthly. It covers all your basic needs, such as GP visits, prescription medicine, and emergency services. This cost increases with every additional medical service you add.

For example, if you add supplementary dental insurance, you’ll pay between €25 (for basic dental) and €50 (for more comprehensive coverage). So, in total, your Dutch health insurance would be between €155 and €185.

You can get cheaper health insurance in the Netherlands if you opt for a higher annual deductible (Eigen Risico). For 2024, the minimum deductible is €385, but you can choose a deductible of up to €800 per year and get a cheaper premium. This means you pay the first €385 of your medical costs each year (for non-routine treatments) before your insurance covers the rest. Treatments like GP visits and maternity care aren’t part of the deductible.

As health insurance can be very expensive if you aren’t earning a high income, you can apply for Dutch healthcare allowance (zorgtoeslag). This is a social benefit available to people with lower incomes to cover their healthcare costs. The amount you receive is based on your income. For example, if you’re earning the minimum wage of €2,371, your healthcare benefit will be around €90 monthly.

While the government determines the Basisverzekering, you choose the healthcare providers yourself. While the coverage itself is the same across all insurers, premiums and service quality vary, so it’s worth comparing.

The best health insurance companies in the Netherlands and the costs of basic premiums with them are:

Each provider has its pros and cons. Zilveren Kruis and VGZ are the largest providers in the Netherlands, with the widest network of partnering GPs and hospitals. Menzis offers packages tailored for students and seniors with great discounts, and CZ focuses on preventive healthcare.

What health insurance is best for students in the Netherlands?

Dutch health insurance can be expensive for students since most providers don’t have student discounts. You’ll have to cover the full cost of your insurance yourself, which can be a lot for a student. Luckily, students in the Netherlands are eligible for healthcare benefits and can be almost fully reimbursed for the cost of health insurance.

But not everyone is eligible. In that case, it’s best to sign up with an international provider as they have lower quotas. The only drawback is that not all GPs would accept them as your insurer. But student doctors generally do. Some of the best health insurance for students in the Netherlands include:

• AON Student Insurance: costs between €50 and €60 monthly
• Loonzorg: costs between €30 and €50 monthly

As health insurance is mandatory in the Netherlands, you’ll be fined if you don’t take out one. The Central Administration Office (CAK) will mail you the warnings and fines equal to 130% of the cost of basic insurance. If you fail to register with an insurer, the CAK will register you with one, and your healthcare coverage will be automatically deducted from your income.