How Does Dutch Health Insurance Work?

Claire LangenhoffExpert Zorgverzekeringen

29-06-2017

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28-09-2026

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3 min leestijd

Wouter Heuvelink

Gecontroleerd door onze zorgexpert

The Netherlands has a national healthcare system built on solidarity: everyone contributes through their premium, so people who need care are covered when they need it. Understanding how Dutch health insurance actually works helps you make better choices when comparing plans, whether you're new to the country or just want to double-check your coverage.

How Does the Basic Health Insurance Work?

The Health Insurance Act (Zorgverzekeringswet) requires every resident of the Netherlands to have health insurance. The basic insurance covers standard medical costs such as emergency care, hospital treatment, GP visits and most prescription medication. Because this insurance is mandatory, insurers cannot decline your application for the basic package: they must accept everyone, regardless of health, age or personal situation. The content of the basic package is the same at every insurer; only the premium and the reimbursement for care from a provider without a contract can differ.

What Does Additional (Supplementary) Insurance Cover?

Adding an additional insurance package on top of your basic insurance is optional. Not all medical costs fall under the basic package: physiotherapy, dental care for adults and alternative medicine, for example, are usually excluded. Insurers offer a variety of supplementary packages with different levels of coverage, and unlike with basic insurance, they're allowed to refuse you for these packages, for instance based on your age or existing conditions.

Compare Insurers, Because Prices and Packages Differ

The basic package itself is identical everywhere, the government decides what's in it, but that's where the similarities end. Every insurer sets its own premium, and every insurer designs its own supplementary packages with its own prices, coverage levels and provider networks. Two people with the exact same care needs can pay very different amounts depending on which insurer and policy they choose. That's why it's worth comparing every year, not just when you first arrive in the Netherlands: insurers publish new premiums and conditions by 12 November, and you can switch until 31 December. Use ZorgKiezer to compare basic and supplementary options side by side, based on your own situation rather than picking the first insurer you come across.

How Does the Mandatory Deductible (Eigen Risico) Work?

Each year, the government decides what's covered under the basic package, and insurers then set their premiums accordingly. Everyone aged 18 and older pays a mandatory deductible on top of their premium. In 2026, this deductible is € 385 per calendar year. You pay the first € 385 of most basic-package care yourself, after which your insurer covers the rest. GP visits are exempt from the deductible, and so is a "meekijkconsult" (a remote second opinion your GP requests from another provider). You can voluntarily raise your deductible up to € 885 in exchange for a lower monthly premium. Read more about the deductible.

Find more information about health insurance in the Netherlands, or call us Monday to Friday on +31 (0)20 2611603.

Read more about:

• Dutch healthcare system

• The application process

• International students