How does a Dutch health insurance work

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How does a Dutch health insurance work

Claire Langenhoff

14-04-2026

2 min leestijd

Bijgewerkt op:21-05-2026

Wouter Heuvelink

Gecontroleerd door onze zorgexpert

In the Netherlands, we have a national healthcare system. With this social system, the healthy people contribute to the cost of medical care used by people who are ill.

How does the health insurance in the Netherlands work?

The Health Insurance Act states that all residents of the Netherlands are obliged to have a health insurance. The basic health insurance covers al standard medical costs like emergency healthcare, hospitals, GPs and most medicines. Since the health insurance is mandatory, health insurance companies cannot decline your application. They have to accept everybody regardless of their health, age or personal situation.

Additional insurance

It's optional to add an additional care package to the standard 'basic' health insurance. Not all medical costs are covered by the standard healthcare insurance. For example, physiotherapy and dental costs are not included. Health insurance companies often offer a variety of additional packages with different amounts of coverage. Unlike with the standard health insurance, the insurance companies are allowed to refuse someone for these additional insurances.

Mandatory excess

Each year the government determines what is covered by the basic health insurance and the insurance companies then decide how much their package will cost. Every one of 18 years and up has to have a health insurance and with that insurance comes a mandatory excess. This excess is also determined each year and is right now €385,-. This is an amount for an entire calendar year. Read more about the excess

Find more information about the health insurance. You can also call us from Monday till Friday on weekdays on +31 (0)20 2611603