Changing Dutch Health Insurers
Expats in the Netherlands can follow the steps below for changing Dutch health insurance companies. Note that you can only make the switch once per year.
WHEN CAN YOU SWITCH HEALTH INSURERS IN NETHERLANDS?
In the Netherlands, there is six week window at the end of every calendar year during which time you are able to switch your health insurance company. The period runs from mid-November to 1st January.
In the early Fall, the Dutch government announces the care, treatments and medications which will be fully or partially covered in the national basic health insurance policy (‘basisverzekering‘). The decision is made by the Cabinet based on recommendations from the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport and its agencies, the Zorginstituut Nederland and Nederlandse Zorgauthoriteit (Dutch Healthcare Authority).
Every resident in the Netherlands is legally required to be enrolled in the basic national health insurance plan offered by a Dutch insurance company. International health insurance policies do not satisfy the legal requirement. They may, however, be useful as a supplemental insurance if it covers treatments that are not covered by the basic national health insurance. Supplemental health insurance is optional and not required under Dutch law.
COMPARING DUTCH HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS
Once the government has announced the content of the basic health insurance plan for the following year, Dutch insurance companies negotiate with health care providers and pharmaceutical companies to arrive at ‘standardized’ prices for common procedures and medications. Each insurer then determines the cost it will charge for their respective basic and supplemental health insurance policies. Most insurers release their policy prices for the coming year between mid-October and beginning of November.
The public can compare costs to determine if a different health insurer is offering a policy that meets their needs at a lower cost than their current carrier. If so, they can change insurance companies during the 6-week open window.
CHANGING DUTCH HEALTH INSURANCE CARRIER
The Dutch have worked out an efficient procedure for changing health insurers by which the new insurer handles the communication to the current insurer to terminate the client’s policy. The current policy will then end on 31st December and the new one begins at midnight on 1st January.
Another way to change health insurance companies in the Netherlands is to inform your current insurer directly that you wish to end your enrollment with them at the end of the year (31st December). You then have until 31st January to take out a Dutch basic health insurance plan offered by a different company. The new policy will have a retroactive start date of 1st January and you will be charged the monthly premium for both January and February at the same time.
The major drawback to changing insurers in this way is that should you become ill or injured in January, you will either need to register with a Dutch insurer before receiving care or pay for treatment out-of-pocket and submit later for reimbursement after you have registered with a new insurer.
MANDATORY SELF-CONTRIBUTION
Dutch basic health insurance plans have a mandatory self-contribution. This is the amount the subscriber must pay out-of-pocket during the year before their coverage kicks in. The mandatory self-contribution can vary from year to year. It is determined by the government in consultation with leaders from the health insurance industry.
The mandatory annual self-contribution amount for 2024 remains the same as it was over the past few years… €385.
DUTCH HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES
| HEALTH INSURER | 2024 BASIC POLICIES COST/MONTH |
|---|---|
| FBTO | Level 1 Policy €131.95 (or €126.95 with €885 self-contribution) Common Policy €147.45 (or €129.95 with €885 self-contribution) Free Choice Policy €153.95 (or €133.95 with €885 self-contribution) |
| HEMA | Common Policy €141.75 (or €124.25 with €885 self-contribution) |
| ONVZ* | Free Choice Policy €151.20 Conscious Choice €142.90 |
| UNITED CONSUMERS | Level 1 Policy €138.95 Common Policy €139.95 Free Choice Policy €158.65 |
| UNIVE | Basic Policy €139.95 (or €122.95 with €885 self-contribution) Common Policy €147.30 (or €132.30 with €885 self-contribution) Free Choice Policy €160.15 (or €145.15 with €885 self-contribution) |
| ZORG & ZEKERHEID* | Level 1 Policy €138.65 Common Policy €147.95 Free Choice Policy €155.95 |
*offers information in English on their website
Related information…