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Health insurance in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, health insurance (zorgverzekering) is mandatory for everyone who lives or works in the country. The system ensures that all residents have access to essential medical care: from GP visits and hospital treatments to maternity care and emergency services.

Even if you are insured in your home country, you must take out Dutch health insurance once you live or work here, unless you qualify for a specific exemption.

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Who needs health insurance?

If you live or work in the Netherlands, you are legally required to take out standard Dutch health insurance within four months of arrival. This coverage applies from the day you register your residence or start employment.

If you delay registration, you will be uninsured, meaning you must pay all medical costs yourself, including back premiums and possible fines.

✅ Exemptions

You may not be required to take out Dutch health insurance if you:

  • Work temporarily in the Netherlands but remain covered under another EU/EEA country’s system

  • Are a posted employee sent by a foreign employer for a limited assignment

  • Are a student or non-salaried researcher under 30 years old staying in the Netherlands for less than three years

  • Are a cross-border worker living in one EU/EEA country and working in another

In these cases, contact the Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) to confirm your situation.

Types of health insurance policies

There are two main types of Dutch health insurance policies:

1. In-kind policy (naturapolis)

  • Your insurer has contracts with specific healthcare providers.

  • You must use these providers to get full reimbursement.

  • The insurer pays the bills directly to the provider.

  • Cheaper option, but with limited choice.

2. Combination policy (combinatiepolis)

  • Offers flexibility: use contracted or non-contracted providers.

  • For contracted providers, your insurer pays the bills directly.

  • For non-contracted care, you may pay first and claim reimbursement later.

  • Slightly higher premium for greater freedom of choice.

💡 Tip: Always check which healthcare providers are contracted with your insurer before making appointments.

The standard health insurance package

The basic health insurance package is defined by the Dutch government and covers the same services across all insurers. It includes:

  • General practitioner (huisarts) care

  • Hospital and specialist treatment

  • Prescription medicines

  • Maternity and newborn care

  • Ambulance transport

  • Dental care for children under 18

Every insurer must accept all applicants for this standard package.

Supplementary insurance (aanvullende verzekering)

If you want broader coverage, you can add supplementary insurance for services not included in the basic package, such as:

  • Dental care for adults

  • Physiotherapy

  • Alternative medicine

  • Glasses and contact lenses

Supplementary insurance is optional, and insurers are not required to accept all applicants. Coverage and prices vary by provider.

🔗 Compare plans on Zorgwijzer.

Changing or switching insurers

You can switch health insurance providers once a year.

  • Insurers send new policy details every November.

  • Cancel your current insurance before 1 January.

  • Take out a new policy by 1 February (coverage applies retroactively from 1 January).

  • Many insurers handle the switch for you via a transfer service.

💡 Tip: Review your policy annually, both premiums and coverage can change.

When you leave the Netherlands

If you move abroad or stop working in the Netherlands, you must cancel your Dutch health insurance. Coverage ends once you’re no longer under Dutch social security.

EU/EEA residents can use the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for short-term stays in other EU countries.