Dutch health insurance: what you pay, what you get, and when to switch

If you move to the Netherlands, you have four months to get Dutch health insurance. This is not optional. The requirement applies to everyone who lives or works here, regardless of nationality. If you miss the deadline, the CAK (Centraal Administratie Kantoor) will assign you an insurer and bill you retroactively, plus a fine.

Basisverzekering

The basisverzekering is the mandatory basic package. Every Dutch insurer must offer it, and the coverage is identical by law. It includes your huisarts (GP), hospital care, mental healthcare, prescription medication, maternity care, and medical devices. You cannot be refused for pre-existing conditions.

What varies between insurers is the monthly premium, typically between €140 and €175 per month in 2026, and whether they contract specific hospitals and clinics. A naturapolis (in-kind policy) reimburses fully only at contracted providers. A restitutiepolis reimburses at any provider but costs more. A combinatiepolis falls in between. The actual medical coverage is the same across all three.

Eigen risico

The eigen risico is a yearly deductible of €165 in 2026. You pay the first €165 of most specialist and hospital costs yourself before your insurer covers the rest. GP visits, maternity care, and care for children under 18 are exempt from the eigen risico. The Dutch government has announced plans to replace the current eigen risico with a tiered cost-sharing system from 2027.

You can voluntarily raise your eigen risico to €265, €365, €465, €565, or €665 in exchange for a lower monthly premium. The savings are usually €5 to €15 per month. If you end up needing specialist care or a hospital stay that year, you pay the higher deductible out of pocket. With the mandatory eigen risico already low, the monthly savings from raising it are small relative to the risk.

The eigen risico resets every calendar year on 1 January.

Aanvullende verzekering

On top of the basisverzekering, insurers offer optional supplementary packages called aanvullende verzekering. These cover things the basic package does not: dental care for adults, physiotherapy beyond the first sessions, glasses and contact lenses, orthodontics, and alternative medicine.

Unlike the basisverzekering, insurers can refuse you for aanvullende verzekering or exclude specific treatments based on your medical history. The price and coverage vary widely between insurers. If you wear glasses, see a physiotherapist regularly, or want dental coverage, compare the aanvullende packages carefully. If you rarely use these services, skipping the supplement and paying out of pocket when needed is often cheaper.

Switching insurers

Every year between 12 November and 31 December, you can switch your health insurer for the following year. Your new policy starts on 1 January. You do not need to give a reason, and your new insurer cannot refuse you for the basisverzekering.

To switch, sign up with the new insurer before 31 December. They handle the cancellation with your current insurer. You do not need to call or write your old insurer yourself. If you do nothing, your current policy renews automatically.

Most people switch to save on their monthly premium. Use Independer.nl or Zorgwijzer.nl to compare prices. The coverage is legally identical, so the main factors are premium, contracted providers (if you have a naturapolis), and the quality of the aanvullende package if you want one.

If you are happy with your current insurer but want to adjust your eigen risico or change your aanvullende package, you can do that during the same window without switching insurers.

Zorgtoeslag

If your income is below approximately €41,000 per year, you are likely eligible for zorgtoeslag, a monthly government contribution towards your health insurance premium. In 2026, the maximum is approximately €175 per month for a single person. If you have a toeslagpartner, their income is included in the calculation.

You apply for zorgtoeslag through Toeslagen.nl using your DigiD. The payment goes to your bank account, not to your insurer. You can apply retroactively for up to five years, so if you only discover zorgtoeslag after living here for a while, you can still claim for previous years.

Zorgtoeslag is recalculated after the tax year ends based on your actual income. If your income was higher than estimated, you pay back the difference. Update your income estimate on Toeslagen.nl if your salary changes during the year to avoid a large correction.

Practice the vocabulary

TikTaal's zorgverzekering scenario covers these terms in context: discussing insurance options with a colleague, comparing policies, and understanding what your eigen risico means in practice. Every Dutch word is clickable for audio and a translation.