Everyone living and working in the Netherlands is legally obliged to take out standard Dutch health insurance. When you move to the Netherlands, you have 4 months to get insurance and you are covered retroactively from the first day of arrival.
<aside> đź’ˇ The government decides on the coverage of the standard package, so all insurers offer the same standard package.
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You are free to choose from any health insurer, but it is easier to find a company that offers information in English. You can also change insurers once a year by canceling your previous insurer before 1 January and taking out new insurance before 1 February. You will then be covered with your new provider with retroactive effect from 1 January.
You should keep in mind that there are two main costs that you need to pay for your Dutch health insurance:
The monthly premium: It is a fixed fee deducted from your bank account each month. Children under 18 must have health insurance but do not pay any premiums for the standard package. In addition, parents must register their child with an insurance company within four months of their birth.
The "own risk" amount (eigen risico): Eigen risico is the maximum amount of costs you have to pay per year for healthcare products and services (covered by this insurance) that you use that year. In 2022, eigen risico is set at 385 euros, but you can voluntarily increase this level to a total of € 885. The higher the deductible you choose, the lower your premium will be. When you’re willing to pay more upfront when you need care, you save on what you pay each month.
There are health care services that are not covered by the standard package. However, you can opt to take out additional insurance to cover, for example, physiotherapy or dental care. Do bear in mind that if you do not need physiotherapy or dental care regularly, buying an extra package can increase your monthly premium significantly.