The Netherlands is renowned for its high-quality healthcare system, consistently ranked as one of the best in Europe. Its foundation lies in a mandatory health insurance system, ensuring that everyone living and working here has access to essential medical care. While the system can take some getting used to for expats, it provides peace of mind and reflects the Dutch emphasis on fairness and community well-being.
How Does Dutch Health Insurance Work?
Health insurance is mandatory for all residents. Once you register at your local city hall (gemeente) and receive your BSN (Citizen Service Number), you have four months to arrange your health insurance.
One of the benefits of the system for expats is that coverage is retroactive from the date of your city hall registration. This means you’re covered for any medical needs from day one, even if your insurance is finalized later. You will, however, need to pay the fees upfront if you’re uninsured at the time of treatment, but you can claim the costs for reimbursement once your health insurance is activated.
Health Insurance Coverage consists of:
Basic Insurance (Basisverzekering): Covers essential healthcare like GP visits, hospital stays, and emergency care. This is standardized and regulated by the Dutch government.
Supplementary Insurance (Aanvullende Verzekering): For extras like dental care, physiotherapy, or alternative treatments.
Why We Recommend Zilveren Kruis
As part of our settling-in services we help all our expats set up their health insurance, ensuring you’re covered and ready to go.
Many of our expats choose Silver Kruis, one of the Netherlands’ most trusted health insurance providers. Silver Kruis offers a range of plans, including supplementary coverage options tailored to diverse needs. Their user-friendly online platform makes it easy to manage your plan, submit claims, and adjust your coverage for 2025. You can explore options or make changes on their website here.
What’s New for 2025?
Higher Premiums: Monthly premiums will increase by about €11, with average costs around €158.50.
Coverage Updates: Each year, the Dutch government reviews the basic package to ensure it meets the population’s needs. It’s a good idea to check if any updates might affect your care.
Prepare for 2025
Review Your Coverage: Look at your current plan to see if it meets your healthcare needs for the coming year, especially if you anticipate changes like dental or physiotherapy care.
Compare Options: Use platforms like Zorgwijzer to compare providers and see if switching might save you money or provide better benefits.
Adjust Your Plan: Whether sticking with your current provider or switching, finalize your coverage changes before the deadlines: you have until December 31, 2024, to cancel your current policy if you want to make a switch. Thereafter, you’ll have until January 31, 2025, to finalize your new choice.
Want to understand the Dutch Healthcare System better?
For more information about the Dutch health insurance landscape, check out our blog post: Health Insurance in the Netherlands. We break down the essentials to make your transition to the Dutch healthcare system as smooth as possible.
Now’s the Time to Review Your Health Insurance
As the year winds down, it’s the perfect opportunity to take a closer look at your health insurance and make sure it’s exactly what you need for 2025. Whether you’re thinking about adding supplementary coverage, switching providers, or simply checking your plan, this is your chance to make adjustments before the new year begins.
From personal experience, we know a little planning now can save you from months of wishing you’d added extra physiotherapy coverage as you wait for that appointment at the physio! A little planning now can help you ensure a smooth and worry-free year ahead.