Health insurance

20 Oct 2011

Everybody in the Netherlands must have insurance for medical expenses. Which type of health insurance you need, depends on your personal situation.

Information in short

In short, there are three possibilities:

  1. You have to take out a Dutch public healthcare insurance: This applies mainly to foreign nationals who have a part-time job or do an internship in the Netherlands.
  2. Your insurance policy in your home country covers your stay in the Netherlands: This applies mainly to EU/EEA or Swiss nationals without job or internship in the Netherlands.
  3. You take out a new or special insurance policy for your stay in the Netherlands: This applies mainly to non EU/EEA or Swiss nationals without job or internship in the Netherlands.

Download the factsheet 'Healthcare insurance for international students in the Netherlands' (80 kB)
 

1.  You have to take out Dutch public health insurance

In certain situations, for example when you take on a part-time job next to your studies, or when you do a paid internship, you have to take out Dutch public healthcare insurance (in Dutch: zorgverzekering). In that case, you are free to buy insurance from any Dutch public healthcare insurance company. Ask your school, employer or internship provider if they can refer you to an insurance company that will give you a discount.

If you are obliged to take out Dutch public healthcare insurance it is likely that you are eligible for compensation for your insurance costs. This compensation is called health care allowance.

Please note that a Dutch public healthcare insurance only covers your medical expenses. You will need to take out a separate repatriation insurance and liability insurance. Furthermore, insurances for accidents and legal assistance, as well as travel insurance and home insurance can be very useful.

Finally: Don’t take the obligation to take out Dutch public healthcare insurance too lightly. If you fail to comply with the rules you may end up having to pay a hefty fine.
  

2. Your insurance policy in your home country covers your stay in the Netherlands

The Netherlands has health insurance treaties with a number of countries. This includes all EU countries and Switzerland.

If you are insured under the national health insurance scheme of one of these countries, then your insurance company can issue you with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). As long as you do not work or take up a paid internship in the Netherlands, you are not obliged to take out any additional insurance in the Netherlands.

More information on the EHIC is available on the website of the European Commission. 
 

3. You take out a new or special insurance policy for your stay in the Netherlands

If your insurance does not cover your stay in the Netherlands and if your country does not have an international treaty as described above, then you need to take out a private insurance policy. There are special policies available for international students in the Netherlands.

Nuffic has checked the policies and conditions of the following two insurance companies: 

If you’re still in doubt

Some situations are so complicated that, even if you have looked at the flowchart and read the information above, you may still be unsure whether you are obliged to take out Dutch public health insurance. For those situations it may be ask advice from an organization called the Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB). They can tell you whether or not you are taking part in the Dutch social security system. If so, you must also take out Dutch public health insurance.

Download the form 'Do I need statutory basic healthcare insurance?' (60 kB)

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