Expat Insurance in the Netherlands 🇳🇱

Yes. All legal residents of the Netherlands are required to take out basic Dutch health insurance (zorgverzekering) within four months of registration. The basic package covers GP care, hospital treatment, and most medications, but excludes dental care for adults and has a mandatory annual deductible (eigen risico) of around €385. Expats not eligible for the Dutch system may need an international health plan instead.

In most cases yes. If you are legally resident and employed or registered in the Netherlands, you must join the Dutch zorgverzekering system. You choose a Dutch insurer such as Zilveren Kruis, VGZ, or CZ and pay a monthly premium of around €130–€160 per month. Expats on certain international assignment contracts covered by an employer plan may be exempt. Always check your status with the Belastingdienst or your employer.

The eigen risico is the mandatory annual deductible under Dutch zorgverzekering — currently €385 per year. You pay the first €385 of most healthcare costs yourself before your insurer covers the rest. GP visits are exempt. A supplementary (aanvullende) insurance plan can cover some costs not included in the basic package, such as dental and physiotherapy.

Yes — strongly recommended. Over 1.1 million ZZP workers in the Netherlands have no mandatory income protection. If you become ill and cannot work, social assistance (Participatiewet) amounts are very low and subject to strict means-testing. A private arbeidsongeschiktheidsverzekering (AOV) or international income protection policy provides a defined monthly income from day one. Premiums start from around €100–€200 per month depending on benefit level and waiting period.

A Dutch aanvullende (supplementary) policy costs €10–€40 per month on top of your basic zorgverzekering premium, depending on coverage. It typically adds dental, physiotherapy, and optical. For expats wanting international portability, an IPMI top-up from Cigna, AXA or Allianz starts from around €80–€150 per month.