Choosing Dutch health insurance (zorgverzekering) as a newcomer

Once you're living or working in the Netherlands you must take out basic health insurance — usually within four months of arriving, with cover backdated to your start date. Here's how to choose, and what the jargon means.

The three layers of cover

1. Basisverzekering (basic insurance) — mandatory. Covers GP care, hospital treatment, most prescription medication, maternity care and more. The package is set by the government, so the coverage is identical everywhere — only the price and service differ. In 2026 the average premium is about €159/month (range roughly €142–€185).
2. Aanvullende verzekering (supplementary) — optional. Adds things the basic package limits or excludes, such as extensive physiotherapy or dental for adults. Worth it only if you expect to use it.
3. Tandartsverzekering (dental) — optional. Adult dental care is largely not in the basic package, so a dental add-on can make sense depending on your needs.

Policy types: natura, restitutie, budget

• Naturapolis: the insurer contracts specific care providers; you pay nothing if you stay within that network, but out-of-network care is only partly reimbursed. Usually the cheapest.
• Restitutiepolis: free choice of provider with broad reimbursement. More flexibility, higher premium.
• Budgetpolis: a cheaper natura variant with a more limited provider network.

If you want maximum freedom to choose your own specialists, lean restitutie. If you're healthy and price-sensitive, a natura or budget policy is often enough.

The eigen risico choice

Every adult has a mandatory deductible of €385 in 2026 (see how Dutch healthcare works). You can voluntarily raise it — in steps up to €500 extra, so a maximum total of €885 — in exchange for a lower monthly premium. The premium discount can run up to roughly €22.50/month at the top step.

This only pays off if you expect low healthcare use. If you take regular medication, expect a procedure, or are pregnant in the coming year, a voluntary deductible usually costs you more than it saves. You can only change it at year-end.

Zorgtoeslag: probably not for higher earners

Zorgtoeslag is a government allowance that helps cover the premium for people on lower incomes. In 2026 the maximum is around €129/month for a single person (couples receive more, per person). But there's an income ceiling — about €40,000 a year for a single person — so most knowledge migrants earn too much to qualify. Two things to remember: it only helps with the premium, never the deductible; and you apply yourself via MijnToeslagen at the Belastingdienst (the Dutch tax authority), for which you need a DigiD (national digital ID). Check the official proefberekening (trial calculation) to see if you're eligible before applying.

When you can switch

You can change insurer once a year: the switching window runs from 12 November to 31 December, with the new policy starting 1 January. Your old policy is cancelled automatically when you switch, and you get a 14-day cooling-off period.

Quick checklist for newcomers

• Arrange basic insurance within 4 months of arriving (cover is backdated).
• Compare on price, provider network and the supplementary modules you'll actually use — the basic coverage itself is identical everywhere.
• Only raise your voluntary deductible if you expect little care.
• Check zorgtoeslag eligibility, but expect not to qualify above ~€40k income.

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The monthly premium directly affects your net income — see the net salary calculator. Lower earners: read Zorgtoeslag: are you eligible?.

Rates: 2026 — last verified June 2026. Sources: Rijksoverheid, Zorginstituut Nederland, Belastingdienst/Toeslagen.

DutchNewcomer provides information, not medical or financial advice. Premiums, allowances and the deductible change yearly; verify current figures before deciding.