Health insurance in the Netherlands.
If you live or work in the Netherlands, Dutch basic insurance is the law. A few people are exempt. Here is who must sign up, by when, and what it costs in 2026.
The rules
What the Netherlands asks of you.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Rules change, so the broker confirms them again before you apply.
- Dutch insurance within 4 months
If you come to live or work in the Netherlands, take out Dutch basic insurance within 4 months of arriving, even if you have a foreign policy. Cover starts on your arrival day.
Source: government.nl - Late means no cover for past care
If you sign up after 4 months, the policy is not backdated. Care you had before the start date is not paid back.
Source: government.nl - Work means Dutch insurance from day 1
If you work in the Netherlands, even part-time, you need Dutch basic insurance from your first day of work. Your EHIC or international plan is no longer enough.
Source: skgz.nl - Insurers must accept you
Dutch insurers must accept anyone who applies for the basic package, at the same price whatever your age or health. Children under 18 pay no premium.
Source: government.nl - Excess: 385 euros in 2026
Adults pay the first 385 euros of covered care each year. GP visits do not count towards it. Children under 18 pay no excess.
Source: skgz.nl - Exempt: posted workers with an A1
If your employer abroad sends you here and you hold an A1 form, you can stay insured at home for all or part of the posting.
Source: skgz.nl - Exempt: students who only study
International students who only study cannot take Dutch basic insurance and use home or private cover. A part-time job makes Dutch insurance compulsory.
Source: studyinnl.org - Fine: 529.74 euros
If you are still not insured 3 months after a letter from the CAK, you are fined 529.74 euros. A second fine follows, then the CAK takes out a policy for you.
Source: hetcak.nl
There is no separate public system. Every resident gets the same basic package from a private insurer, and the government decides what it covers, such as GP visits, hospital care and medicines.
Source: government.nlLocal or international
We compare both. You keep the one that fits.
If you live or work here, you need a Dutch basic policy, and a foreign plan does not replace it. An international plan only fits if you are exempt, or as extra cover when you travel.
- Local plans
Plans sold in the Netherlands. Often cheaper, sometimes required for your visa. Filed by a broker licensed in the Netherlands.
- International plans
Plans that cover you in the Netherlands and beyond, and stay with you if you move again. Filed by our international broker partner.
What it costs
Published prices in the Netherlands.
List prices from insurers and official schemes. Your quote depends on your age, health and the cover you pick.
- Average basic premium 2026: 1,908 euros a year
The government’s estimate of the average basic premium for 2026, about 159 euros a month. Your insurer’s price can be above or below it.
Source: taxlive.nl - Compulsory excess 2026: 385 euros
On top of the premium, you pay up to 385 euros of covered care yourself in 2026. GP visits sit outside it.
Source: skgz.nl - Premium for children under 18: 0 euros
Children are on the basic package for free, with no premium to pay.
Source: government.nl
What to look for
Choosing a plan in the Netherlands.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- Whether you are exempt
Not sure if you must take Dutch insurance? Ask the SVB for a Wlz assessment. It decides your status in writing.
- The start date
Your policy should start on your arrival day, or your first day of work. A later start leaves a gap.
- Top-up cover
Dental care for adults and many extras sit outside the basic package. Insurers sell them as add-ons.
- Cover before you sign up
Sign up within 4 months and the Dutch policy goes back to your arrival day. Sign up later and the weeks before the start date are yours to pay.
Step by step
Getting covered in the Netherlands.
- 01Register with your municipality to get a BSN. Your town hall records you in the Personal Records Database (BRP). Everyone registered there gets a citizen service number, or BSN, automatically.
- 02Check if Dutch insurance is compulsory for you. Working here, even part-time, makes it compulsory. If your case is unclear, such as a posting with an A1 form, ask the SVB for a Wlz assessment.
- 03Pick a Dutch insurer within 4 months. There are over 30 insurers, and each must accept you for the basic package. Set the start date to your arrival day, or your first day of work.
- 04Apply for healthcare benefit. If your income is under the limit, the government pays part of your premium through zorgtoeslag. You apply online with DigiD.
- 05Compare again before 1 January. You can switch insurer once a year, and the change takes effect on 1 January.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Keeping only an international plan after starting a job here. Work makes Dutch insurance compulsory.
- 02Waiting more than 4 months to sign up. Care before the start date is not paid back.
- 03Ignoring a letter from the CAK. After 3 months the fine is 529.74 euros.
Real published prices, and the 6 things that move yours.
Questions
People also ask.
Is health insurance mandatory in the Netherlands?+
Yes, if you live or work here. You must take out Dutch basic insurance within 4 months of arriving, or from your first day of work.
Can I use my international health insurance in the Netherlands?+
Only if you are exempt, for example a posted worker with an A1 form or a student who only studies. Once you work here, you need Dutch insurance.
How much is the excess in the Netherlands?+
The compulsory excess is 385 euros in 2026 for adults. GP visits do not count towards it, and children pay none.
What happens if I don’t take Dutch health insurance?+
The CAK writes to you. If you are still uninsured 3 months later, you are fined 529.74 euros, then fined again, then insured by the CAK.
Other countries
Going somewhere else?
Most UK visas don’t ask for private insurance. You pay a yearly surcharge instead, and it opens the NHS. Here is what the surcharge buys, and what you still pay for.
02AustraliaMost visitors can’t use Medicare, and many visas carry condition 8501. Here is what each visa asks for, who gets Medicare, and what to check.
03Dubai and the UAEIn Dubai, no insurance means no visa. Your employer covers you, but not always your family. Here are the rules, and what the basic plan leaves out.
04PhilippinesThe retiree visa asks for a medical certificate, not a policy. The new nomad visa does ask for cover. Here is what each visa needs, and how PhilHealth works for foreigners.
06CanadaEach province runs its own health plan, and some make you wait. The super visa has strict insurance rules. Here is how Ontario and BC differ, and what the super visa needs.
07Saudi ArabiaIn Saudi Arabia, no insurance means no iqama. Your employer pays for you and your family, and visitors need a policy too. Here is who pays, and what each policy covers.
08JapanIf you live in Japan, joining public insurance is the law. A private plan can only sit on top. Digital nomads are the exception.
09GermanyEveryone in Germany must be insured, and a residence permit needs cover equal to the public system. Here is how to choose, and what gets rejected.
10SingaporeThe national plan is for citizens and PRs. Hospital bills for foreigners are high, and families are often left out. Here is what to check.
11ThailandRetirement visas have hard minimums, the DTV has none, and public care is not free for foreigners. Here are the rules, and what to check.
12SpainSpain has the strictest visa insurance rules in Europe: a Spanish-authorised insurer, no co-pays, no waiting periods. Here is what passes.
13MalaysiaPublic hospitals charge foreigners full price, and work schemes only cover injuries at work. Here is what each pass asks for, and what to check.
14QatarMost visitors need a QAR 50 a month policy before Qatar issues a visa. The law covers expats too, but that part is still rolling out. Here are the rules.
15FranceThe public system is open to residents, but not on day 1 if you don’t work, and it only pays part of each bill. Here is how to cover the gaps.
16PortugalThe visa asks for travel medical cover. The public system opens once you are a resident. In between, and after, here is what to check.
17MexicoNo visa asks for it, so many expats skip it. Then a private hospital asks for payment first. Here is how cover really works in Mexico.
18ItalyWorkers join the public system for free. Retirees and nomads need private cover for the visa, then pay at least €2,000 a year to join. Here are the rules.
19South KoreaStay more than 6 months and you must join the national plan. Before that, and for your share of each bill, you need your own cover.
20VietnamOnly long local contracts come with public cover, and most expats use private hospitals anyway. Here is what the rules say, and what to check.
21Bali and IndonesiaMost Indonesian visas don’t ask for insurance. But hospitals ask for payment first, and serious cases fly to Singapore. Here is what to check.
22GreeceThe consulate takes travel cover for the visa. The residence permit then asks for full health cover. If you don’t work for a Greek employer, that means a private plan.
23ColombiaNomads and retirees need a private policy with exact wording. Residents who work must join the public EPS system. Here are the rules.
24Costa RicaResidents must pay into the Caja, whatever private plan they have. Nomads need their own cover for the visa. Here is how it fits together.
25USAThe US has no public plan you can simply join. Some visas set minimum cover. Others leave it to you. Here is what a J-1 needs, who can use the Marketplace, and what plans cost.
26SwitzerlandBasic health insurance is compulsory for everyone who lives in Switzerland. You have 3 months to sign up. Here is how it works, and what to check.
27IrelandNon-EEA students must hold private medical insurance. Everyone else gets public care once they count as living in Ireland for 1 year. Here is what to check.
28Dominican RepublicThe residence visas for retirees and rentistas ask for a medical certificate, not an insurance policy. Public care is limited. Private care is good but costly.
29New ZealandStudent visas require insurance. A work visa of 2 years or more may open public health care. ACC covers accident injuries. Here is what to check.
30IsraelIn Israel, the public system is for residents. If your life is centred there, you join a health fund (kupat holim). If not, you need private cover.
31Hong KongPublic hospitals in Hong Kong are cheap for eligible persons. Many foreigners are not on that list. Here is who is, what the rest pay, and what to check in a plan.
32ChinaIf you work in China on an employment permit, your employer must enrol you in social insurance. That includes basic medical cover. Here is how it works, and what to check on top.
33ArgentinaEmergency care is open to everyone. For other care at national hospitals, foreigners without permanent residence must show insurance or pay first. The rules are new, so check them.
34IndiaWe found no official rule that ties health insurance to an Indian work visa. We also could not confirm a public scheme for foreign residents. So the plan is yours to choose. Here is what to check.
35TurkeyA residence permit application needs valid health insurance for the whole permit. Most new expats buy a private policy. The public SGK system opens later, after 1 year of residence.
36BrazilThe digital nomad visa needs health insurance valid in Brazil. The public system is open to migrants by law. Many expats add a private plan for speed.
37PanamaThe Pensionado visa asks for a health certificate, not an insurance policy. The public system is tied to the Caja. Private care is the main option for most expats.
38South AfricaStudy and exchange visas ask for proof of cover from a registered medical scheme. Public clinics offer free primary care. Here is what to check.
39KenyaKenya’s public fund is run by the Social Health Authority (SHA). A foreigner who lives in Kenya for more than 12 months pays into it. Shorter stays need travel health insurance instead.
40TaiwanTaiwan has one national health insurance. Foreigners with a residence certificate can join. If you have a job, you join through your employer. If not, there is a wait.