1. Who Must Hold a Basisverzekering

Rijksoverheid states that people who live or work in the Netherlands generally must have Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering). The government determines what is included in the basic package. Supplementary insurance (aanvullende verzekering), including optional adult dental cover, is not compulsory.

If you work in the Netherlands, you generally need to arrange Dutch basic insurance within four months. If you live in the Netherlands but do not work, the Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) may determine whether you are insured under the Dutch system.

People coming from abroad can have different rules depending on their residence and work status. There are exceptions for some posted workers, certain students and other special categories. These are individual situations rather than a general opt-out.

Children also need basic health insurance. Children under 18 do not pay a premium for the basic policy and do not have an eigen risico.

2. November Letter and the Switch Window

Rijksoverheid says insurers publish the premium and policy conditions for the following year before 12 November. Your insurer also sends you the new policy information in November.

Once the new premiums and conditions are published, you can compare insurers and decide whether to stay, change your policy or switch insurer.

You can also stay with the same insurer and change your policy or deductible, subject to the insurer’s deadlines and conditions.

3. Eigen Risico in 2026 and the 2027 Plan

Rijksoverheid states that the compulsory eigen risico for 2026 is €385. Adults aged 18 and over normally pay the first €385 of eligible basic-package healthcare costs each calendar year before the insurer covers the remaining eligible costs.

The eigen risico does not apply to every type of care. For example, ordinary huisarts care and the out-of-hours huisartsenpost are exempt from the deductible. Other exemptions include certain maternity care, district nursing and specific chronic-care programmes.

You can voluntarily increase your deductible. For 2026, the voluntary increase can be €100, €200, €300, €400 or €500 on top of the compulsory €385. Choosing the maximum voluntary increase can therefore bring the total potential deductible to €885.

What about 2027? The government coalition agreement plans to increase the compulsory eigen risico by €60 from 2027. If implemented exactly as planned, that would mean €445, but this article does not present €445 as the final statutory 2027 amount. The final legislation and official 2027 rules must be checked once published.

The coalition agreement also proposes that the eigen risico would be limited to a maximum of €150 per treatment. This is part of the government’s plan and should not be treated as final until the relevant legislation is confirmed.

4. Zorgtoeslag

Zorgtoeslag is a healthcare allowance administered through Belastingdienst/Toeslagen. It helps eligible people with the cost of their health insurance. You can apply and manage your allowance through Mijn Toeslagen using DigiD.

The maximum 2026 zorgtoeslag used in the government’s budget calculations was €1,574 per year for a one-person household and €3,010 per year for a household with a partner. These are 2026 figures and do not represent a guaranteed payment for every applicant.

Your actual entitlement depends on factors including income and household situation. For 2026, the maximum income thresholds are €40,857 for someone without a benefits partner and €51,142 with a benefits partner. Asset limits can also apply.

The 2027 income limits and allowance amounts should be checked on the official Belastingdienst/Toeslagen website once the 2027 figures are published.

5. Natura, Budget and Combination Policies

Basic health insurance policies can differ in how they handle contracted and non-contracted healthcare providers.

Naturapolis: the insurer contracts healthcare providers. You generally receive the highest reimbursement when you use contracted providers. Going outside the insurer’s contracted network can result in a lower reimbursement, depending on the policy.

Budget or limited-conditions policies: these can offer a lower premium but may restrict the number of contracted providers or impose additional conditions. Always check the policy before choosing one.

Combinatiepolis: this combines elements of in-kind reimbursement and reimbursement-based coverage. The exact conditions differ by insurer and policy.

Policy terminology can change, and some insurers may offer products with greater freedom of provider choice. Always read the 2027 policy conditions rather than relying only on the label.

Collective insurance arrangements (collectieve zorgverzekering) are optional. A collective arrangement can be offered through an employer, association or another organisation. Compare the total 2027 cost and coverage rather than assuming a collective policy is automatically cheaper.

Supplementary insurance, such as dental or physiotherapy cover, is optional. Insurers may impose additional conditions or, in limited cases, medical acceptance requirements. Basic insurance cannot be refused because of your age or health.

6. Huisarts and What Has No Deductible

Once you have a BSN and an address, it is sensible to register with a huisarts. Finding a GP can take time because some practices have closed patient lists.

The GP visit itself does not normally use your eigen risico. The same applies to the out-of-hours huisartsenpost.

Other healthcare can be subject to the eigen risico. Hospital treatment, specialist care and many prescription medicines covered by the basic package generally count toward the deductible, unless a specific exemption applies.

Rijksoverheid also lists other forms of care that are exempt from the eigen risico, including certain maternity care, district nursing and specific chronic-care programmes.

Not having a huisarts does not remove your legal obligation to have Dutch health insurance when you are required to be insured.

7. New Arrivals: When the Four-Month Rule Applies

The four-month rule depends on why you are insured under the Dutch system.

If you work in the Netherlands: Rijksoverheid says you generally have four months to arrange Dutch basic health insurance after becoming subject to the Dutch insurance system.

If you live in the Netherlands but do not work: the Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) may determine whether you are considered insured under Dutch law.

If you receive a residence permit after an asylum procedure: different arrangements apply while you are an asylum seeker. Once Dutch basic insurance becomes applicable after the relevant residence status takes effect, government guidance says you should arrange the insurance within four months. In cases where coverage is backdated, premiums may also be backdated.

If you fail to arrange mandatory insurance, the CAK can become involved in enforcing the insurance requirement. Do not rely on an unsourced private-blog figure for fines or premiums; check the current CAK and Rijksoverheid information.

Students can also have different rules. For example, an EU student who does not work in the Netherlands may remain insured under their home-country system in certain circumstances, while a student who starts working in the Netherlands may become subject to Dutch insurance rules.

8. How to Switch Without a Gap

Do not cancel your health insurance in October simply to be safe. For most people, the annual switch period is around the publication of the new policies in November through the end of December. Special rules can apply in situations such as moving to the Netherlands, starting work, turning 18 or other changes in insurance status.