Healthcare is care you receive if you are ill, in pain or need support. Examples include care provided by a GP, hospital or dentist, as well as mental healthcare and physiotherapy.
Health insurance is compulsory
If you live or work in the Netherlands, you must take out health insurance within four months. You pay a monthly amount, called a premium, for your health insurance. Your health insurance covers essential healthcare, such as visits to your GP, hospital treatments and medicines. If you do not have health insurance, you can be fined.
Taking out health insurance
If you are coming to live or work in the Netherlands, you must take out health insurance within four months. Your insurance must be effective on your first working day. If you do not arrange it on time, you can be fined and you will have to pay any healthcare costs yourself. In some cases, you pay premiums retroactively.
Basic healthcare and supplementary healthcare
Basic insurance pays for the most important healthcare. It is compulsory. You can also choose to take out supplementary insurance. This is not compulsory. Supplementary insurance reimburses the costs of other types of care, such as dentistry, physiotherapy and glasses. You decide whether this insurance is right for you.
Excess and help with costs
An excess applies to every adult. This means that if you make use of healthcare, you will initially pay some of the costs. In 2025, the maximum amount you will pay is €385 a year. The excess does not apply to visits to a GP. If you do not make any use of healthcare, you will not pay any excess. No excess applies to children under the age of 18. If you have a low income, you can claim healthcare benefit. This is money you get from the government to help you pay for your health insurance.
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