Changing your Dutch expat health insurance policy every year

Expats in the Netherlands are being encouraged to adjust their private healthcare insurance to avoid being overcharged.

In the vast majority of expat hubs across the world, private healthcare insurance is a necessity but can also wreck the budgets of all but the most financially comfortable foreign workers. The Netherlands is no exception to that rule, but better deals can be had by shopping around at the end of each premium year. For example, the gap between the cheapest and most expensive basic healthcare insurance in 1919 is huge, running between €98.50 a month to just under €134 – that’s a difference of over €400 a year, making it well worth while to check out every possible plan which might fit with your needs.

In addition to the annual fees for basic healthcare, supplementary care also varies hugely between companies, with an average of around €40 difference per month, proof that shopping around can save a good amount of your hard-earned cash. For 2019, the Dutch government has made certain changes in the basic insurance package, including treatment for the overweight, extended physiotherapy for those with COPD and setting a limit of €20 euros per year on out of pocket expenses for medication. Also up for possible change by insurance companies are reimbursement terms and levels of supplemental insurance, making it essential to check your current policy against your actual needs.

In the Netherlands, swapping health insurance policies ever year is common practice, with over a million switching suppliers and taking on another plan in order to make savings. Also, it’s sometimes far cheaper to pay for your healthcare yourself with, for example, including a twice-yearly dental check-up in your policy will cost far more than simply going to a local dentist for this basic service. Expats must purchase private health insurance if they pay local income tax or have a Dutch employer, but they’re equally able to change their policies if and when they please. The window for doing this runs between mid-November to January 1, and your new insurance company will deal with the closure of your previous policy.