Netherlands

Health Insurance

Before you come to the Netherlands, be sure to have made arrangements to be properly insured against the costs of medical treatment. Here you will find out which insurance applies to your situation.

There are three healthcare insurance possibilities:

•    You have to take out a Dutch public healthcare insurance.
•    The insurance policy in your home country covers your stay in the Netherlands.
•    You take out a new or special insurance policy for your stay in the Netherlands.

1. You have to take out a Dutch public healthcare insurance

In certain circumstances, for example when taking on a part-time job or working as a paid intern, you have to take out a Dutch public healthcare insurance. If this applies to you, you can take out such an insurance policy with every Dutch public healthcare insurance company. Most schools and employers have a contract with an insurance company that offers a discount. It is often worthwhile to find out if you can join these schemes.

The Dutch public healthcare insurance can be rather expensive, but people below a certain income level can receive a financial contribution towards their costs through the Healthcare Allowance (zorgtoeslag). Soon, more information will be published here about how to apply for this healthcare allowance.

To find out if the Dutch public healthcare insurance applies to you, read the following fact sheet:
Download "Healthcare insurance for international students in Holland" (91 kB).

If you are still unsure whether you are obliged to take out a Dutch public healthcare insurance, you can fill in the form "Do I need statutory basic healthcare insurance?" and send it to the Social Insurance Bank (SVB) who can clear things up for you.

Please note that the SVB can only tell you whether you are taking part in the Dutch social security system (volksverzekeringen). If this is the case, you have the right and the obligation to take out a Dutch public healthcare insurance.
Download the form "Do I need statutory basic healthcare insurance?" (59 kB).

2. The insurance policy in your home country covers your stay in the Netherlands.

The Netherlands has treaties regarding health insurance with a number of countries, including most European states. If you are insured under the national health insurance scheme of one of these countries, your insurance company can provide you with either an international declaration form or with a European Health Insurance Card.

Make sure to bring this with you to the Netherlands. You will need it when you go to see a doctor there. If your insurance does not cover your stay in the Netherlands, and if you cannot make use of the international treaty described above, you will have to take out a private insurance policy.

3. You take out a new or special insurance policy for your stay in the Netherlands

If you are not covered under the public healthcare insurance of the Netherlands or of your home country, then you will have to take out another healthcare insurance. There are special policies available for international students in the Netherlands.
Nuffic has checked the policies and conditions of the following two recommended companies.

Lippmann
AON

Insurance documents in common European language

Whatever type of insurance you have, make sure that the insurance documents are written in one of the more common European languages.

Healthcare allowance

If you are obliged to take out a Dutch public healthcare insurance (zorgverzekering ), you can apply for a financial contribution for the cost of this insurance.

As the costs of a Dutch public healthcare insurance can weigh heavily on a small budget, the Dutch government provides a healthcare allowance to people with a low income. If you have a Dutch public healthcare insurance, you can apply for this healthcare allowance.

Health allowance and residence permits

Applying for a health allowance has no effect on your right of residence.

Applying for the health allowance

You can apply for the health allowance in the internet or by ordering and filling in the application form. As you need an electronic signature in order to apply online and the application procedure is only available in Dutch, it might be easiest to order the form.

Application forms can be acquired at your local Tax Office or through dialing 0800 0543 (in the menu first choose 1 and then choose 3). The phone line is open Monday to Thursday from 8.00 until 20.00 hours and Friday from 8.00 until 17.00 hours. The employees from the Tax Office information line have been instructed to only speak in Dutch, however most employees will be willing to help you in English when ordering the form.

Online applications can be done here . 

Application form translated

The application form of the healthcare allowance is only available in Dutch. In order to apply for this allowance, you will need to hand in this Dutch form. To help you fill in this form you can find a translated version here. Please note that you are not to fill in this English application form, you can only use it as a tool to help you fill in the original Dutch form. Soon you will also find a translation of the guidance notes here .

Download the English translation of the application of the healthcare allowance (44 kB).

Other insurances

There are several insurances which are useful for you to have during your stay in the Netherlands. Especially the liability insurance is highly recommended.

Liability insurance

If you are to blame for an accident that injures someone or damages another person's property, you are responsible for paying all the costs that result from the accident. You might, for example, break something where you are working or studying, or cause damage to your rented room.

The resulting claim for damages could be very expensive. You are therefore strongly urged to have a good liability insurance. You can arrange for such insurance either in your own country or through your host institution in the Netherlands.

In addition, you can be held responsible for damage that occurs in the line of duty-while you are engaged in professional activities. People who work in the health sector, for example, can be sued if something goes wrong. In the Netherlands, damage that a person causes on the job is ordinarily covered by the liability insurance of the employer. Student interns are covered in the same way that regular employees are covered. To be certain, however, you should check with the company or organization where you will be working to make sure that their liability insurance covers you.

Repatriation insurance

Insurance to cover the costs of repatriation is also strongly recommended. This means that if you should become seriously ill or die, a family member can be flown to the Netherlands to take you back home.

Legal advice

Insurance to cover the costs of legal advice on certain issues. It is important to check on which kind of issues the legal advice of your insurance provides the cover for.

Accident insurance

The accident insurance offers compensation for death or permanent disability due to an accident.

Household content and luggage

Insurance to cover undoing to your possessions. For example if your possessions get stolen or destroyed through water or fire-damage the insurance will cover the costs. It is important to check the cover provided.

Travel

Insurance to cover your belongings and your healthcare when you are travelling.

Insurance package

Several insurance companies can provide you an insurance package which includes most or all of these insurances.
Nuffic has checked the policies and conditions of the following two recommended companies.

Lippmann
AON