Switching health insurance in the Netherlands: deadlines, steps and savings

The three dates that matter

How much does switching actually save?

The basisverzekering covers the same GP visits, hospital care, and medication at every insurer. Paying more for the basic package buys you nothing extra in coverage. In our current comparison, VinkVink charges €142,40 per month while common policies at the big brands run up to around €175 per month. That difference is roughly €400 per year for identical legal coverage.

Loyalty is penalised in this market. Insurers price aggressively for new customers during the switching season, and people who stay put for years typically drift onto poorly priced policies. Comparing takes about 15 minutes with our interactive comparison tool, and switching itself takes about 10 minutes online.

On top of the insurer choice, two settings change your price further:

• Voluntary eigen risico. The mandatory deductible is €385 (2026). Raising it voluntarily to €885 cuts the premium by roughly €10-25 per month. Sensible if you are healthy and rarely use care beyond the GP (GP visits never count toward the eigen risico).
• Aanvullend packages. Supplementary cover for dental, physio, or glasses is optional and priced separately. Many expats pay for aanvullend they never use. Re-check yearly whether the expected claims beat the premium.

Where to switch to: our affiliate partners

All accept expats and cover the identical mandatory basic package. 2026 premiums shown; new premiums appear by 12 November. See the full comparison for all six insurers side by side.

Affiliate links. No extra cost to you, keeps our expat guides free.

How to switch in five steps

1. 1Wait for the new premiums (by 12 November). Comparing before then means comparing outdated prices. Insurers frequently reshuffle their ranking year to year.
2. 2Decide your settings first. Natura (contracted care, cheaper) or restitutie/combinatie (free provider choice, pricier). Mandatory €385 eigen risico or voluntary €885. Which aanvullend covers you actually claimed on last year.
3. 3Compare on your settings, not the headline price. Use our comparison tool and check that your GP, hospital, and pharmacy are contracted if you pick a naturapolis.
4. 4Sign up with the new insurer before 31 December. You need your BSN and IBAN. Tick the overstapservice box; the new insurer cancels your old policy and coverage transfers seamlessly on 1 January.
5. 5Check zorgtoeslag in January. The allowance itself does not change, but January is the natural moment to verify your income estimate at Mijn Toeslagen so you are not hit with a clawback later. Our allowances guide covers the thresholds.

Switching outside the December window

Contracts run per calendar year, but five situations allow a mid-year switch, and two of them are extremely common for expats:

• You just moved to the Netherlands. You choose your first insurer within 4 months of BRP registration, with coverage and premiums retroactive to your registration date. See our first 30 days guide for the full arrival sequence.
• You are leaving the Netherlands. Deregistering from the BRP ends your insurance obligation; cancel from the departure date. Details in our exit guide.
• You turn 18. You pick your own policy within the month.
• Your insurer changes the policy conditions mid-year. A conditions change gives you the right to leave.
• Your employer's collective arrangement starts or ends. For example when changing jobs, if the employer offers a collectiviteit on aanvullend cover.

Five mistakes expats make when switching

• 1. Cancelling without having a new policy lined up. Sign up with the new insurer and let the overstapservice handle the cancellation. Cancelling first and forgetting to pick a new insurer by 31 January means retroactive CAK enrollment at punitive rates.
• 2. Comparing only the headline premium. A naturapolis that does not contract your hospital can cost you 20-30% of specialist bills out of pocket. Check contracted care before switching, especially outside the big cities.
• 3. Dropping dental aanvullend carelessly. Extensive dental cover often has acceptance criteria or waiting periods when you want it back. If you have ongoing dental work, keep the cover through the switch.
• 4. Forgetting the voluntary eigen risico is a choice every year. Your risk profile changes. Planning a knee operation next year? Set the deductible back to €385 during the switch. Healthy and cash-buffered? €885 saves real money.
• 5. Assuming the insurer needs to speak English. Claims and policy management are app-based everywhere. A Dutch-only insurer with a €30/month lower premium usually beats an English-friendly one; translation apps close the gap. Our healthcare in practice guide explains how claims actually work day to day.

Compare every Dutch insurer in one place

Our affiliate partners above cover the cheapest end of the market, but if you want to see all ~20 Dutch health insurers side by side, use an independent comparison site during the switching window:

Affiliate link. No extra cost to you, keeps our expat guides free.

Official sources

• Government.nl on mandatory health insurance
• Belastingdienst: zorgtoeslag conditions and amounts

Frequently asked questions