Health insurance in the Netherlands
Obligatory health insurance
If you work and pay income tax in the Netherlands, you are subject to the Dutch Social Security Legislation, which means that you are obliged by law to take out a health insurance. A health insurance policy is a policy which provides coverage for healthcare costs and meets the requirements of the Dutch Health Insurance Act. If you are already insured for healthcare costs in your own country, you still have to take out health insurance in the Netherlands. It is thereby compulsory for you to have a Dutch health insurance for the entire period you are working in the Netherlands. Please take notice that you have to take out a health insurance within the next four months, to make sure you will not risk a fine.
What do you need to do to get a health insurance?
You must arrange your own health insurance. Ask your employer about the possibilities your company has to offer you about the collective health insurance from VMD Koster at reduced rates. You may be eligible to join the scheme. To take out a health insurance from VMD Koster the following data is necessary:
- Application form
- Copy of your identity papers
- Copy of your employment contract which proves the service link
- A letter of the tax service for your BSN (citizen service number)
What does a health insurance offer you?
Health insurance provides coverage for the cost of medical care. The healthcare covered by the standard basic package includes care by general practitioners and specialists, hospital care, medicines, specialist dental care and dentures. Your health insurer can provide you with more information about the basic coverage, and they can tell you more about the healthcare providers from whom you can receive medical care and how the costs will be reimbursed. Every health insurance provider is obliged to accept you for insurance under the basic health insurance package, irrespective of your health and age.
If you prefer to have a more extensive coverage you can opt for additional healthcare insurance. You are not obliged to take out an additional healthcare insurance.
Income-related contribution
Besides the nominal premium an insured pays, you are also required to pay an income-related contribution. For employees, the employer will hold in the income-related contribution from the wages. This contribution will be remitted to the Tax Office.
The income-related contribution is a percentage of the contribution income and is determined annually. There is a maximum per person for the amount on which income-related contribution is levied. Employees receive full compensation from the employer.