Compare, switch & apply

Compare, switch and apply. Those are the three possible steps you might have to take to find the Dutch health care insurance that best fit your needs. Of course, first you have to determine if you are required to take Dutch healthcare insurance as a foreign student.

Maybe you’re not leaving your country for more than one year? Or maybe you’re not aged 30 yet? Or maybe you are studying in the Netherlands but you’re not having a job or a paid internship? In these cases, you are not required to get insurance.

Once you’ve figured out if you need insurance, the next step is to compare the existing health care insurances.

Compare health insurances

Making a good comparison before you switch or apply for new health insurance is of great importance. Not one insurance company is the same. Although the basic packages are the same, the policy terms can be very different. Also, the amount of monthly premium can vary a lot.
Determine your own needs. Make sure you read the policy terms of the health insurances you are interested in to see if they fit your needs. Also, take into account the price you’ll have to pay for your insurance. A low premium is very interesting but can result in a lower service level. This is a consideration you’ll have to make yourself.
The last question that needs to be answered in the comparison process is what kind of insurance you’ll need. There are three different types:

• Natura policy
• Refund policy
• Combined policy

The main difference between these options is that the ‘Natura policy’ gives you fewer options to select your own medical professionals, for insurance companies that offer a ‘Natura’ policy work with ‘contracted professionals’. A refund policy gives you freedom of choice, however, the premium is higher.
Read more about compare healthcare insurance companies

Switching from health insurance

In case you already have Dutch health insurance you might be interested in switching. Maybe you’re are not happy with the service of your current insurance or you believe you are paying too much monthly premium. On this page, we will explain to you how to make the switch.
Step 1
You should ask yourself the question again: what do I need? Make sure you get the coverage you need and try not to get easily seduced by very low premium rates without reading the policy terms.
Step 2
The second step is deciding which health care insurance you are going to take.

Compare all student health insurances

Step 3
If you’ve made the decision to switch, you can’t just switch whenever you want. You have one possibility each year. Before the 1st of January of the next year, you need to cancel your previous insurance and apply for the new one. If you don’t switch, you will automatically stay with your current insurance company.
Step 4
Within one month after terminating your old insurance, you will have to apply for the new one. This means that if you forget to request your health insurance before the 1st of February you risk paying a fine.
Read more about switching to another health insurance company

Apply

To conclude the comparison or switching process, you’ll have to apply for your new health care insurance. Before you apply for the insurance, make sure to find out if you are required to take Dutch health care insurance.
Generally, there are three ways to apply for insurance. You can apply for your insurance online, you can visit the office or you can call. The easiest, cheapest and most convenient way is to apply for your insurance online. You can use the top 5 insurance companies we’ve selected for you. There are direct links to their websites and there you can apply for the insurance of your choice.
Read more about applying for a new health care insurance