Switching to another insurance

Are you planning to switch to another health insurance company in the Netherlands? Maybe you are able to save money on your monthly premium or maybe you are not satisfied with the service of the company? Whatever the reason is, there are several things you will need to pay attention to. Therefore we will explain to you, step by step, how you can make the switch.

The first step; What do I need?

First of all, you will need to determine your personal need for health care. More specifically it means you determine what coverage you need. If you need supplementary insurance make sure you check the availability with your insurance company.
Another possibility is raising your deduction excess, which will result in a lower monthly premium. The downside of that is that if something happens the high costs of medical treatment will have to be paid by yourself (the first €885,- in 2023).

The second step; What do I choose?

The second step consists of choosing a new health insurance provider. It sounds easier than it is. There are a lot of health care insurance providers in the Netherlands and they offer a variety of packages with different coverages and premiums. Before you make a decision, make sure you compare the different policy terms of the providers you’re interested in.
In order to help you make a well-considered decision we’ve examined all the healthcare insurance providers for students and created a Compare Dutch Health Insurance tool.

The third step; When can I switch?

Only once a year you are able to switch from insurance company. By the end of the year, your current insurance company will send you the new policy terms. You can expect this letter around the 15th of November.
Before the first of January, you will have to terminate your current insurance by a written cancellation letter (a lot of insurance companies offer easy pre-made formats). Be careful sending your mail during the Christmas holidays, mail often is delayed these days. Before you make the decision to change, make sure you determine your specific needs. If you don’t terminate your insurance before the end of the year you will automatically keep your current health care insurance.

The fourth step; When do I need to request the new insurance?

After terminating your previous insurance, you have one month to request new health insurance. If you don’t request the new health insurance before the 1st of February, you risk paying a fine. Healthcare insurance companies often make appointments with each other to make the switch easier. With your consent, your previous insurance provider can terminate your insurance. To make use of this possibility it is necessary to terminate your insurance before the 1st of January.
Do you have supplementary insurance? If you terminate your basic insurance, normally your complete insurance (including supplementary packages) is cancelled. However, in some cases, it is possible to keep your current supplementary insurance and take it with you to another insurance company. This is possible, but if you want to change your supplementary insurance too you will need to be accepted by your new insurance company. Therefore it is recommendable to take out new supplementary insurance before you terminate the former.

Exceptions

Normally you can only switch once a year from a health insurance provider. However, there are several situations in which an exception is made.

• If you have lived abroad and you are going to live in the Netherlands;
• If you’ve turned 18 years old;
• If you are obliged to have an insurance and currently are not insured;
• If you were in military service and you are resigning;
• If you are living abroad and paying taxes in the Netherlands;
• If you switch jobs and take out a group insurance with your new employer.