The Netherlands, land of picturesque canals and tulip fields, offers an exceptional quality of life and a rich culture. With vibrant cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht, as well as landscapes of windmills and sandy coasts, the Netherlands is a popular destination. Students benefit from renowned universities and a vibrant student life. Expatriates appreciate the open environment, excellent transport system and high quality of public services. Dutch art, architecture and gastronomy appeal to holidaymakers. Finally, retirees find here a peaceful living environment, modern infrastructures and an advanced healthcare system. Mondassur accompanies you, whatever the reason for your stay, with health insurance in the Netherlands.
For a carefree stay, our health insurance abroad offers comprehensive coverage. Study, work, explore or enjoy your retirement in the Netherlands with peace of mind with our insurance. benefiting from state-of-the-art medical care requires substantial health cover due to the high cost of access to care. How does the Dutch healthcare system work? Why should I take out international health insurance to suit my budget and needs?
- Political system : Constitutional Monarchy
- Capital : Amsterdam
- Surface area: 41,526 km²
- Population : 16.4 million
- Languages spoken: Dutch, Frisian
- Currency : Euro
Visas Netherlands
If you are a French national, or a national of another member state of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA), you have the right to stay in all member countries of these zones without a residence permit. This means you can work there for up to three months. All you need is a valid identity card or passport. If you are staying for more than six months or working for more than three months, you will need to register with the local authorities.
Consulate of France in Amsterdam
Vijzelgracht 2 – Postbus 20018 – 1017 HR – Amsterdam
Tel: 070 312 58 00
Embassy of the Netherlands in Paris
7-9, rue Eblé – 75007 Paris
Tél: 01.40.62.33.00
Fax : 01.40.62.34.56
E-mail : ambassade@amb-pays-bas.fr
Organization of the healthcare system in the Netherlands
The healthcare system in the Netherlands is defined by three entities: the government, professional organizations and health insurers. In 2006, the government created a universal health insurance system to regulate the healthcare markets. The system is adjusted to cover basic health care, long-term care and voluntary supplementary insurance. Finally, this structure is financed by the contributions and monthly premiums paid by policyholders to private insurers. Indeed, the Netherlands relies exclusively on a private healthcare system. However, it is highly regulated.
In addition, health insurers negotiate prices and quality of care directly with healthcare providers. In this way, competition is based on prior negotiations between each health insurer and the healthcare providers. All citizens must also be affiliated to a referral GP, and can change referral GPs without restriction.
Local insurance in the Netherlands
When you arrive in the Netherlands, you’ll need to register with a health insurance organization (zorgverzekeraar). This is run by private Dutch insurance companies under the Health Insurance Act. However, if you work for a company based in your home country, you can keep your local insurance and not join the Dutch compulsory insurance scheme.
Also, be very careful: many expatriates don’t join a Dutch health insurance scheme directly, and a few years later find themselves having to pay back all the unpaid monthly premiums (which can sometimes be worth several thousand euros) since they arrived in the Netherlands.
What does compulsory health insurance cover in the Netherlands?
- Hospitalization, nursing care and patient transport
- Routine medical care (by general practitioners and specialists)
- Maternity
- Home care
- Dental care for minors
- Some paramedical care: physiotherapy, speech therapy and dietary advice
- Physiotherapy for the treatment of chronic illnesses
- Medical care for mental illness
- Medication.
However, the insured must pay a deductible that applies to almost every health service. Maternity costs, if you have given birth at home, and certain medical services provided by a general practitioner may be reimbursed at 100%. This compulsory insurance costs around €120 per month.
To be covered for treatments not reimbursed by basic insurance (physiotherapy, dentistry, glasses and contact lenses and homeopathy or other alternative remedies…), you’ll need to take out a complementary mutual insurance. Supplementary health insurance generally costs between €10 and €20 extra. They may therefore differ from your basic insurance plan.
Does Dutch insurance cover policyholders abroad?
All basic health insurances cover policyholders abroad for emergency medical treatment, regardless of the type of insurance they have taken out. For example:
- Hospitalization for an urgent condition
- The cost of coronavirus care in an emergency situation
- Emergency care after an accident
- Ambulance transport
- Medication needed to treat an emergency.
However, basic insurance does not cover :
- Repatriation
- Plannable care (a visit to a doctor on your own initiative, for example)
- Urgent health care costs that exceed the reimbursement ceilings of Dutch mutual insurance companies.
How do I consult a GP or specialist in the Netherlands?
When expatriating to the Netherlands, you are required to register with a general practitioner. So, if you want to consult a GP, you’ll need to refer to the doctor with whom you’re affiliated. You can also change your referral doctor as you wish – there are no restrictions in this respect. What’s more, in the Netherlands, all doctors have a duty of care. In fact, they cannot refuse to treat you despite the fact that you do not have a residence permit or health insurance.
To consult a specialist, you can ask your GP for a referral. When you see your GP, if he or she prescribes medication, he or she will send the prescription directly to the pharmacy of your choice. All you have to do is pick them up from the pharmacy of your choice. Classic non-prescription medicines can be found in pharmacies, drugstores, supermarkets and petrol stations. You can also order drugs from Internet pharmacies. They will then deliver your medication to your home.
The average cost of a consultation with a general practitioner :
- Consultation (10 minutes): €10
- Consultation (+20 minutes): €20
- Telephone consultation (5 minutes): €5
A consultation with a doctor lasts an average of more than 20 minutes, and the fee for a general practitioner is usually 30 euros.
Emergency care in the Netherlands
If you require emergency health assistance in the Netherlands, dial 112 and you will be connected to the appropriate service (ambulance, police or fire department). Please note that if an ambulance is used, you will be charged an ambulance fee.
Specific emergency numbers are affiliated to certain regions. For example, the Hague region has a dental emergency number open after 5pm and at weekends: (070) 311 03 05. Find out more about the local health emergency services in your area.
Every hotel in the Netherlands has an affiliated doctor and dentist. If you’re staying in a hotel, you’ll be able to contact the hotel’s general practitioner or dental service.
The cost of an ambulance service is €5 per kilometer.
The cost of a single visit to the emergency department (not including the follow-up consultation) is €350.
Average cost of medical care in the Netherlands
- Standard dental consultation: €23
- GP consultation: €30
- 1 night in hospital: €900
- 1 day in intensive care: €2,500
- MRI: €300
- Cardiac surgery: €8,000
Paramedical care in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, only certain paramedical treatments, such as physiotherapy, speech therapy and dietary advice, are reimbursed by compulsory health insurance. This is only the case if your GP prescribes these consultations. In fact, these consultations must be prescribed by your GP. However, to consult a physiotherapist on your own initiative, or an ophthalmologist for glasses, for example, you will need to take out additional insurance or pay the full cost. The average cost of a standard physiotherapy session in the Netherlands is around €35 for 30 minutes. On average, you’ll pay between €100 and €250 for a pair of glasses. This depends on your prescription and the lens treatment you choose. A session with a speech therapist will cost you an average of €30 for 30 minutes.
How to consult a paediatrician in the Netherlands
The pediatric service in the Netherlands is highly developed, offering high-quality care for children. To consult a pediatrician, you can make an appointment at any of the many clinics throughout the country, which offer comprehensive pediatric services. The price of a consultation with a pediatrician in a clinic can be as high as €300, depending on the type of care your child requires.
Maternity in the Netherlands
Are you an expatriate, pregnant in the Netherlands, and want to know what maternity is like? Mondassur will answer all your questions in this article.
In the Netherlands, you can call on the services of an obstetrician, general practitioner or gynecologist to look after you throughout your pregnancy and after the birth. Compulsory health insurance in the Netherlands reimburses the expected costs from the basic package.
You will be asked to undergo a series of tests before delivery to ensure that your pregnancy is going as smoothly as possible. Only the Dutch mutual insurance company reimburses 100% of tests requiring a medical indication.
The price of an early ultrasound scan is around 35 euros. An ultrasound on demand costs an average of 67 euros.
You will need a referral from a midwife or your GP to give birth in hospital without paying a personal contribution. If you decide to give birth in hospital without a medical referral, you will have to pay a personal contribution.
During the maternity period after childbirth, a maternity nurse will take care of you and your newborn baby. Compulsory Dutch insurance will reimburse up to 80 hours of maternity care. You will have to pay a personal contribution for maternity care amounting to 5 euros per hour for home maternity care. You will not be able to deduct these costs from your deductible.
Is it necessary to take out international health insurance for expatriation to the Netherlands?
If you’re planning to expatriate to the Netherlands, we strongly recommend that you take out international health insurance to replace the Dutch mutuelle and its complementary health insurance. On the one hand, compulsory Dutch health insurance only partially covers day-to-day healthcare, leading to deductibles for most services. On the other hand, a supplementary international health insurance policy will cover you as much in the Netherlands as a local supplementary health insurance policy, but will cover you as much abroad as in the Netherlands, unlike a Dutch health insurance policy.
Which international private health insurance should I take out in the Netherlands, and for whom?
We offer expatriate health insurance to suit all profiles and nationalities.
- Are you a European looking to move to the Netherlands? No visa is required, whether you’re an expatriate employee, digital nomad, entrepreneur or retiree. We recommend that you take out our expatriate insurance Gold Expat, which will cover you for private sector healthcare costs in the Netherlands, as well as private healthcare costs abroad and medical repatriation to your home country if necessary.
- If you are a European student and would like to spend a semester, an internship or part of your studies in the Netherlands, we recommend that you take out GoldStudent insurance tailored to your profile, so that you can benefit from the best medical cover at the lowest cost.
- If you’re a non-European who wants to work, study, invest or retire in the Netherlands, you’ll need to take out private health insurance when you apply for your Schengen visa, and our GoldImpat insurance is just what you need.
Get a free quote on our website to assess your needs in terms of cover and/or contact us by e-mail or telephone for more precise information and advice on the different types of international cover.
