Dutch Health Insurance for Expats: Same Coverage, Different Experience
If you’re new to the Netherlands, Dutch health insurance can feel strangely contradictory.
You’ll often hear:
“All insurers cover the same thing.”
That statement is technically true.
And it’s also the reason many expats make the wrong choice.
Let’s break down how the system works—and what actually matters for your health, time, and peace of mind.
The convenient (or inconvenient) truth: the government decides what is covered
In the Netherlands, everyone is required to take out basic health insurance (basisverzekering).
The key point many newcomers miss: The government—not the insurance companies—decides what must be covered under this package.
The basic package includes:
GP (huisarts) care
Hospital and specialist care
Emergency care
Most prescription medications
Mental health care, under defined conditions
Insurance companies CANNOT remove or alter these benefits, and they MUST accept everyone for the basic package, regardless of age or medical history
Medically speaking, the basic coverage really is the same everywhere.
So why are there so many insurance companies?
The difference, and where insurers are allowed to compete, lies in how care is delivered, not what care is covered. What do I mean by that?
They differ in:
which hospitals and specialists they contract
how much freedom you have to choose providers
what happens if you go outside their network
how reimbursements are handled
customer service and administrative support
pricing and supplemental insurance options
Many insurers are actually brands that fall under the umbrella of a small number of large insurance groups, designed for different audiences (full-service vs budget, digital-first vs traditional).
The most important difference: freedom to choose providers
This is where expats most often get caught off guard.
Some policies:
fully cover care only if you use contracted providers
reimburse less if you go elsewhere
are cheaper, but more restrictive
Other policies:
offer broader freedom to choose hospitals and specialists
are more flexible if you move or need specific care
cost more, but reduce unpleasant surprises
Two people with the same condition can have completely different experiences—purely because of the type of policy they chose.
Supplemental insurance is a different system
Dental care, extra physiotherapy, glasses, and alternative care fall under supplemental insurance, and do not follow the same set of rules as basic coverage. Because it is considered supplemental, insurers:
do not have to accept everyone
may apply medical screening
can limit or exclude coverage
Cheapest is rarely best value if you expect to actually use these services. So it is best to determine beforehand how likely you are to use these supplemental services.
“Best” and “worst” insurers: what experience shows
There is no official government ranking of health insurers. What does exist are large, transparent consumer-review datasets from independent platforms such as Independer and Zorgwijzer. These rankings measure customer experience, not better medicine. They can be helpful in determining the best fit based on what others have experienced and comparing that to your specific situation and needs, rather than an objective grading system.
Insurers that historically score well on experience
Insurers that consistently score well are typically those with the following characteristics:
clarity of communication
reachability
fewer reimbursement disputes
broad access to providers in your locality or based on your specific healthcare needs
minimum or no patient caps for their contracted providers
Lower-scoring insurers
Ultra-budget insurers tend to score lower on customer experience. This does not mean worse medical care. It usually means:
tighter provider networks
less flexibility
more administrative friction when care becomes complex
They can work fine when everything is straightforward—but are less forgiving when it isn’t.
Which insurers work better for specific health needs?
There is no official list of “best insurers per condition.”
What matters is fit, not brand.
Chronic conditions → prioritize continuity and provider access
Multiple or complex conditions → avoid highly restrictive budget policies
Mental health care → check which providers are contracted and whether waiting-time mediation is supported
LGBTQIA+ and trans care → coverage exists, but access depends heavily on referral pathways and administrative follow-through
Children → basic coverage is strong; differences emerge mainly with specialized pediatric centers
In all cases, policy type and contracted providers matter more than marketing claims.
Expat checklist: how to choose Dutch health insurance
Before you sign up, walk through this checklist:
1️⃣ Understand your likely healthcare needs
Ask yourself:
Do I have a chronic condition?
Do I expect specialist care?
Do I need mental health support?
Do I have children who may need pediatric care?
Do I want English-speaking providers?
2️⃣ Decide how much provider freedom you want
Am I comfortable being limited to contracted providers?
Or do I want flexibility to choose where I go?
More freedom usually costs more—but often saves stress later.
3️⃣ Check contracted providers before choosing
Look up:
hospitals near your home
specialists you may need
mental health providers, if relevant
Confirm they are contracted under the policy you’re considering.
4️⃣ Review supplemental insurance separately
Do I need dental care?
Physiotherapy?
Glasses or contacts?
Compare value, not just price—and remember insurers may refuse supplemental coverage.
5️⃣ Compare service quality, not just premiums
Use Independer or Zorgwijzer to check:
customer reviews
reachability
complaint patterns
6️⃣ Know your rights if access is slow
If waiting times are long, your insurer has a legal duty of care to help find alternatives.
If disputes cannot be resolved internally, the formal escalation route is through SKGZ.
Final takeaway
Dutch health insurance is not about better or worse medicine.
It’s about:
access
flexibility
administrative support
predictability when things don’t go smoothly
Once you understand that, the system becomes far less intimidating—and far more workable.
Understanding the structure changes everything.