If you are going to move to the Netherlands or have already shifted, you must be informed of the insurance options available. This post will guide you through the necessary and other insurances that you need in the Netherlands to protect yourself from any risk that could result in you having to pay large bills.
Must haves’ insurances
As an expat, it is important that you are fully prepared and have access to fundamental care like healthcare. Health insurance is mandatory insurance in the Netherlands if you are 18 or above. However, if you also own a car and a house then you must also have car insurance and residential premises insurance.
What all do we need to know about health insurance?
Everyone living in the Netherlands is required to have basic health insurance or basisverzekering. Expats must obtain health insurance within four weeks of receiving a residence permit, or within four weeks of registering with their municipality if they are EU, EEA, or Swiss nationals. But there are few exceptions to this rule.
If you are a non-EU person travelling in the Netherlands for fewer than 90 days, you do not require insurance, while EU nationals staying for less than a year can rely on their EHIC card. Students from the EU, EEA, or Switzerland are exempt from having to buy insurance if they do not work part-time or intern throughout their studies. Students from outside of these locations must have private insurance or insurance from their home countries that cover them while they are studying. Finally, children under the age of eighteen are covered at no cost.
Your Dutch health insurance has two primary costs. The monthly premium (premie) is a fixed monthly amount that is debited from your bank account. And, the “own risk” amount (eigen risico), which is a yearly sum that you must pay out of pocket for some procedures and medications before your health insurance would cover the rest. The eigen risico is expected to reach a maximum of 385 euros in 2021. If you don’t have any medical expenses in a year, you don’t have to pay any eigen risico.
The required basic health insurance (basisverzekering) costs roughly 100 euros per month. It covers:
- GP consultations
- Hospitalization, surgery, and emergency therapies are all options.
- Prescriptions
- Tests of the blood
- Treatment for mental illness
- experts in medicine
- Pregnancy, delivery, and post-natal care
- Services such as speech therapy and food assistance are available.
- Assistance to the handicapped and the elderly
- Dental hygiene is a must.
- Children under the age of 18 receive comprehensive dental care.
It’s good to know that you can add extra medical insurance (aanvullende verzekering) to your basic coverage. Packages that cover full dental care, immunizations, emergency travel care, and alternative medical treatments among others.
You can only switch health insurance companies once a year, for the following year. The deadline for making the move is December 31.
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Insurance for automobiles
Car owners, in addition to health insurance, will require car insurance. This includes those who possess a car, a motorcycle, a scooter, a camper, or a quad, among other things. You will be required to insure your vehicle for at least statutory liability, which means that the insurer will pay any damage you cause. Your own damage is not covered, and you will be responsible for it. In Dutch, this coverage is referred to as WA (Wettelijke Aansprakelijkheid). Additional insurances, such as WA Plus or All Risk coverage, are also available. These services, on the other hand, are recommended but not required.
Insurance for residential properties (opstalverzekering)
Expats who wish to purchase a home in the Netherlands must purchase residential permit insurance, which is needed by mortgage lenders. If you’ve bought an apartment, this insurance should be given by your homeowners’ association; otherwise, you’ll have to arrange it yourself. This insurance protects you from damage caused by unforeseeable events such as bad weather, theft, vandalism, or leaks.
Insurances that are beneficial but not required
In the Netherlands, you can purchase several insurances that are not required but are quite handy to have.
Legal insurance – Legal insurance pays for the costs of lawyers and other legal services in cases involving social and labour challenges, consumer disputes, and housing disputes, among other things.
Travel insurance – Expats (and their families) who travel regularly benefit greatly from travel insurance. It covers expenses like airline cancellations, luggage loss and theft, and medical expenses, among other things. Liability insurance – Damage and physical injury to others or their property are covered by liability insurance. This, however, is contingent on the insurer’s assessment of the case against you.
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