What we do not do
- No advice on basic or supplementary policies
- No applications, switching or group schemes through us
- No help with claims or disputes with the health insurer
Health insurance: how the system works
One statutory basic package from 20 health insurers in 10 groups, 58 policies, a compulsory excess of € 385 in 2026 and € 400 in 2027: this is how the system is put together.
- several insurers compared objectively
- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
- AFM licence 12016589
- Personal 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 9–17
This page in another language: Nederlands
- We compare the offerings of several insurers
- An adviser checks whether the cover suits your situation
- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
- Independent advice
- Several insurers
- Switching arranged
- Help with claims
In brief
Since the Health Insurance Act (Zorgverzekeringswet) of 2006, the distinction between the public health fund (ziekenfonds) and private health insurance no longer exists. Everyone who lives or works in the Netherlands takes out the same basic insurance; anyone searching for private health insurance nowadays usually means an individual policy as opposed to a group policy through an employer or association. The government decides what the basic package contains, the health insurer must accept everyone and may not charge different premiums for the same policy. We do not act as intermediary for health insurance; this page explains how the system works so that you can choose for yourself.
The market is smaller than it seems. According to Vektis's Zorgthermometer (2026), there are 20 health insurers, divided among 10 groups, offering 58 policies between them: 36 in-kind (natura) and 22 combination policies. Reimbursement (restitutie) policies have not been offered since 2025. The four largest groups, Achmea, VGZ, CZ and Menzis, serve 84.7 per cent of insured people. In the 2025-2026 switching season, 6.4 per cent changed insurer, 1.1 million people. 80.6 per cent have supplementary insurance and 54.9 per cent are insured through a group scheme.
The compulsory excess (eigen risico) is € 385 in 2026, the same amount as since 2016. The previously announced reduction to € 165 is off the table; according to the 2027 Budget Memorandum (Miljoenennota 2027), statutory indexation will raise it to € 400, and a further increase to € 455 has been postponed to 2028. The average basic premium in 2026 is around € 159 a month; the government expects € 169 for 2027. Insurers announce their premiums by 12 November at the latest.
Insurance never stands alone
A mortgage, loan or investment often touches your insurance too. We look at the bigger picture and point you to the right specialist whenever something falls outside insurance itself.
FinancialPhoto coming soon
OverviewPhoto coming soon
AdvicePhoto coming soon
Who does what?
What we do and do not do around health insurance, and what to look out for yourself when choosing.
What to look out for
With 58 policies and identical basic cover, the differences lie in the type of policy, contracted care, the excess and supplementary cover.
- In-kind (chosen by 79 per cent) or combination; reimbursement policies no longer exist
- Check whether your hospital, physiotherapist or mental health provider is in the care finder
- Voluntary excess of up to € 500 extra: 12.1 per cent choose it
What we do provide
The risks related to illness and injury that fall outside the health policy are ones we do arrange.
- Liability for injury that you or your family cause to others
- Disability insurance (arbeidsongeschiktheidsverzekering) for business owners in case of long-term illness
- Sickness absence and WGA cover for employers with staff
What is covered
| Situation | At Finass Verzekert | With your health insurer |
|---|---|---|
| Taking out, changing or cancelling basic health insurance | No | Yes |
| Supplementary cover and dental packages | No | Yes |
| Authorisation, claiming and reimbursement of care | No | Yes |
| Personal liability insurance (AVP) | Yes | No |
| Disability insurance (AOV) for self-employed people | Yes | No |
| Sickness absence insurance and carrying the WGA risk | Yes | No |
What your health insurance pays is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) of your health insurer.
What to look out for when comparing
- Type of policy: benefits in kind, reimbursement or a combination
- Contracted care: is your practitioner on the list
- Additional packages: maximum reimbursements per item
- Acceptance for supplementary cover: health questions or a waiting period
- Excess: the compulsory part plus a voluntary increase
- A group scheme or discount: work out what it saves net
This overview is general in nature and is not personal advice.
How it works
- You compare yourself or through a comparison siteThe basic package is the same everywhere. The premium, type of policy and supplementary cover are not.
- You take it out with the health insurerThe application, acceptance and administration run directly through that party.
- You check the documentsPolicy conditions, the schedule of reimbursements and the list of contracted providers.
- We look at the restLiability, income, sickness absence and your other general insurance.
Why arrange it through Finass Verzekert?
We look at the terms as well as the premium, and stay your point of contact when there is a claim.
Independent
We are not tied to one insurer and compare on the basis of an objective analysis of several companies.
One fixed adviser
You call or email someone who knows your file. No menu options, no changing call centres.
Switching without hassle
We cancel your old policy and align the start date, so you are never a day without cover.
Help with claims
We report the claim and monitor how it is handled. In urgent cases you can reach us on the emergency line.
9.5New policy
9.8Claims handling
Customers rate our service on four aspects: personal service, service delivery, availability and the outcome. The reviews are collected and published by NH1816 and come from customers who have actually taken out a policy with Finass Advies B.V. or reported a claim.
Where things go wrong in practice
Four aspects of the system that make the difference when you choose in November.
In-kind, combination and contracted care
Since reimbursement policies left the market in 2025, you choose between in-kind and combination. With an in-kind policy, the insurer pays in full for care from contracted providers; if you go to a provider without a contract, you pay part of the cost yourself, with many policies 25 to 35 per cent of the rate. A combination policy reimburses some types of care on an in-kind basis and others on a reimbursement basis. Budget policies are in-kind policies with a narrow selection of hospitals and pharmacies; the cheapest basic policy cost € 142.40 a month in 2026 with the standard excess. Before 31 December, check in the new insurer's care finder whether your hospital, physiotherapist and mental health provider are contracted, especially for planned care.
Excess: € 385 now, € 400 in 2027
The compulsory excess has stood at € 385 since 2016. The reduction to € 165 that the previous government wanted will not happen; because of the statutory link to healthcare spending, the 2027 Budget Memorandum sets an amount of € 400, the first increase in eleven years. GP care, midwifery, maternity care, community nursing and care for children under 18 are exempt; medicines, hospital care and laboratory tests do count. On top of this you can choose a voluntary excess of € 100 to € 500 in exchange for a premium discount. According to Vektis, 12.1 per cent do so, three quarters of them at the maximum. The maximum saving in 2026 was around € 264 a year; that only pays off if you can pay € 885 in one go.
Supplementary: 80 per cent have it, with waiting periods and bundling
There is no obligation to accept applicants for supplementary insurance. The insurer may ask for a health declaration, impose a waiting period or refuse you; for orthodontic cover from € 1,000, a waiting period of one year has become common. In addition, several insurers link their more extensive supplementary packages to a more expensive basic policy, so the cheapest basic policy cannot be combined with the dental package you want. Do the sums per component: a package with € 500 for physiotherapy and € 250 for dental care often costs more per year than you get back in reimbursements if you do not expect any treatment. 19.4 per cent of insured people have only basic insurance and pay for any other care themselves.
Group schemes: over half, but no longer a discount on the basic policy
54.9 per cent of Dutch people are insured through a group scheme via an employer, municipality, trade union or association, and people with group cover take out supplementary insurance more often (86.3 versus 73.5 per cent). The discount on basic insurance was abolished in 2023; a group scheme now only gives a discount on supplementary insurance or extra cover. A group policy is therefore not automatically the cheapest. Compare the total annual premium for basic and supplementary cover in the group scheme with a separate policy elsewhere, and check whether the group's supplementary cover matches your use. A municipal policy for people on low incomes can be advantageous, though, because the municipality sometimes contributes to the excess or part of the premium.
Frequently asked questions
Questions we receive about health insurance, even though we do not act as intermediary for it.
What is private health insurance?
Before 2006, people above the income threshold were privately insured and those below it were in the public health fund (ziekenfonds). Since the Health Insurance Act, everyone has the same basic insurance with a private health insurer that is obliged to accept them. The term private health insurance is now used for an individual policy, as opposed to a group policy through an employer or association, and sometimes for international medical insurance for expats who do not fall under Dutch law. For residents of the Netherlands, basic insurance is always compulsory.
Why can't I take out my health insurance through Finass?
Our AFM licence covers non-life insurance such as home, car, liability and business risks. Acting as intermediary for health insurance requires a separate sub-licence and specific professional competence under the Wft; we have deliberately chosen not to hold it, because the basic insurance is the same everywhere and the choice is easy to make yourself. You take out your health policy directly with a health insurer or through a comparison site. We do arrange the insurance around it, such as liability, disability and sickness absence cover.
When and how can I switch?
Every year with effect from 1 January. You cancel by 31 December at the latest and take out new basic insurance by 31 January at the latest, which then takes effect retroactively; if you sign up directly with the new insurer, it usually cancels the old policy for you. Insurers publish their premiums by 12 November at the latest. In the 2025-2026 season, 6.4 per cent switched. Switching mid-year is only possible in special situations, such as a mid-year premium increase or the end of a group scheme.
How much healthcare allowance will I receive, and what if I cannot pay the premium?
In 2026 the healthcare allowance (zorgtoeslag) is a maximum of € 129 a month for a single person and € 246 for partners; for 2027 the government estimates around € 140 and € 268, with a lower asset threshold of € 119,122 for single people. If you are six months behind with your premium, the insurer registers you with the CAK, which deducts a higher administrative premium from your income. So if you fall behind, contact your health insurer early to arrange a payment plan.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
Read more
Within Financiering
Similar pages
Do you need advice on your non-life insurance?
Call or email us; for health insurance we refer you to your health insurer.
Prefer to call? 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 09:00–17:00.
Claim on the road? Emergency line 06 - 55 20 40 72.
About our service
Finass Verzekert is a trading name of Finass Advies B.V. We advise on and arrange non-life insurance on the basis of an objective analysis of several insurers, and receive commission for this from the insurer, which is included in the premium. You pay no separate advice fee. Before you take out cover, we establish your wishes and needs.
You will find our licence, KvK and Kifid details and our complaints procedure at the foot of every page.
This page was compiled by Finass Verzekert (LinkedIn). Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.