Switching health insurer in the Netherlands
There is one switching window a year. Cancel your current policy by 31 december and arrange a new one by 1 februari; the new policy then applies from 1 januari. Outside that window you stay where you are for another year.
The dates, and nothing else matters
Up to and including 31 december you may cancel. You then have until 1 februari to take out a new policy, and it counts from 1 januari.
In practice you do not cancel first and shop afterwards. You pick the new policy, and the new insurer cancels the old one for you. That avoids the nightmare of being uninsured in between.
Premiums for the coming year come out by 12 November, so the useful part of the window is the seven weeks after that.
They have to accept you
For the basic package every Dutch insurer must take you on, regardless of your age, your health or any existing condition. They cannot ask medical questions and they cannot refuse you.
Additional insurance is different. That is voluntary, insurers are allowed to refuse it, and they may ask medical questions first. If you rely on additional cover, check that you can get it before you cancel anything.
What to actually compare
Since the basic cover is identical by law, there are only a few things to weigh. The monthly premium. Whether your hospital or clinic has a contract with that insurer, because without one you can be left paying part of the bill. And whether you want additional insurance, which is where real differences between insurers show up.
A yearly premium difference of a few euros a month is worth less than being sent to a hospital your insurer has no contract with. Check the contracts before you let the premium decide.
Where our figures come from
Every amount on this page comes from the Dutch government, not from us and not from another comparison site. We never publish a figure we cannot point at a source for. Where something is not yet decided, such as the deductible for 2027, we say so instead of picking one number.
We earn money when someone takes out a policy through a link on this site. That does not change what we write: the basic package is identical by law at every insurer, so there is nothing for us to tilt.
Read on
Frequently asked questions
Can I switch in the middle of the year?
Normally no. The window runs to 31 december, with a new policy by 1 februari. There are specific situations where you may switch outside it, for instance if your insurer changes your policy; check that with your insurer.
Will I be left uninsured while switching?
Not if you let the new insurer handle it. They cancel your old policy once you have signed up, so the cover runs on without a gap.
Can an insurer refuse me?
Not for the basic package. They must accept everyone. For additional insurance they may refuse you or ask medical questions first.