When you are planning to study abroad, you have to take care of practical matters like visa, flight tickets, insurance, and housing. In this post, we will cover one of these matters: Health Insurance. We will talk about why insurance is required? How does your insurance change when you are working or doing an internship along with your studies? To find out the answers to all these questions, please keep on reading. But before that, please subscribe to our channel if you haven't already.
Please note that all the information shared here is specific to the Netherlands.
As we mentioned in our previous post named "8 initial expenses in the Netherlands", insurance is one of the expenses which will incur when you are moving to the Netherlands. It is mandatory to have health insurance. So let's dive into the questions!
Question 1: Why do I need health insurance?
It is understandable why you might have this question. You may be very healthy and might not visit doctors that often. Thus, the premium of insurance might look expensive. But not buying health insurance because of the premium cost is a gamble that you might end up losing if you get injured or seriously ill. Trust us guys, the biggest advantage is to have financial protection and that peace of mind of knowing you can get access to affordable healthcare when you need it.
Also, in the Netherlands, it is mandatory to take health insurance within four months of getting a residence permit. If you fail to do so, you may receive a letter from CAK Netherland stating that you are uninsured and you will be fined. CAK Netherlands is a government organization responsible for uninsured regulation. They send out the letters, issue fines, and take further action to get you insured. The fine for not having health insurance is around 410 euros. So not getting health insurance for yourself is really not an option. You absolutely need it.
Question 2 - What is Dutch insurance and private insurance?
The health insurance system in the Netherlands is based on the principle of social solidarity. Together, Dutch people pay the overall cost of health care. Everyone contributes to the healthcare system. This is what Dutch insurance means.
It is overseen by the Dutch government and policies offered by the insurance companies are regulated. The Dutch government decides on the cover provided by the different insurers. Healthcare insurers are obliged to accept anyone who applies for the standard insurance package and must charge all policyholders the same premium, regardless of their age or state of health.
Private insurance, on the other hand, is not controlled by the Dutch government. The cost and coverage of the insurance offered by these companies will vary. It is up to you which policy to buy. Allianz and Aon are some of the famous private insurance providers in the Netherlands.
Question 3: Which one should I take? Dutch health insurance or private health insurance?
International students are not always required to take out Dutch health insurance. Whether you are required to or not depends on several factors such as the duration of your stay, if you are doing a paid internship or part-time job, and whether you have insurance in your home country.
If you are a non-European student and you are not working during your studies, then you cannot take out Dutch public health insurance. Your best option is to take out private health insurance. Use this portal to compare different private insurance options. Additionally, your university will also let you know about which insurance is best suited for you and in our opinion, it is always best to go with the option suggested by your university. But if you are a non-European student and working or doing an internship then you need Dutch insurance.
Question 4: What steps are necessary to get basic Dutch healthcare insurance?
For European students, there are 3 steps which you need to take to get basic Dutch healthcare insurance:
Make sure you are eligible for Dutch health insurance.
Compare different health insurance policies. Again, you can find all the relevant links in the description box.
Choose and apply for health insurance online.
For non-European students, please follow the following steps:
Apply for the residence permit at IND. In our previous post, we have explained in detail the steps to get your visa and residence permit. If you haven't watched that video yet, we highly recommend you to watch it.
Once your registration at the IND is successful, you can go to the local town hall, in the city you are residing and register yourself as a new inhabitant. You will then receive a citizen service number, also known as BSN.
Once you have your BSN number, you can compare and select your own basic Dutch health insurance. In addition to this basic package, you can choose supplemental health cover which we will discuss in the latter part of this video.
Question 5: What medical costs does the basic health insurance cover?
If you have taken private health insurance then medical cost coverage depends on the insurance company. Please go through the coverage list before buying insurance. Make sure the policy you are buying meets your necessities. If you have any special medical condition for which you need to visit the hospital, then verify if it is covered by the policy or not. This very is important because the hospital visits in the Netherlands can be expensive if you do not have a proper health cover.
If you have basic Dutch health insurance then it covers essential health care, such as visits and treatments by a general practitioner, pharmaceuticals, and hospital treatments. Within the Dutch healthcare system, you are also entitled to long-term care and social support care. We have created the complete list of medical services covered by the Dutch health insurance.
Question 6: Can I get healthcare allowances?
If you are an international student with Dutch healthcare insurance then the answer is: Yes! But there are several requirements to be met to be eligible for this allowance.
Here's the list of requirements:
You are 18 years or older.
You have Dutch health insurance.
You have a Dutch citizen number (BSN).
Your salary is below 29,000 euros.
Question 7: What is the next step after buying insurance?
After you have purchased your Dutch health insurance provider, you should register with a general practitioner or GP for short. This is the first point of contact in getting healthcare in the Netherlands. Keep in mind that this is a very important step once you land in the Netherlands. Because if you fall ill and you are not registered at GP then it will be very difficult for you to find a nearby doctor who is taking patients. The doctors usually see patients who are registered with them and have an appointment. Thus, make sure you register at GP as soon as you get your insurance.
Question 8: How do I find a GP and make an appointment?
Use this link to the portal where you can enter your zip code and get nearby doctors. Once you choose the doctor of your preference, you can register yourself with that GP.
Another option is to visit your town hall. There you can request a booklet issued by the municipality which contains information about all the local GPs, sports groups, daycare, etc.
Once you register yourself at the GP of your choice, you can make an appointment by directly calling them. Many GPs have consultation hours, where you do not need an appointment and you can directly speak to the doctors. But the timings of such consultation hours vary from GP to GP. If you need an appointment with a specialist, you first need to visit your GP and then after assessing the situation, the GP will refer you to the specialist. You will also need to show this referral to your insurance company if you wish the costs to be covered.
We hope you will find these answers useful. Let us know if we missed any question or if you have any future blog requests. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel!