When you think of the essentials you need once you move to the Netherlands, your mind will likely move to housing, a job, and friends. But there’s one important essential you shouldn’t forget: we all need to have insurance in the Netherlands.
As an expat eager to enjoy canal-side terraces and Dutch delicacies, getting insurance in the Netherlands might not seem like… the most enticing thing to jump into after moving.
But worry not, that’s what we’re here for! Let’s go over all you need to know about Dutch insurance in 2025.
Need insurance in the Netherlands? Get insured via ING. From home insurance to car insurance and travel insurance, ING lets you have it all in one place, ensuring you have perfect coverage, without paying for unnecessary policies. Even better? You can easily access your policies via the ING app, meaning you’ll always have a handy overview at your fingertips.
Mandatory insurance in the Netherlands
Let’s start with the basics: types of insurance that are mandatory in the Netherlands. These are the types of insurance that you’ll want to take out ASAP after moving to the lowlands.
🩺 Health insurance
The only Dutch insurance that everyone needs to have when living in the Netherlands is basic health insurance.
This is true for both children and adults and covers basic healthcare, including visits to the GP and the hospital (and specialists, if you have been referred to one), prescriptions and mental health treatments.
There are many different health insurance providers in the Netherlands, but they all have to offer the same basic coverage by law.
They’re also roughly all the same price, with basic healthcare costing an average of €157 in 2025.
However, this varies depending on which eigen risico (own risk) you choose. This is a mandatory deductible that you must pay towards your healthcare costs before your insurance covers the rest.
The compulsory deductible in 2025 is €385, but you can opt to increase this deductible in exchange for a lower monthly premium.
Depending on your income, you may be eligible for zorgtoeslag (healthcare allowance), an allowance paid by the Dutch government to help reduce your costs.
READ MORE | Toeslagen? Everything you should know about government allowances in the Netherlands [2025 guide]
For additional coverage, such as dental, additional insurance is needed. However, unlike the basic package, you’re not required to have this by law. In this way, there’s a lot of freedom when it comes to how you cover yourself.
Good to know: Irrespective of when you arrive in the Netherlands, you can take out Dutch health insurance at any time of year.
I’m moving to the Netherlands. When do I have to take out compulsory health insurance?
You should take out health insurance as soon as you arrive in the Netherlands. In an ideal situation, you would be covered from the day you arrive. This is the case even if you are still covered by health insurance from your home country.
If you don’t get it set up within the first few weeks, that’s ok, but you must be covered no later than four months after you arrive in the Netherlands.
You may be exempt from having to take out Dutch health insurance if:
- You work for an EU institution and are covered by the Joint Sickness Insurance Scheme (JSIS) of the European Union.
- You’re under 30 and only here for your studies with no part-time job.
🚗 Liability insurance for motor vehicles
Do you plan on driving your own car in the Netherlands? Then you’ll need to take out liability insurance for motor vehicles, or Wettelijke Aansprakelijkheidsverzekering. It’s important to know that it’s illegal to drive a car in the Netherlands without this, and the police can fine you if you’re caught.
This insurance covers the financial liability of a driver in case they cause an accident that damages other people, their property, or other vehicles.
Liability insurance for motor vehicles in the Netherlands,
- Covers damage done to others’ property in case of an accident (unless there was gross negligence on your part).
- Covers medical expenses of others and compensation in case of an accident (unless there was gross negligence on your part).
- Does not cover damage to your own vehicle or your own injury in an accident. For this, you would need additional insurance, such as:
- Beperkt casco (limited coverage), for things like theft, fire, or storm damage
- Volledig casco (all risk), including damage you cause to your own car
Good to know: In the Netherlands, car insurance is not tied to the policyholder (i.e. the person who took out the insurance), but to the car. This means other drivers of the same car, as long as they drive it with permission of the owner, are also covered for any damage they may cause while operating the vehicle.
🏠 Home insurance
Known as opstalverzekering, home insurance in the Netherlands protects the structure of your home, such as the walls, roof, windows, and the kitchen (built-in parts). On top of that, it typically covers accidents such as fire, storm, water damage, or vandalism.
You should note that opstalverzekering doesn’t cover any damage to the contents of your home. In order to insure your loose belongings, you will have to take out inboedelverzekering.
While this insurance isn’t technically mandatory in the Netherlands, it becomes mandatory if you buy a house with a mortgage.
Wait what? Let me explain. In the Netherlands, you’re not required to have home insurance by law, but most Dutch banks and mortgage lenders will require that you take it out before they give you a mortgage.
And that makes a lot of sense. After all, the house you buy is the mortgage lender’s collateral, so if something happens to it, they want to make sure it can be repaired or rebuilt.
What happens if I don’t have mandatory insurance?
Motor vehicle liability insurance (if you have a car) and health insurance are mandatory in the Netherlands, and not having them can lead to serious consequences:
- If you don’t have motor vehicle liability insurance (WA-verzekering), you risk a €400 fine, which can be imposed three times a year, even if your car isn’t being used. If you cause an accident while uninsured, you must pay all damages yourself, which can be extremely expensive.
- If you don’t take out Dutch health insurance within four months of living or working in the Netherlands, you’ll receive a warning and then fines of €528 each. Eventually, the government will register you for insurance and deduct the costs from your income.
Optional (but recommended) insurance in the Netherlands
Besides the mandatory insurances, there are many other types of insurance available in the Netherlands. While you’re not legally required to have them, many people opt to take these out as they can offer great protection and peace of mind.
Studying in the Netherlands? You’re in luck! ING’s student insurance is a 3-in-1 insurance to protect you from the most common risks at an affordable price. Giving you contents, accident, and liability cover starting at just €3.76 per month, student insurance can easily be taken out online — so what are you waiting for?
✅ Personal liability insurance (aansprakelijkheidsverzekering)
Personal liability insurance covers any accidental damage you may cause to other people or their belongings.
Knocked over a friend’s TV? Accidentally ran their bike into a wall? Or dropped their phone? That’s what aansprakelijkheidsverzekering is for.
It’s usually quite affordable and can prevent you from having to pay large amounts for small oopsies, so it might be worth considering.
🛋️ Home contents insurance (inboedelverzekering)
So you’re covered for the damage you might do to your friend’s belongings — but what about your own? Home contents insurance is what you need in this case.
This can not only be good for homeowners, but also for renters, as it protects everything inside your home against damage or theft, like your furniture, electronics, or jewellery.
If there’s a fire, a leak, or a break-in, this insurance also helps cover the cost of replacing your things.
✈️ Travel insurance (reisverzekering)
Travel insurance does what the name suggests: It protects you in case things go wrong when you’re travelling. It’s a smart idea to take this out if you travel a few times a year, even just within Europe.
Whether it’s flight cancellations, lost luggage, or medical emergencies, you can choose to cover these mishaps with reisverzekering. Usually, you can opt for a policy for just one trip (this is often an add-on when booking your flights) or a yearly plan.
Good to know: Even if you only take 2–3 trips per year, annual travel insurance (doorlopende reisverzekering), can be surprisingly affordable — sometimes as little as €10 per month!
👩⚖️ Legal insurance (rechtsbijstandverzekering)
Somehow ended up in a legal dispute? Whether it’s your landlord, your employer, or a neighbour, legal insurance is here to help you out, giving you access to legal advice and covering legal costs should you ever need it.
How to get insurance as an international in the Netherlands
Getting insured in the Netherlands is usually a straightforward process, and many providers let you set it all up online and in English.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get Dutch insurance:
- Find a provider you like. You can use a comparison tool to compare prices and offerings for different types of insurance. Once you’ve found one that fits, it’s time to apply.
- Apply online. Most of the time, you can apply directly on the insurer’s website. Many major insurance companies offer information in English, especially for health insurance.
- Provide the necessary documents. To complete your application, your insurer may ask you to provide:
- Your BSN (Burgerservicenummer),
- Proof of address (for example, a rental contract),
- Bank account details,
- A passport or ID
- Receive your policy (polis). Once approved, you’ll get a policy document by email or post. And tada, you’re all set!
How to find a Dutch insurance provider that fits
When getting insured as an international in the Netherlands, it’s important to choose an insurance provider that matches your needs, not just in terms of price, but also coverage, service, and language options.
To do so, comparison tools are your best friends. These handy online sites let you compare different providers based on price, policy features, and customer reviews, so they’re a great way to get an overview of all your options.
We recommend websites like Independer.nl, Pricewise.nl or Verzekering.nl.
However, another great way to find out which insurance provider is best for you is to ask other internationals for recommendations — never underestimate the power of your network.
When can I switch or cancel my insurance?
Most types of insurance in the Netherlands, like liability, home, or travel insurance, come with yearly contracts that automatically renew unless you cancel them.
While you can cancel the renewal of your contracts with most insurances on any given day, Dutch health insurance is a little special when it comes to switching providers.
How so? Because you can only switch to a new health insurer once per year, during the annual switching period between mid-November and December 31. However, this is only the case if you want to switch providers, if you’re simply looking to take out a health insurance policy, you can do this at any time of year.
What if I move abroad or go through a major life change?
Good question — especially for expats! In some cases, you might be able to cancel your Dutch insurance immediately, even if you’re still in the middle of your contract.
This could be the case, for example, if you move abroad, or go through a change that means you no longer need a specific insurance (like selling your car or your house).
If you want to cancel your insurance before your contract runs out, it’s always best to contact your insurance provider as soon as your situation changes.
They may ask for proof (like proof of deregistration), but if you’re no longer eligible or in need of the coverage, they usually allow early cancellation.
How to complain about an insurance provider in the Netherlands
Not happy with how your Dutch insurance company is treating you? It happens.
If this is the case, the best thing to do is to first contact your insurer’s customer service or complaints department. You can usually find a way to contact them on your policy provider’s website. Make sure to clearly explain your problems and, if you have any, include proof of your claims.
If this doesn’t get you the desired outcome, you can take things further by turning to the Klachteninstituut Financiële Dienstverlening (Financial Services Complaints Institute).
This is an independent organisation that helps consumers and small businesses resolve issues with financial service providers in the Netherlands, including insurance companies.
Want insurance that won’t give you a headache? 😉 With ING as your bank, taking out insurance is a piece of cake — so you can skip the endless forms and documentation needed to complete your insurance application. Plus, you can easily keep an eye on your coverage and daily finances in the ING app. Learn more.
Does the Dutch insurance system differ from the one in your country? What insurance do you recommend internationals take out in the Netherlands? Share your thoughts in the comments.
This article was sponsored by ING and written by DutchReview.