Healthcare & insurance

Start here

General information, not medical or insurance advice. ONL doesn't recommend insurers; compare policies yourself.

1. 1. Choose a basic health insurance (basisverzekering)

   Compulsory if you live or work here; arrange it within 4 months.

   Rijksoverheid · Health insurance when you work in NL (4 months) ↗ · Rijksoverheid · Is health insurance compulsory? ↗
2. 2. Register with a huisarts (GP)

   Your GP is your first stop and refers you to hospitals and specialists. GP visits don't come out of your eigen risico.

   Thuisarts · Registering with a huisarts ↗ · Rijksoverheid · Eigen risico ↗
3. 3. Save the urgent-care numbers

   112 for life-threatening emergencies. Evenings, nights and weekends, call the huisartsenpost (out-of-hours GP) first; in Amsterdam that's 088-00 30 600.

   Rijksoverheid · Huisartsenpost or A&E? ↗ · Huisartsenposten Amsterdam · FAQ ↗
4. 4. Check if you can get zorgtoeslag

   A health-care allowance if your income is below €40,857 (single) or €51,142 (with a partner) in 2026.

   Belastingdienst · Kan ik zorgtoeslag krijgen? ↗

Key facts

Eigen risico 2026

€385 a year (also €385 in 2027), for adults 18+ Rijksoverheid · Eigen risico ↗

No eigen risico for

GP care (including the huisartsenpost) and children under 18 Rijksoverheid · Eigen risico ↗ · Rijksoverheid · Is health insurance compulsory? ↗

Children

Insured free under 18; register a newborn within 4 months Rijksoverheid · Is health insurance compulsory? ↗

Switching

Cancel by 31 December, then take out a new policy by 1 February Rijksoverheid · Overstappen naar andere zorgverzekeraar ↗

Zorgtoeslag 2026

Income up to €40,857 (single) / €51,142 (with partner) Belastingdienst · Kan ik zorgtoeslag krijgen? ↗

Out-of-hours GP Amsterdam

Weekdays 17:00–08:00, weekends Fri 17:00–Mon 08:00, holidays Huisartsenposten Amsterdam · FAQ ↗

Bookmark these

• Rijksoverheid · Is health insurance compulsory? ↗

  Rijksoverheid: who must take out Dutch health insurance.

• Rijksoverheid · Eigen risico ↗

  The eigen risico (deductible): how much and what it covers.

• Rijksoverheid · Overstappen naar andere zorgverzekeraar ↗

  Switching insurer: the 31 December and 1 February deadlines.

• Belastingdienst · Kan ik zorgtoeslag krijgen? ↗

  Can you get zorgtoeslag? The 2026 income and savings limits.

• Thuisarts · Registering with a huisarts ↗

  Thuisarts: choosing and registering with a GP.

• Huisartsenposten Amsterdam · FAQ ↗

  Huisartsenposten Amsterdam: out-of-hours GP, in English.

• Thuisarts · Urgent: who do you call? ↗

  Thuisarts: urgent care, who do you call?

• OLVG · Hospital group Amsterdam ↗

  OLVG, a large hospital group in Amsterdam (East and West).

• Amsterdam UMC · University medical centre (English) ↗

  Amsterdam UMC, the university medical centre, in English.

• I amsterdam · Healthcare and insurance ↗

  I amsterdam on health insurance, GPs, dentists and hospitals.

• I amsterdam · Doctors in the Amsterdam Area ↗

  Finding and registering with a GP (huisarts) in the Amsterdam Area.

• I amsterdam · Health insurance in the Netherlands ↗

  How Dutch health insurance works for newcomers.

• I amsterdam · Emergency services and healthcare helplines ↗

  Emergency numbers and healthcare helplines in one place.

Common questions

When do I need Dutch health insurance by?

Within 4 months of starting to live or work in the Netherlands, even if you still have insurance from abroad. Children need a basic policy too (register a newborn within 4 months); under-18s pay no premium and no eigen risico. Rijksoverheid · Health insurance when you work in NL (4 months) ↗ · Rijksoverheid · Is health insurance compulsory? ↗

Which health insurers are there?

Big names include ONVZ, Zilveren Kruis, CZ, VGZ, Menzis and DSW, and there are more. The basic package is set by law, so compare premium, eigen risico choices, extra cover and contracted care. ONL doesn't recommend an insurer. ONVZ · Zorgverzekeraar ↗ · Zilveren Kruis · Zorgverzekeraar ↗ · CZ · Zorgverzekeraar ↗ · VGZ · Zorgverzekeraar ↗ · Menzis · Zorgverzekeraar ↗ · DSW · Zorgverzekeraar ↗

How much is the eigen risico?

€385 in 2026, and also €385 in 2027. You pay the first €385 of most basic-package care yourself; GP visits are exempt. Rijksoverheid · Eigen risico ↗

Which hospital do I go to in an emergency in Amsterdam?

Life-threatening: call 112. Otherwise call your GP, or out of hours the huisartsenpost (088-00 30 600) first: they decide whether you need hospital emergency care (SEH). Amsterdam's big hospitals are OLVG (locations Oost, Oosterpark 9, and West, Jan Tooropstraat 164) and Amsterdam UMC (locations AMC, Meibergdreef 9, and VUmc, De Boelelaan 1117). Rijksoverheid · Huisartsenpost or A&E? ↗ · Huisartsenposten Amsterdam · FAQ ↗ · OLVG · Hospital group Amsterdam ↗ · Amsterdam UMC · University medical centre (English) ↗

When can I switch insurer?

Each year: cancel by 31 December (a new insurer can do it for you) and take out the new policy by 1 February. Rijksoverheid · Overstappen naar andere zorgverzekeraar ↗

Where do I go at night or at the weekend?

Call the huisartsenpost first; they'll tell you whether you need to come in. Call 112 only for life-threatening situations. Rijksoverheid · Huisartsenpost or A&E? ↗ · Huisartsenposten Amsterdam · FAQ ↗

Do I need a referral for the hospital?

For most specialist and hospital care, yes: your GP gives you a verwijsbrief (referral letter). Rijksoverheid explains when you need one. Rijksoverheid · When do I need a GP referral? ↗

Can I get help paying my premium?

Zorgtoeslag helps if your income and savings are below the limits (2026: €40,857 single, €51,142 with a partner). Apply via Mijn toeslagen. Belastingdienst · Kan ik zorgtoeslag krijgen? ↗