Find the best Dutch health insurance with this checklist

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You only have a few days left to find the best health insurance for 2023. But how do you find the best deal for yourself, and what should you think about? Here’s a checklist to help you on your way.

Check what kind of healthcare you need

First, make a list of the health care things you need in the coming year, such as:

1. Visits to the family doctor
2. hospital medical check-up
3. Medicine
4. A dental check-up and 10 minute deep cleaning
5. Eight physiotherapy treatments

Next, determine what the base insurance covers and what doesn’t:

• 1, 2 and 3: covered by basic insurance
• 4 and 5: covered by supplementary insurance

Also determine if there are any small risks you want to insure, just in case, such as dental accidents and medical costs abroad.

Decide if you can afford a higher deductible

It’s a good idea to decide whether to increase your own risk payment (deductible) in exchange for a lower insurance premium.

This could be interesting if:

• You expect to have less than €385 of basic insurance cost next year
• You may be missing a total sum of €885 in case something happens

Compare prices and policy conditions

Now use your list of health care needs and deductible preferences to compare online.

Be sure to check out Zorgwijzer online english comparison tool and compare the different elements, such as:

• Price per month
• Coverage
• customer satisfaction
• Choice of health provider

Play around with the filters and try to decide if your supplemental rebates compare to the premium you’re about to pay each month.

Sometimes it will be cheaper to go with a basic plan and pay for the extras, like a dental checkup, yourself.

Compare the five cheapest insurers (in Dutch: vergelijk zorgverzekeringen) for the basic plan with a franchise of €385:

1. ZEKURES: €122.95
2. VinkVink: €125.00
3. FBTO: €126.95
4. Unive, United Consumers, Bewuzt: €127.45
5. Only: €127.95

Please note that ZEKUR has limited hospital coverage.

Check to see if your healthcare provider has a contract

If you need treatment, will you be satisfied with any hospital? Or do you always want to choose your own healthcare provider? If the latter is true, pay special attention to the healthcare provider choice options included in your plan.

Check in advance if your preferred health care providers, such as hospitals, pharmacies and health clinics, are within the network contracted by the insurer.

If you don’t want to actively check if a provider is in the insurer’s network, you may want to choose a broader basic policy with a very broad health option. This is called ‘combinatiepolis’ or ‘restitutiepolis’ in Dutch.

Take advantage of additional services

Health insurance companies go to great lengths to distinguish themselves from one another.

So check if you can benefit from certain additional services such as:

• A personal health check
• A free app that allows you to chat directly with a medical professional
• A lifestyle program with rebates
• free accident insurance
• Discount in gyms and health clubs

make the change

If you get new health insurance before January 1, your new insurance company will make sure:

• Your old plan is automatically canceled
• Your new plan starts on January 1

In addition, you always have a 14-day reflection period in which you can cancel your decision for free and at no cost.

So, it’s time to make the switch!

Check out Zorgwijzer for the best deals.