Health care costs in the Netherlands have been rising enormously for years, but your health care premium has barely increased. How is that possible? This is due to a windfall in the Health Insurance Fund. This government fund is filled with income-related contributions from employees and the self-employed. In 2025, more income than expected came in, leaving money. That surplus is now being used to temporarily keep the premium as stable as possible.
This seems good news, but it is not obvious that every health insurer has such a surplus. If a health insurer does not have a surplus, consumers may therefore still face an increase in health insurance premiums. Yesterday, all airlines announced the New Year's basic insurance premiums. The premiums for supplementary insurances will be announced no later than 19 November.
Despite the current windfall described above, total healthcare costs will continue to rise. Causes include higher salaries in healthcare, an ageing society and expensive medicines. Since 2016, the average health care premium has already increased by more than 50%. Experts expect premiums to rise further in the coming years, possibly towards €200 per month. Although the increase in health insurance premiums should in theory not exceed inflation, in practice this appears difficult to maintain.
The amount of your health care allowance is important, but it is certainly not the only factor you should pay attention to. For example, a cheap policy may mean that you have less freedom of choice in healthcare providers or that certain treatments are not reimbursed. In addition, your personal situation may also change, so you may need a different package than what you currently have. That is why you should always pay attention to:
• What exactly is reimbursed in the (basic) insurance;
• The terms and conditions of the various additional packages;
• How much freedom you have in choosing healthcare providers.
Your life is always changing, which is why the health insurance you took out a while ago may not be a good fit now. By checking this annually, you will avoid paying too much or being confronted with unexpectedly high bills.
Would you like to take a look at the conditions of your health insurance and your health insurance premium? Switching to another health insurance may be attractive or you can change your current policy. Don't forget that you must arrange the cancellation or adjustment by December 31, 2025.
Within your current policy, you can check if you can change things or maybe you can get a better offer elsewhere. In the latter case, please make use of our handy care comparator. Here you can fill in your details and wishes. The tool then gives you the best options that suit your personal situation.