According to annual healthcare research by advisory firm MoneyView, Dutch health insurance premiums, for those who do not make use of their basic package, are almost 75 percent more expensive than they were 13 years ago. For those who have used up all of their compulsory “own risk”, premiums are 68 percent more expensive than in 2006.
Back in 2006, the basic health insurance premium cost around 68,10 euros, as long as one didn’t use any care from the basic healthcare package. Going to the GP does not cost you any of your “own risk”. Next year, the premiums for this same group, who do not use the care, will be 118 euros.
Since 2006, the year the basic health insurance package was introduced, health insurance premiums have risen each year. The years 2013 and 2014 are an exception to this trend, as premiums decreased slightly. However, in 2013, whilst premiums decreased by around two euros per month, own risk was made 150 euros more expensive.
In 2016, the Dutch government froze the compulsory “own risk” amount at 385 euros. Although “own risk” is frozen, health insurance premiums continue to demonstrate an upward trend, one for which an end doesn’t seem in sight.
All health insurers have now announced premiums for next year, and the differences in price for basic packages are huge. On average, premiums will increase by 5,6 percent, much more than the 2 percent increase last year.
For a naturapolis, a health insurance policy which offers 100 percent coverage of health costs at only those healthcare institutions which have an agreement with the insurer, the difference between cheapest and most expensive basic healthcare package was 28,45 euros per month. The most expensive naturapolis is offered by Achmea at 126,95 per month.
For reimbursement policies, which give you a free choice of healthcare providers but where it is possible you will have to pay your health costs and then declare them, the difference between the cheapest and most expensive basic policy is 20,60 per month. The most expensive reimbursement policy is offered by ONVZ and comes in at 134 euros per month, before possible group discount.
So, with premiums rising, is changing health insurer worthwhile? Well, according to Vektis, last year 6,2 percent of insurees switched insurer, around 1,1 million people. This percentage is in line with the percentage of switchers for the last five years. This year, as reported by Pricewise, more people are thinking about switching.
Interestingly, figures from Vektis show that the percentage of people changing health insurer differs greatly per municipality. In 26 percent of Dutch municipalities, the percentage of people moving to another insurer was higher than the national average of 6,2 percent. In Utrecht, the percentage of people switching was the highest, at 13,2 percent. Raalte and Zeist follow Utrecht, with switching percentages of 9,7 and 9,6 percent respectively.
The municipality with the smallest number of people changing insurer is Sluis, with only 2,5 percent of residents finding another health insurance provider. Vlieland, Ameland, Hulst and Schiermonnikoog also have a low percentage of switchers, namely less than 3 percent.