The best health insurance in the Netherlands for 2026: A comparison

Thinking of switching your Dutch health insurance provider for 2026? We break down the best, cheapest and highest-rated options, to give you clarity.

Thinking of switching your health insurance? Here’s how to decide

It’s nearing the end of 2025, and the December 31 deadline for switching to a new health insurer is approaching. You might be weighing up your options, but choosing the right health insurance in the Netherlands can be confusing, especially when all providers must, by law, offer the same basic coverage. 

But while the basic package is standardised, costs, coverage, customer support, and special perks vary a lot - and that’s where switching can make a big difference.

So whether you’re simply looking for the cheapest plan, or you’re happy to pay a bit extra for the bonus of additional coverage, great customer service, or other perks, we’ve compared some of the most notable insurers on a range of key factors, so you can decide which fits your needs best. 

How we’ve compared these Dutch health insurers

When comparing the different Dutch health insurers, we’ve focused on the five key areas that matter most: 

Cost

Cost is normally the first thing people look at. And we know full well that some people just switch to the cheapest insurer each year. It might interest you to know that in 2026, there’s a €511,20 annual difference between the cheapest insurance package and the most expensive - so there are great savings to be made by opting for a cheaper provider.

Coverage

However, cost does need to be balanced with coverage. While all insurers offer the same basic standard of care with their basic health insurance packages, there can be differences in the extent of coverage.

This is because health insurance companies have different options when it comes to the number of service providers each policy includes, as follows:

• An in-kind policy (naturapolis) only covers care carried out by contracted health providers. If your chosen doctor or hospital does not have a contract with your health insurer, your bill will only be partially covered, and you may have to pay 20-40% of the costs yourself. 
• An in-kind budget policy (naturaverzekering budget) has similar restrictions, but the number of contracted health providers is usually smaller than with a regular in-kind policy. 
• A combination policy (combinatiepolis) gives you the most freedom of choice, and you can normally go to any healthcare provider and have the costs reimbursed. 

It’s therefore important when choosing a health insurance policy to consider how much freedom you’d have over choosing a care provider. If you have a specific provider in mind, you can always check whether they are covered by an insurance company on the Independer website.

When thinking about coverage, it’s also worth considering whether you’d like any optional extras included in your basic health insurance policy. These are typically added by purchasing additional health insurance, but many providers offer packages that bundle together basic health insurance with, for example, dental care, contraception, glasses, or physiotherapy. Choosing a bundle like this could save you money. 

Service in English (or other languages)

Not all health insurers in the Netherlands are equal when it comes to catering to expats. While many offer at least some basic English support, only a select few cater almost entirely to English speakers, providing everything from policy documents to claims processes in English. 

Customer service

Customer service is a factor that is easily dismissed, but shouldn’t be overlooked! You’ll want to choose an insurer that's readily available when you need help. We’ve taken a look at the customer support options offered by each insurer, for instance, whether they offer phone, chat or app support, and how their customer service is rated by the people they insure. 

Special features or perks

And finally, some insurers go the extra mile, offering perks such as preventative health programmes, telemedicine apps, or the option to waive your mandatory excess (eigen risico), among others. We’ve highlighted any great features we think make a specific insurer stand out. 

At a glance: The best Dutch health insurers in 2026

Here’s a quick side-by-side summary to help you compare the major players: 

Provider	Cost per month (2026)	Coverage	English support	Customer service	Special features
VinkVink	From €142,40	Broad	Limited	Web chat only	Ultra-budget option
UnitedConsumers	From €125,40 (with €885 deductible)	Broad	Limited	Web chat, WhatsApp, phone, email	Cheapest monthly premium
FBTO	From €148,75	Broad	Very limited	Web chat, WhatsApp, phone	Flexible modular coverage
Glider Insurance	From €166,80	Very broad	100% English	WhatsApp, web form, phone	No eigen risico
Zilveren Kruis	From €159,25	Broad	Some English support	Web chat, phone	Established, reliable provider
OHRA	€159,55	Close to 100%	Limited	Web chat, phone	Broadest coverage
De Friesland	€150,75	Broad	Limited	Web chat, phone	Discounts for customers using preventative solutions

VinkVink

VinkVink is the go-to insurance provider for those watching their wallets, offering the lowest basic premium for 2026 with a standard deductible (eigen risico) of €385, starting at €142,40 per month. 

VinkVink’s insurance coverage is provided by Menzis, and the coverage is actually broader than you might expect, since it’s a combination policy with a wide choice of hospitals. However, the choice of other care providers is average, and note that the reimbursement rate for uncontracted healthcare providers is lower than that of some other insurers (65%). 

VinkVink keeps its prices low by offering little in the way of frills: it’s a fully digital, app-based insurance company. That means there’s no option to reach an employee by phone; all customer service is handled via chat (weekdays only). There’s a (basic) English version of both the website and the app. 

UnitedConsumers

If you’re truly trying to keep your monthly premium as low as possible, and don’t mind increasing your deductible to the maximum (€885), it’s also worth mentioning that UnitedConsumers offers the cheapest monthly premium in 2026 of €125,40 - without sacrificing too much on coverage or customer service. 

UnitedConsumers is part of VGZ, one of the largest health insurance groups in the Netherlands, and has contracts with 98% of all hospitals, 45% of all clinics, and 94% of all pharmacies. However, it is worth noting that the reimbursement rate for uncontracted care providers is low at 60%, so it’s worth checking coverage in your area. 

Customer service is available via web chat, WhatsApp, telephone, and email, and some services, like the app, are offered in English. 

FBTO

FBTO shines on this list thanks to its flexible, modular coverage. Rather than only allowing customers to add optional extras once per year, FBTO lets you add additional features such as dental care or care abroad at any time, with a mix-and-match approach to ensure a really bespoke policy. 

Part of the Achmea group, FBTO offers the same broad coverage as other providers in the group, such as Zilveren Kruis. The selection of hospitals is very wide, while the choice of other providers is average, and the reimbursement rate for uncontracted providers ranges from 65% to 100%, depending on your package. 

FBTO also promises a quick, easy claims process via app, with approved claims paid out within one working day. FBTO offers a greater range of customer contact options, including 24/7 webchat, WhatsApp (Monday-Saturday), and phone support. However, there is no dedicated English-language support, so your experience will depend on the language abilities of the support assistant assigned to you. 

Glider Insurance

Glider Insurance is built with expats in mind. No confusing policy add-ons, no fine print in Dutch, and - best of all - no eigen risico. With Glider, the mandatory excess is waived, meaning you don’t have to pay any out-of-pocket costs upfront. 

An intermediary of HollandZorg, Glider Insurance offers broad, catch-all packages that include not only basic care but also emergency dental coverage and worldwide repatriation. Regular dental care, physiotherapy and remedial therapy can also be purchased as optional extras. Even the cheapest package includes access to all public hospitals and GPs in the Netherlands. 

Glider is our top choice for English-language customer support. With Glider, everything from customer service to policy documents is in English, so you’ll always know exactly what you’re signing. Customer service is available via WhatsApp or messaging, and there is also an English-speaking phone line. 

Zilveren Kruis

The largest health insurer in the Netherlands, Zilveren Kruis is a trusted name with a broad network and plenty of options for tailoring your coverage. It’s a good choice if you’re looking for a recognised, reliable provider. 

Zilveren Kruis offers broad coverage, even with its most basic package, including all hospitals and GPs, a broad range of pharmacies, and around two-thirds of all specialists. The reimbursement rate for uncontracted healthcare providers is between 70% and 100%. 

Customer support is comprehensive, covering live chat and phone support, and all claims can be managed via an app that is also (mostly) available in English. While most letters and insurance policy documents are sent in Dutch, Zilveren Kruis does offer translated examples to help you understand them. 

OHRA

If you don’t mind spending a little more in exchange for excellent customer service and the widest choice of options, then OHRA might be what you’re looking for. They give you 100% freedom of choice for hospitals, GPs, physiotherapists, specialist care and maternity care.

On top of this, OHRA will generally reimburse 100% of your bill, even if you go with an uncontracted provider. The only exceptions are for mental healthcare or community nursing, which is reimbursed at 75%. 

OHRA offers customer support via chatbot and phone. While some copies of documents are provided in English, there is no dedicated English customer support. 

De Friesland

And finally, De Friesland is the insurer that thinks prevention is better than cure. They focus heavily on preventative care, wellness programmes, and digital tools to make healthcare more accessible. For instance, customers who use their Samen Fitter app can save for a discount on their additional health insurance.

De Friesland has average coverage and reimburses claims for uncontracted healthcare providers at 80%. 

Customer service is provided via Chatbot and a phone line. De Friesland also has an app for everything from claims management to FAQs. Approved claims are paid out within one working day. Some documents are provided in English, but there is no dedicated English customer support. 

Get ready to switch!

Thinking of switching your health insurer? Check out a bigger list of providers on our health insurance page, and make sure you switch by December 31, 2025, to get your insurance in place for 2026!