NetherlandsWorldwide

I am going to live and work abroad. How will this affect my health insurance?

If you are going to live and work abroad, you cannot usually keep your Dutch health insurance. Whether you can keep your insurance depends on how long you will be abroad, the country you will be in, and what you will be doing there.

I am going to work in an EU member state or a country with which the Netherlands has a reciprocal healthcare agreement

If you will be working for a non-Dutch employer in an EU member state or in a country with which the Netherlands has a reciprocal healthcare agreement, you cannot keep your Dutch health insurance. It does not matter how long you will be working abroad. Cancel your policy in the Netherlands and take out new insurance in the country where you will be working.

I am going to work outside the EU in a country with which the Netherlands does not have a reciprocal healthcare agreement

If you will be working for a non-Dutch employer outside the EU in a country with which the Netherlands does not have a reciprocal healthcare agreement for longer than 3 months, you cannot keep your Dutch health insurance. Cancel your policy in the Netherlands and take out new insurance in the country where you will be working.

Attention: Please note that many companies make arrangements for employee health insurance. Check with your employer whether this is the case.

How can I arrange health insurance abroad?

Exceptions

In certain cases you can keep your Dutch health insurance even if you will be living and working abroad for more than 3 months.

If you will be working in an EU/EEA country or Switzerland for a Dutch company for less than 24 months, you can keep your Dutch health insurance. You will need an A1 form in the country where you will be living to show that you are insured.

Apply for an A1 form/posting certificate from the Social Insurance Bank (SVB)

If you are being posted to a country outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland, whether you can keep your insurance depends on the country in question.

Apply for a certificate of coverage/posting certificate from the Social Insurance Bank (SVB)

If you work at a Dutch embassy or consulate abroad, you can keep your Dutch health insurance.

If you work in the Netherlands and abroad you may be able to keep your Dutch health insurance in certain cases. The SVB will determine this.

Contact the SVB

If you are a member of the Dutch military deployed abroad, you must have Dutch health insurance. The same applies to family members who live with you if your deployment is to a country outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland or the United Kingdom. If you are deployed to an EU/EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, your family members cannot keep their Dutch health insurance.

Health insurance for family members

If your family members are moving abroad with you, this could affect their health insurance. Contact the insurer for more information.

What you also need to arrange if you’re going to move abroad

Contact

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.