Insurance in the Netherlands
Insurance in The Netherlands
Once again, insurance is not a difficult thing to organize but it can be costly if you do not get it right. Some insurances are obligatory and are required by law, (just like in your home countries) and others are optional.
And you should carefully investigate and fully understand the insurance environment in the Netherlands for expatriates and make sure that you choose the right insurance and level of cover which is appropriate to your individual circumstances.
By law, you must have medical insurance in the Netherlands and this can be arranged through a private company or through your employer. If you are working in a self employed capacity, you might need a specific type of medical insurance so make sure you declare this if this is the case.
As with most countries, Life Insurance is available, but this is not required by law.
Even though you can cycle comfortably in the Netherlands, many of you many need to drive, and if so, you will need at a minimum, third party insurance for your motor car.
Whether you are a tenant or homeowner, you might want to consider belongings insurance. You should take out contents insurance which covers the contents of your house and many insurances may even cover your mobile phone, but you may need to check with your insurer to see if this is the case. As a homeowner in the Netherlands, you will need to take out buildings insurance just as you would in your own country, just in case the house suffers fire, flood damage etc...
With so many insurances to consider there can be a lot to organize and, to help you with this, we have prepared a directory of insurance providers in the Netherlands with useful descriptions of their services and you can find it here.
And you should carefully investigate and fully understand the insurance environment in the Netherlands for expatriates and make sure that you choose the right insurance and level of cover which is appropriate to your individual circumstances.
By law, you must have medical insurance in the Netherlands and this can be arranged through a private company or through your employer. If you are working in a self employed capacity, you might need a specific type of medical insurance so make sure you declare this if this is the case.
As with most countries, Life Insurance is available, but this is not required by law.
Even though you can cycle comfortably in the Netherlands, many of you many need to drive, and if so, you will need at a minimum, third party insurance for your motor car.
Whether you are a tenant or homeowner, you might want to consider belongings insurance. You should take out contents insurance which covers the contents of your house and many insurances may even cover your mobile phone, but you may need to check with your insurer to see if this is the case. As a homeowner in the Netherlands, you will need to take out buildings insurance just as you would in your own country, just in case the house suffers fire, flood damage etc...
With so many insurances to consider there can be a lot to organize and, to help you with this, we have prepared a directory of insurance providers in the Netherlands with useful descriptions of their services and you can find it here.
Healthcare insurance in the Netherlands
If you come to live and work in the Netherlands, it is compulsory for you to take out healthcare insurance in the Netherlands as soon as you start paying tax here as well.
Some employers assist in chosing the healthcare insuarance and have a collective scheme, however it is your responsibility as an individual to take care of healthcare insurance yourself.
The following problems may occur when taking out insurancein the Netherlands :
- Once you have arrived in the Netherlands, it can sometimes take a long time before you are allocated a Citizen Service Number (Burgerservicenummer, or BSN). Most insurers do not accept insured without a BSN number, which is why it is important for you to contact us;
- A visa application can also take longer than expected. Legal proceedings then have to be commenced and these can drag on for months. Without a visa you cannot, in principle, take out healthcare insurance.
Just imagine being uninsured if you are involved in an accident or become ill and have to pay the medical and/or hospital expenses out of your own pocket. This is naturally a situation that no one wants to be in and it can lead to considerable financial loss. An operation costs thousands of Euros a day, so that follow-up treatment will cost many times this amount.
Automobile insurance in the Netherlands
The Netherlands has an outstanding public transport system. And yet many professionals prefer an automobile, which then naturally has to be well insured. "Well insured" does not just mean excellent cover, but also thinking along with you as the insured. If your car is damaged or breaks down for example, make sure that alternative transport is offered to you so that can still turn up for work on time!
Liability insurance in the Netherlands
Personal liability in the Netherlands is still a frequently underestimated insurance. Cost is not an obstacle, since you are fully insured for around € 3.00 a month. The policy provides cover when you accidentally cause damage to other people's property, when you sit on your colleague's glasses for example, or run your shopping trolley into someone else's automobile in the supermarket car park!
Household contents
Once you have found the right house, you naturally want to furnish it to your own taste. At the same time, bad luck can happen to anyone. Theft, for example, is still a problem in the Netherlands unfortunately - certainly in the cities. But a household contents policy assures you of compensation for the loss sustained. Fire and water damage also fall under our extended cover and what is more, all your possessions are insured for replacement value!
Source of information Kendall Mason B.V.