Not working

If you live in the Netherlands, you must have health insurance even if you are not working. 

Your situation if you live in the Netherlands 

If you live in the Netherlands, for example because you are staying here for an extended period of time, you must take out basic health insurance. You must do this even if you are not working. The SVB decides whether you are living in the Netherlands. By ‘living’, we mean that you are staying here for an extended period of time and have ties to the Netherlands. 

If you do not have much money, you can claim healthcare benefit from Belastingdienst. This is a monthly payment that helps you pay for your health insurance premium. 

Your situation if you are in the Netherlands temporarily 

If you are a migrant worker living in the Netherlands temporarily and you are no longer working, you cannot have Dutch health insurance. This means you are responsible for your own healthcare costs. You will probably have to rely on social security provided by the country you come from.  

In that case, you need to: 

• contact the health insurance organisation in the country you come from, or 
• take out international health insurance. 

By doing this, you can avoid a situation in which you are uninsured and become sick or need to see a doctor. 

Your situation if you stop working 

If you stop working, this affects your health insurance. Two situations are possible: 

1. You receive a benefit (such as unemployment benefit or sickness benefit): 

• Your health insurance will continue as normal. 
• You must continue to pay the premium. 
• Contact your health insurer to make sure everything has been properly taken care of. 

2. You have no right to receive a benefit: 

• You cannot have Dutch basic insurance anymore. 
• If you had insurance through your employer, this insurance stops automatically when your contract ends. 
• If you took out your own insurance, you must cancel your insurance yourself. 
• If you received healthcare benefit, you must cancel that too. 

Problems with your health insurance 

In some situations, there may be conflicting views on whether you can have health insurance. For example, you might think you have a right to take out insurance but a health insurer rejects you. If this happens, you can ask SKGZ for help. It can help you if you have a complaint and can help you communicate with your health insurer.