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Health Insurance in the Netherlands for salary coming from aboard

TBUK

Hi all,

I had just run into a couple of issues trying to get health insurance in the Netherlands and was hoping for some guidance.

I recently moved to the Netherlands from the US (as a UK native), still working for the US company so my salary is from aboard. I will be here until September, so 6 months. As a consequence, it makes getting health insurance a little more complicated.

I tried Zilveren Kruis but they said no because of the salary, but then I was referred to oom verzekering, which could offer a visitor health insurance, but they can offer treatment for none existing health issues (which I think is pretty ridiculous). And currently, I have some health insurances that I was seeking advice and treatment for, but they said they couldn't help me. I asked them for advice on who would insure me but said he didn't know.

So, basically, I was looking for health insurance that would accept a salary from aboard but also would treat existing health issues. My other solution is to use oom verzekering and tell a small lie that it's a new issue?

Thank you!

See also

Healthcare in the NetherlandsAccidents and emergencies in the NetherlandsPregnancy and giving birth in the NetherlandsLooking for a "dermatologo"Allergy Doctors in Amsterdam
Cynic

Hi again.

I'm not aware of any, but I'm not a Health Insurance expert.  I just checked out the OOM website and it seems to be only for people staying no longer than 90 days.  Most people in your situation bring their own insurance with them; the fact I can't find a single Google hit for somebody selling this makes me even more convinced that what you want just doesn't exist.

Cynic
²ÝÁñÉçÇø Team

Angelika333

It does exist. Under certain circumstances, as described in the Dutch law on health insurances.

Cynic

Angelika333 wrote:

It does exist. Under certain circumstances, as described in the Dutch law on health insurances.


Excellent news - do you have a link that we can go to?

Angelika333

Look on geld.nl/zorgverzekering, click on zorgverzekering buitenlander and put on google translate.
You can, in most cases, get a zorgverzekering, even if your income was not generated in The Netherlands. You will have to contact the zorgverzekeraar (insurance company) and they will ask you to send a copy of your salary strip. Most important is that you are able to pay the monthly fee.
It is easier, however, to register in a gemeente in NL, because you will have no difficulties taking a health insurance.  When you register, it is irrelevant where your income comes from.

TBUK

Hi,

I appreciate your reply and assistance. I am actually registered with my municipality, but I didn't think this made a difference?

TBUK

And OOM offers 6-month insurance which works for me but doesn't offer help for an existing condition. So, you're saying it doesn't exist that I can't get any medical attention for my current condition because my salary is from aboard? It doesn't make any sense to me.

Ramses K.

TBUK wrote:

And OOM offers 6-month insurance which works for me but doesn't offer help for an existing condition. So, you're saying it doesn't exist that I can't get any medical attention for my current condition because my salary is from aboard? It doesn't make any sense to me.


That is strange by law you will recieve a normal "basisverzekering" and it shouldn't matter what your existing condition is (also in the law).
Too bad the OOM website is offline for the moment, so we can't read the existing requirments. I think the smartest thing to now is call them and ask about the requirements and your situation.

Angelika333

It surely makes a difference! It is the difference between being able to get any insurance or just a few. But an RNI registration will not do, it has to be a permanent registration, which is not permanent in the sense that it cannot be undone. Best thing is a permanent registration. When you move back, you undo it.

Cynic

TBUK wrote:

Hi,

I appreciate your reply and assistance. I am actually registered with my municipality, but I didn't think this made a difference?


It makes a difference because without registration, you don't get a BSN number, without which, you can't get health insurance (or work).  There is also a link to an Employers contribution of 6.7% of your salary to Health Insurance which someone, somewhere may be interested in.

Without going through it all; the law in the Netherlands says that insurance companies that insure you under the Dutch Health Insurance scheme cannot exclude you for pre-existing conditions.

The OOM 90 day policy is known as the Schengen policy (I guess because it's linked to the maximum duration of a Schengen visa - 90 days) - you can read about it here ().  Interestingly there are no pre-existing conditions limits, only that you declare if you are sick enough to require hospital admittance which I suspect may be an issue.

OOM also offer other policies (); there is no mention of pre-existing conditions, my advice would be to pursue this further with them.

It's worthy of note that in general Dutch medical insurance only covers certain things, many are "extras" and all prescriptions require at least a contribution from the Insured; not all are the same, so it's worth checking around if you're about to have a baby, or you need sport injury treatment.

I notice also conversations about which database, RNI is mentioned.  "RNI" and "Registration" are one of the same thing, they are identical in requirements, the only single difference is that the RNI is for people who have no intention of ever living/working in the Netherlands permanently (like the OP); it has become known as the "Temporary Database" in the ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Community - it's interesting to know that not every Gemeente offer this facility - where I live (Enschede) is an example of such a Gemeente that does not offer RNI - we all go on the same database there.  Registration is the process under which, by law, you have to register with the Gemeente within 5 working days of arriving in the Netherlands, there are requirements which I'm not going to get into except to repeat, the requirements of both RNI and Registration are the same, there is no benefit to being on one, it doesn't exempt you from any little bits of Dutch residence laws, or paying taxes, health insurance or whatever.  It's meant to offer people like the OP the ability to get things like ................. Health Insurance, register a car, register with a doctor/dentist.  Before anybody says "what about those that change their minds and then want to stay"; the system copes with that, you still have to go through IND etc, but to repeat, IT'S THE SAME DATABASE - they just tick a different box - it helps civil servants count people, it's what they do.

Hope this helps.

Cynic
²ÝÁñÉçÇø Team

Angelika333

Hey y'all,

There is a huge difference between RNI and official registration as "ingezetene" of the Netherlands.
RNI grants you a BSN, a registration in the tax system and a legal title to be in the Netherlands. Officially, you have to sign up for it within 5 days after arrival. This kind of registration is valid for 4 months. You are not going to be an official inhabitant, an "ingezetene", of NL. No voting for municipality. Insurance companies will give you a hard time when you try to get a health insurance, it is harder to buy and sell a car etc etc.

The official registration as inhabitant is preferable. You make an apointment at the Gemeente where you live. You bring with you: your ID and your birth certificate (international copy in Dutch or English). The advantages are:
-you get to vote for municipality elections
-there will be no difficulty with health insurance, car insurance, wegenbelasting
-you can do aangifte inkomstenbelasting online without having to use a C-biljet.

If I were the person who wants a health insurance without restrictions, I would go for the official registration as an inhabitant, not only for the RNI.

Greetz, Angelika

Cynic

Hi again.

Interesting; it doesn't change a thing that I said, but thank you.  I know that the system says 4 months, but there are people who have been on it longer, at least that's what they tell us; it's what the OP is telling us.

Voting in municipality elections for RNI residents is for EU citizens only; it is opened to non-EU citizens once they are legally resident in the Netherlands for over 5 years, which by definition means they are no longer on the RNI.

I agree - in every case I would not register on the temporary database, it has the same requirements and seems to cause a lot of fuss.

Angelika333

Hey,

I know a lot of people who have been on RNI for years now. No consequences whatsoever. But also no voting for Gemeenteraadsverkiezingen: that is the privilege of the officially registered EU citizens. In order to vote for parliament elections, one has to obtain the Dutch nationality.

Angelika333

If anyone wants to know exactly when you can vote and when not: look at Kiesgerechtigde on Wikipedia and put on Google Translate.

If you live in NL legally over 5 years (and meant is: registration as ingezetene cuz RNI is only for 4 months always) you get to vote for municipality elections.
In order to be able to vote for Gedeputeerde Staten and Staten Generaal ( basically parliament) you need to have a Dutch passport. Naturalisation is possible:

-after 5 years, after "inburgering" for non-EU citizens and after a shorter procedure for EU citizens.
-after being married or in a geregistreerd psrtnerschap with a Dutch citizen for 3 years, the so called Optieprocedure, and non-EU citizens still have to pass the Inburgeringsexamen.

Ramses K.

Cynic wrote:

Hi again.

Interesting; it doesn't change a thing that I said, but thank you.  I know that the system says 4 months, but there are people who have been on it longer, at least that's what they tell us; it's what the OP is telling us.

Voting in municipality elections for RNI residents is for EU citizens only; it is opened to non-EU citizens once they are legally resident in the Netherlands for over 5 years, which by definition means they are no longer on the RNI.

I agree - in every case I would not register on the temporary database, it has the same requirements and seems to cause a lot of fuss.


I now see the kind of insurance the original poster meant, it's the OOM Schengen Foreigner Insurance. As I read it right it's only for guests who stay for three months within the Schengen accord see:

I really do not know what kind of insurence the OP needs in his situation. My advise would still be call OOM Insurences and ask your questions.

Angelika333

OOM Schengen insurance does not cover costs of existing conditions, even if you had this condition without knowing it. They are extremely strict in those matters. It also does not cover the costs of pregnancy and some other events.

Ramses K.

Only logical if you are a guest in this country for only three months.

TBUK

Ramses K. wrote:
TBUK wrote:

And OOM offers 6-month insurance which works for me but doesn't offer help for an existing condition. So, you're saying it doesn't exist that I can't get any medical attention for my current condition because my salary is from aboard? It doesn't make any sense to me.


That is strange by law you will recieve a normal "basisverzekering" and it shouldn't matter what your existing condition is (also in the law).
Too bad the OOM website is offline for the moment, so we can't read the existing requirments. I think the smartest thing to now is call them and ask about the requirements and your situation.


Hi Ramses,

Yes, I called them, and they said even if I had a headache today, and received the insurance tomorrow, they wouldn't be able to treat it. Which I find pretty insane ...

TBUK

Angelika333 wrote:

OOM Schengen insurance does not cover costs of existing conditions, even if you had this condition without knowing it. They are extremely strict in those matters. It also does not cover the costs of pregnancy and some other events.


Yep, they said this, and I asked for other options, which he said they had nothing. What about international insurance? I am still looking for ideas on how to insurance myself (which I am surprised is so difficult) in the Netherlands and I have been in the Netherlands for over 2 months.

Best,
T

TBUK

Ramses K. wrote:

Only logical if you are a guest in this country for only three months.


They offer up to 6 months with the visitor insurance, which is the only insurance they would offer with a salary from aboard

Cynic

Did you try the link that Angelika provided; I'll repeat it here in case you missed it ().

Ramses K.

Unfortunely OOM is the only one who offers an Health Insurance for foreigners, so International Health insurance is your only option.
International Health Insurance is expensive, so it is going to be very costly.

TBUK

Cynic wrote:

Did you try the link that Angelika provided; I'll repeat it here in case you missed it ().


Hi, Thank you! Yes, I checked it out, but I was struggling to navigate through:

'Look on geld.nl/zorgverzekering, click on zorgverzekering buitenlander and put on google translate.'

I was struggling to find where 'zorgverzekering buitenlander' was on the website? When i put my details in, it just takes me to a compare website of companies such as zilveren krius (which won't insure me)..

Thank you!

Cynic

Hi again.

Then my advice would be to contact the Dutch National Health Care Institute; they are the people who are going to chase and fine you once they find out you have no health care insurance.

There contact details are on their website; this will take you straight there.

Hope this helps.

Cynic
²ÝÁñÉçÇø Team

Angelika333

Am at work now, but I will look if I can send you a more specific link. The info is there, on the website, but maybe not clear to non-native speakers

TBUK

Angelika333 wrote:

Am at work now, but I will look if I can send you a more specific link. The info is there, on the website, but maybe not clear to non-native speakers


Thank you! Yes, I struggled to navigate through, even with google translate.

Angelika333

It is not possible to copy this link, but go to the OOM website and look for those words : "OOM voorlopig verblijf Nederland verzekering". They are written in light blue and when you click on them, you find the info about this product.

Cynic

Angelika333 wrote:

It is not possible to copy this link, but go to the OOM website and look for those words : "OOM voorlopig verblijf Nederland verzekering". They are written in light blue and when you click on them, you find the info about this product.


Try this .  Google translate copes with it OK.

You can also get to it by putting "OOM voorlopig verblijf Nederland verzekering" straight into a Google search.

Angelika - thank you so much for your assistance.

Hope this helps.

Cynic
²ÝÁñÉçÇø Team

TBUK

Cynic wrote:
Angelika333 wrote:

It is not possible to copy this link, but go to the OOM website and look for those words : "OOM voorlopig verblijf Nederland verzekering". They are written in light blue and when you click on them, you find the info about this product.


Try this .  Google translate copes with it OK.

You can also get to it by putting "OOM voorlopig verblijf Nederland verzekering" straight into a Google search.

Angelika - thank you so much for your assistance.

Hope this helps.

Cynic
²ÝÁñÉçÇø Team


Thank you both for your assistance here, but OOM said they would insure me, but wouldn't deal with an on-going issue I had. I asked him if they any insurance of the kind, and he said no.

Cynic

I assume you had the condition before you came to the Netherlands; can you extend your home cover to cover you for overseas?

TBUK

Thank you! I appreciate your effort here.

I will reach out to my company in the US and see what can be done. I will let you know the result.