Cancelling your health insurance. Until when?
Take out a new health insurance before 31 December? Then your new insurer cancels your old one for you. Cancel it yourself by 31 December? Then you have until 31 January to choose a new one.
How it works
Dutch health insurance runs per year. You can switch once a year, around New Year. If you do nothing, your insurance simply continues, at the new premium.
Want to switch? There are two ways:
- You take out a new insurance before 31 December. Your new insurer cancels your old one for you.
- You cancel yourself by 31 December. Then you have until 31 January to choose a new one.
The tricky part
The premium changes every year, and sometimes so does what’s covered. That’s in one email in November. And December is busy enough already.
In mid-November the email with your new premium arrives. You think: I'll look at it over the Christmas holidays. On 2 January you're stuck with it for another whole year.
Often asked
Do I have to cancel my old insurance myself?
Not if you take out a new one before 31 December. Then your new insurer arranges it.
Can I still switch in January?
Only if you cancelled your old insurance yourself by 31 December. Then you have until 31 January, and your new insurance applies from 1 January.
When will I know the new premium?
For 2027, basic premiums have to be published by 12 November, and all premiums by 19 November. Your own insurer sends you your new policy in November.