01Establish which insurance route applies
People who live or work in the Netherlands generally need Dutch standard health insurance. Your exact position can depend on your residence and work circumstances, so begin with the current Government.nl explanation rather than assuming a policy from another country is sufficient.
The government sets the contents of the standard package. Insurers offer that package under different policy conditions and premiums. Before applying, read what the policy says about contracted providers and reimbursement. Do not choose a plan solely because its monthly premium looks lower.
02Separate the premium, excess and extra cover
In 2026 the official average premium for standard insurance is €1,884 a year, or €157 a month. That is an average, not a guaranteed offer: each insurer publishes its own premium and policy conditions. Adults also have a mandatory excess of €385 for most care covered by the standard package. Compare the actual annual premium, provider network and policy terms rather than treating the average as a quotation.
A GP consultation does not use the mandatory excess, but medicines, laboratory tests, hospital care and treatment by a medical specialist can. Emergency care at a hospital also falls under the excess. Dental care and physiotherapy may require a separate decision about additional insurance. Check the policy before treatment; there is no single best plan for every expat or household.
03Find a GP and check dental access locally
A general practitioner, or huisarts, is a common first contact for non-emergency health concerns. Ask practices near your address whether they accept new patients and how registration works. If a practice is full, ask your insurer how to find access to care in your area.
Dentists have their own registration and billing arrangements. Ask the practice about availability and likely costs, then check what your insurance covers before treatment. LiveInNL does not diagnose symptoms or recommend a particular provider or policy.
04Use the right route for urgent and out-of-hours care
Call 112 immediately when life is in danger or someone is seriously injured and needs prompt medical help. For an urgent problem that is not life-threatening, call your own GP during weekday opening hours. In the evening, at night, during weekends or on public holidays, call the regional huisartsen-spoedpost; its number is normally on your GP practice website or answering message.
Do not go directly to a hospital emergency department for a non-life-threatening problem. Rijksoverheid advises calling the huisartsen-spoedpost first; it assesses whether you should attend, wait for your GP or be referred to hospital emergency care. GP and out-of-hours GP care do not use the mandatory excess, while hospital emergency care does. This routing information does not assess symptoms: when you believe there is immediate danger, call 112.
05Start mental-health support through the appropriate route
For anxiety, low mood, trauma, sleep problems or other psychological concerns, the GP is a normal first contact. The GP or practice mental-health worker (POH-GGZ) may provide initial support and can refer you to mental healthcare (ggz) when more specialised treatment is needed. Check the referral and insurer conditions before arranging a provider independently.
A mental-health crisis is urgent care. Contact the GP or huisartsen-spoedpost immediately; call 112 when someone is in immediate danger. If you are thinking about suicide, 113.nl also provides confidential help. This guide cannot assess risk or replace professional support.
06Match foreign medical documents to their purpose
There is no single Dutch recognition procedure for everything described as a foreign medical certificate. For ongoing care, bring a clear medication list and relevant diagnoses, test results, scans or treatment summaries to the healthcare provider. Ask which information it can use and whether a translation is needed. The Dutch provider keeps its own medical record and decides what is relevant to the treatment; do not send a complete record to an unrelated website or intermediary.
A formal certificate requested by an authority is a different matter: first ask that receiving organisation about the required form, language, age and whether legalisation or an apostille is needed, then use the country-specific NetherlandsWorldwide instructions. A healthcare diploma for working in a regulated profession follows another route through the BIG-register. Legalising a document does not by itself recognise professional qualifications or guarantee that a medical conclusion will be accepted.
