Eigen Risico: Understanding Your Deductible
How the Dutch healthcare deductible (eigen risico) works — what counts, what's free, and whether raising it is worth it.
What Is Eigen Risico?
Every Dutch health insurance policy comes with a mandatory deductible called eigen risico. In 2025, it's €385 per year.
What that means in practice: the first €385 of certain healthcare costs each year come out of your pocket. After that, your insurer covers everything (within your policy).
What Costs Count — and What's Free
This is the part that confuses most newcomers. Not everything uses your deductible.
Counts toward your €385:
- Specialist care (after a GP referral)
- Hospital visits and treatments
- Prescription medication
- Mental healthcare
- Medical devices (hearing aids, etc.)
- Ambulance transport
Always free — no deductible:
- 🏥 GP (huisarts) visits — always free, no exceptions
- 🤰 Maternity and obstetric care
- 👶 All care for children under 18 — kids have no deductible
- 💉 Flu vaccinations and certain preventive screenings
The big one people miss: visiting your huisarts costs nothing. A lot of expats avoid going because they assume it's expensive — it's not. Go when you need to.
Should You Raise Your Deductible?
You can voluntarily increase your deductible to lower your monthly premium. Here's how the numbers work:
| Extra deductible | Your total | Typical monthly savings |
|---|---|---|
| €0 (default) | €385 | — |
| €100 | €485 | €10–15 |
| €200 | €585 | €18–25 |
| €300 | €685 | €25–32 |
| €500 | €885 | €35–45 |
Good idea if: you're young, healthy, and almost never see a specialist. You pocket the premium savings every month.
Risky if: you have ongoing treatment, a chronic condition, or are planning anything medical this year. One hospital visit can eat up the full deductible in a day.
Our advice: if you're not sure, stick with the default €385. The premium savings from raising it are modest, and a surprise medical bill stings more than €15/month extra.
It Resets Every January
Your deductible resets to zero on January 1st. Even if you maxed it out in December, you start fresh.
This catches people off guard: if you have a hospital visit in late December and a follow-up in early January, you'll pay toward your deductible twice — once for each calendar year.
How You Actually Pay
You usually don't pay at the doctor's office. Here's how it works:
- You get treatment
- Your insurer pays the provider
- Your insurer sends you a bill for the deductible portion
Most insurers let you:
- Pay in one go
- Spread payments over several months (spreiding)
- Pay a bit each month throughout the year — so you're never surprised by a big bill
Ask your insurer about spreading options when you sign up. It's much easier to budget €32/month than face a €385 invoice you didn't expect.
Quick Tips
- Never skip care to save on the deductible. A €385 bill is nothing compared to a health problem that gets worse because you waited.
- GP visits are free. Always. Go when you need to.
- Ask about payment plans before you need them — it's easier to set up when things are calm.
- Check before treatment whether something counts toward your deductible, especially for things like physio or mental health.