Health insurance for freelancers in the Netherlands: what to arrange (and what it costs)

No employer means arranging your own health insurance and paying the income-dependent contribution yourself. What is mandatory, what it costs, and where the healthcare benefit comes in.

Basic insurance is mandatory

Everyone who lives or works in the Netherlands must have Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering), even with a foreign policy, and even if you just moved: you have four months after settling to take one out, with premiums owed retroactively from day one. The basic premium in 2026 is around EUR 160 per month, with a mandatory deductible (eigen risico) of EUR 385 per year. Supplementary packages (dental, physio) are optional.

The Zvw contribution: the starter surprise

Employees never notice it because their employer pays it, but freelancers pay the income-dependent healthcare contribution (bijdrage Zvw) themselves: in 2026 it is 4.85% of your profit (up to a cap). The assessment arrives afterwards, or is built into your provisional assessment. Count it in when you set aside money for tax, or this becomes the bill that hurts.

Healthcare benefit (zorgtoeslag)

If your income (profit minus deductions) is below roughly EUR 40,000, you may be entitled to zorgtoeslag, a monthly contribution towards your premium. Apply via Mijn Toeslagen with your DigiD. Careful with fluctuating profit: estimate honestly and adjust as soon as you earn more, or you will be repaying afterwards.

Disability is not covered

Health insurance covers care costs, not your income if you fall ill. Disability insurance (AOV) is not (yet) mandatory for freelancers, but worth considering; the premium is tax-deductible. Also look at building up a pension for the long term.

How Finq helps

AOV premiums and business insurance are simply booked as expenses in Finq; the health premium itself stays private. That keeps the split clean for your tax return.