Health insurance is mandatory

Basic health insurance (basisverzekering) in the Netherlands is mandatory for everyone over the age of 18, regardless of gender, age or health. Children are included on their parents' health insurance (zorgverzekering). Health insurers are not allowed to refuse applications or set special conditions. Each year the government decides what is covered and how high the mandatory deductible (eigen risico) is. If you do not take out insurance when it is mandatory, you can get a fine.

If you work in the Netherlands and pay tax, you fall under Dutch social security and you are required to take out basic health insurance, even if you do not live in the Netherlands. So it does not matter whether you live here or only work here, as long as you fall under the social security legislation.