Dutch health insurance premiums increasing by between €5.50 and €17.50 per month

On the final day before the deadline, the Netherlands' largest health insurers announced their 2027 premiums. All are increasing, though increases vary widely, ranging from €5 to €17 per month. Achmea, Menzis, and CZ said they are contributing funds to help limit the rise in health insurance premiums.

At CZ, the monthly premium for its most popular basic insurance plan will increase by €17.26, reaching €177.25.

At Menzis, the most frequently chosen policy will go up by €9.50 to €165.75.

At VGZ, the monthly premium for its Basis Keuze plan will rise by €17.50 to €167.40. The Ruime Keuze plan will become €16.50 more expensive, costing €170.75 per month.

Zilveren Kruis is increasing the monthly premium for its Basis Zeker plan by €5.70 to €165.95 - a significantly smaller rise than at CZ, Menzis, and VGZ. The lower-cost Basis Start option will increase by €5.50, bringing the cost to €159.45.

Achmea, the parent company of Zilveren Kruis, allocated approximately €400 million to curb premium increases. This amount will benefit over 5 million customers across its brands: Zilveren Kruis, De Friesland, Interpolis, FBTO, and De Christelijke Zorgverzekeraar.

Menzis said that the premium increase reflects two years of rising healthcare costs. Last year, a one-time windfall helped dampen the increase, but that factor is no longer at play. The insurer is now drawing €116 million from its own reserves to mitigate the hike. According to Menzis, this keeps the increase below the €12.50 per month rise anticipated by the Ministry of Public Health.

CZ also pointed to rising healthcare costs and the loss of a one-time windfall from the Healthcare Insurance Fund. The insurer is pushing €20 million from its reserves to limit the premium increase. Both insurers mentioned the aging population and an expanding range of treatment options as factors driving up healthcare costs.

CZ also noted that there are not enough new healthcare professionals entering the field to meet the growing demand. CEO Joep de Groot advocated for earlier intervention and support - including outside of the medical sector. “We invest billions in patient care, yet through earlier support, we could sometimes prevent problems from escalating and keep people from needing medical care in the first place.”

Health insurer DSW announced its premium increase in October. It is hiking the premium for its basic health insurance by €14.75 to €173.25 per month.