VGZ health care premium rises sharply; almost 100 euros per year

The premium of health insurer VGZ will increase by 8.20 euros to 132.65. That equates to an increase of approximately 100 euros on an annual basis. More than four million Dutch people are insured with VGZ.

The increase is significant, but the insurer still remains below the premium of competitor Menzis. On Monday it turned out that this insurer is increasing its premium for basic health insurance by EUR 3.25 to 133.25 per month.

It concerns the VGZ Spacious Choice policy, the most frequently chosen insurance. All major insurers also offer a budget and a more expensive variant (the refund policy). The latter will amount to EUR 142.40 per month at VGZ next year. That is an increase of 120 euros on an annual basis.

Catastrophe Scheme

The smaller insurer DSW already released its new basic premium last month: it increases by EUR 3.25 to 127.75 per month.

Premium increases could have been greater, as insurers benefit from the Ministry of Health’s ‘catastrophe scheme’. This offers compensation for the extra costs due to the corona pandemic, but does not take into account that much regular care comes to a standstill – which means that you do not have to pay for it. Menzis, VGZ and DSW use this money to dampen the premium increase.

According to Public Health, an adult in the Netherlands will pay an average of 6,161 euros in care next year. The majority does not go through the health insurance premium, but through taxes, which are mostly paid by employers.