Fewer Dutch switch health insurers as premiums stay flat, price gaps widen for 2026

Fewer people in the Netherlands are switching health insurers this year, even as the price gap between the cheapest and most expensive policies grows significantly, according to comparison site Zorgwijzer.

The number of people changing health insurers has fallen by more than a quarter, or 26 percent, compared with the same period last year. Zorgwijzer attributes the drop mainly to the absence of a major premium increase. For 2026, many insurers are keeping premiums unchanged, while some are lowering them slightly.

An analysis of 65 policies shows the average premium is rising by just 0.58 per month. At major insurers, including CZ, Menzis, DSW, and ONVZ, many premiums remain unchanged. VGZ is lowering its basic premium for 2026.

“We see a very different picture this year than in previous years,” said Koen Kuijper, an expert at Zorgwijzer. “Many premiums remain the same or even fall slightly, meaning the shock effect we saw in earlier years is completely absent. People feel less urgency to take immediate action when they receive their new policy proposal.”

Zorgwijzer also reports that consumers who do plan to switch are increasingly postponing their final decision until the last days of the year.

Figures from health care data center Vektis show that premium levels are a key reason people switch insurers. In most years, the switching rate has ranged between 6 percent and just over 7 percent. An exception occurred during the 2022–2023 year-end period, when 8.2 percent of insured residents changed providers following sharp premium hikes. Last year, about 1.2 million people switched insurers.

Despite stable premiums, Zorgwijzer warns that staying put could be costly. The annual difference between the cheapest and most expensive health insurance policies is rising from 433 euros in 2025 to 511 euros in 2026.

Zorgwijzer expects a small last-minute increase in switching before the deadline. Kuijper noted that Dutch individuals tend to make last-minute decisions regarding fixed expenses. Consumers have until December 31 at 11:59 p.m. to change health insurers.