CZ Health Insurance Review for Expats 2026

This review covers CZ’s premiums, coverage, English-language support, the claims process, supplementary packages, and how it compares to other Dutch insurers.

💡 Looking for a complete banking comparison? Read Best banking for expats in the Netherlands 2026 — covers ABN, ING, Bunq, Wise, Revolut & 5 others by expat use case.

What Is CZ Health Insurance?

CZ health insurance is Dutch, not Czech: CZ (CZ groep, founded in 1930) calls itself a health insurer without a profit motive (“zorgverzekeraar zonder winstoogmerk”) and says it has around 3.8 million customers (cz.nl, checked 28 September 2026).

CZ also has a label, Just, which describes itself as a brand of CZ (just.nl, checked 4 October 2026). Check Just’s own premium page if you want to compare it with CZ.

CZ Premiums 2026

CZ health insurance costs EUR 156.95 to EUR 177.50 a month for a basic policy in 2026, at the standard EUR 385 eigen risico, according to the premiums listed on cz.nl on 28 September 2026:

(cz.nl/zorgverzekering/basisverzekering, checked 28 September 2026.) A collective arrangement with CZ gives, according to cz.nl, a discount on supplementary insurance plus extra services, not a lower basic premium. Other labels in the CZ group have their own premium pages; we did not check their 2026 prices.

Eigen Risico Options

The mandatory eigen risico in 2026 is €385. You can voluntarily raise it, up to a maximum total of €885. CZ’s reductions are:

On the Zorgbewustpolis cz.nl lists only the EUR 885 level, with a reduction of EUR 15 a month (cz.nl/zorgverzekering/basisverzekering, checked 4 October 2026).

Which CZ Basic Policy Should Expats Choose?

The three CZ basic policies cover the same government-set package and differ only in what CZ pays at a provider without a CZ contract: up to 70% of the contracted rate on the Zorgbewustpolis, up to 75% on the Zorg-op-maatpolis, and up to the market rate on the Zorgvariatiepolis, with GGZ and district nursing at up to 85% (cz.nl, checked 28 September 2026). If the hospital and specialists you use have a CZ contract, a natura policy covers them in full. If you want to use a provider without a CZ contract, the extra EUR 17.51 to EUR 20.55 a month for the Zorgvariatiepolis buys a higher reimbursement there. Earlier versions of this review described a CZ restitutie policy; on 28 September 2026 cz.nl listed no restitutie policy, so the sections below refer to the natura and combination policies.

CZ Natura Policies

With CZ’s natura policies, care at contracted providers is fully covered (subject to eigen risico). At non-contracted providers, CZ reimburses up to 70% (Zorgbewustpolis) or 75% (Zorg-op-maatpolis) of the contracted rate.

CZ Combinatie Policy (Zorgvariatiepolis)

The Zorgvariatiepolis reimburses care at non-contracted providers up to the market rate, except GGZ and district nursing, which are reimbursed up to 85% of the contracted rate. The premium is EUR 177.50 a month, EUR 17.51 more than the Zorg-op-maatpolis.

In practice: if you plan to use a specific private clinic, check whether it has a CZ contract before deciding.

Basic Insurance Coverage

The basisverzekering content is set by the Dutch government and is the same across all insurers. The table below follows the Rijksoverheid’s overview of the basic package and its eigen risico page (checked 4 October 2026):

CZ Supplementary Insurance Packages

On 28 September 2026 cz.nl listed six supplementary packages (cz.nl/zorgverzekering/aanvullende-verzekering). Supplementary insurance cannot be bought without a basic policy.

CZ lists dental insurance (tandartsverzekering) separately; check cz.nl for current amounts. Compare the packages with the treatments you actually expect to use, because the basic policy covers adult dental care only for surgical dental care.

English Language Support at CZ

The English section of the site, cz.nl/en, has (checked 4 October 2026):

• a premium calculator from which you can take out a policy online (cz.nl/en/zorgverzekering/premie-berekenen);
• English pages on reimbursements, such as physiotherapy, mental healthcare and planned care abroad;
• a page on the CZ app, in which you can submit claims and chat with CZ staff;
• a customer-service page listing the phone number +31 88 555 77 77 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 17:30).

The main site, cz.nl, is in Dutch, and cz.nl/en does not say in which language phone calls are handled. Check cz.nl/en for the pages and documents that are available in English before you rely on it for a complex matter.

How Claims Work at CZ

According to cz.nl, you declare an invoice through the CZ app, Mijn CZ or by post, within 36 months of the treatment date. If your provider has a contract with CZ, the provider sends the bill directly to CZ; if not, you receive the bill and declare it yourself (cz.nl/declareren, checked 4 October 2026).

CZ’s Group Discounts

Employers can arrange collective health insurance for their staff. When you start a new job in the Netherlands, ask your HR department whether the company has a collective arrangement with CZ or another insurer, and what it offers. According to cz.nl, a CZ collective gives a discount on supplementary insurance and extra services; collectives can also run through a sports association or membership organisation.

CZ vs Competitors: Comparison Table

On 28 September 2026 CZ’s three basic policies ranged from EUR 156.95 to EUR 177.50 a month, against an average basic premium of €157 a month in 2026 (Rijksoverheid). Other insurers’ prices move too, so compare current figures.

Where a.s.r. fits in: a.s.r. sells three basisverzekering variants, and the published difference between them is purely the reimbursement level at non-contracted providers: Bewuste Keuze pays a maximum of 65%, Ruime Keuze up to 85% (75% for GGZ and district nursing), and Eigen Keuze 100% at contracted and non-contracted providers alike (80% for GGZ and district nursing), with all three giving 100% free hospital choice at Dutch hospitals (asr.nl/zorgverzekering/basisverzekering, checked 17 September 2026). That middle tier is the useful contrast with CZ’s natura policies, where non-contracted care is reimbursed up to 70% or 75% (cz.nl, checked 28 September 2026). One caveat before you shortlist it: a.s.r. has an English health insurance page (asr.nl/health-insurance) with an overview of its English documents, but says that “all correspondence is in Dutch” (checked 5 October 2026).

Check a.s.r. health insurance →

Comparing Before You Commit

Before committing to CZ, run a comparison. Premiums change each year, and small differences add up over 12 months.

Compare Dutch health insurance options with our Health Insurance Wizard →

How to Register with CZ

If CZ is the right fit, you can register online:

1. Go to cz.nl/en and use the English premium calculator
2. Choose your policy (Zorgbewustpolis, Zorg-op-maatpolis or Zorgvariatiepolis) and supplementary package
3. Enter your BSN, date of birth and the other details the form asks for
4. Provide your IBAN for direct debit
5. Review and submit

Coverage is backdated to the start of your insurance obligation if you apply within four months of it.

Internal Links

• Dutch health insurance for expats: complete guide 2026
• What Dutch health insurance covers (and what it doesn’t)
• DSW health insurance review for expats 2026
• Zilveren Kruis vs CZ for expats
• Best Dutch health insurance plans 2026
• Best health insurance add-ons for expats
• Physiotherapy in the Netherlands: expat guide
• Finding an English-speaking doctor in the Netherlands
• Dutch healthcare system explained for newcomers

What to Do When a CZ Claim Is Disputed

If an insurer declines a reimbursement or pays less than expected, you can take these steps:

Step 1: Ask CZ for its decision in writing, with the reasons for declining or reducing the reimbursement.

Step 2: Submit a written objection (bezwaar) to CZ within the time limit stated in the decision.

Step 3: If you cannot resolve it with CZ, you can file a complaint with the SKGZ, the Dutch ombudsman and disputes committee for health insurance (skgz.nl, checked 4 October 2026). SKGZ offers advice, mediation and dispute resolution, and its website has English-language pages.

CZ’s Digital Experience in Practice

CZ has a Mijn CZ customer portal and a CZ app (cz.nl, checked 4 October 2026). According to cz.nl, in the app you can declare invoices, view your healthcare costs and reimbursements and ask questions via chat; cz.nl/en has an English page about the app.

CZ for Expats with Chronic Conditions

If you have a chronic condition, check two things before choosing a policy. First, whether your specialists and hospital have a CZ contract. Second, how the basic package treats your care: for adults with a chronic condition on the list, the basic package covers physiotherapy from the 21st session, and the eigen risico does not apply to chronic disease management for type 2 diabetes, COPD and cardiovascular risk management (Rijksoverheid, checked 4 October 2026).

CZ and the Zorgtoeslag (Healthcare Allowance)

If your 2026 income is no higher than €40,857 as a single person (€51,142 for a couple), you may be entitled to a government healthcare allowance (zorgtoeslag) that offsets part of your premium. This is paid by the Belastingdienst, not by CZ, so it lowers your effective monthly cost.

The maximum is €129 a month for a single person, paid in full up to a toetsingsinkomen of €29,500, so at an individual income of €25,000 you would receive the full €129; above €29,500 the amount falls with income (Belastingdienst, checked 28 September 2026). Apply via toeslagen.nl. You need a DigiD and a Dutch bank account. Check your eligibility, especially in your first year in the Netherlands.

Is CZ a Good Health Insurer for Expats?

CZ offers an English premium calculator with online sign-up, and its three basic policies cost EUR 156.95 to EUR 177.50 a month. Whether it is the right insurer depends on your situation: whether your providers have a CZ contract, whether your employer has a collective arrangement, and your budget.

As always, compare first. Your personal situation, health needs, employer and budget should drive the decision.

Compare Dutch health insurance options with our Health Insurance Wizard →

Understanding the Eigen Risico: A Practical Guide

The eigen risico (deductible) system confuses many new expats because it works differently from insurance deductibles in many other countries. Here is how it actually functions at CZ.

The mandatory minimum: In 2026, the mandatory eigen risico is €385 per person per year. This applies to all Dutch insurers, not just CZ. Children under 18 have no eigen risico.

What it applies to: The eigen risico applies to most hospital care, medicines, mental healthcare, ambulance transport and similar care. It does not apply to GP care (including the out-of-hours GP post), midwife care and kraamzorg, district nursing, and chronic disease management for type 2 diabetes, COPD and cardiovascular risk (Rijksoverheid, checked 4 October 2026).

How it accumulates: You pay the first EUR 385 of eligible costs each calendar year yourself. Once you have paid EUR 385 in a calendar year, CZ covers 100% of the remaining eligible costs for the rest of that year.

A practical example: In one year you have an outpatient hospital visit that costs EUR 250 and later medicines that cost EUR 300. You pay the first EUR 385 yourself (the EUR 250 and EUR 135 of the medicines). CZ pays the remaining EUR 165, and your eigen risico for the year is fully used.

Voluntary additional eigen risico: By voluntarily raising your eigen risico above EUR 385, you get a lower monthly premium (see the CZ table above). Calculate whether the monthly saving is worth the higher amount you may have to pay out of pocket.

CZ for Expats Moving to the Netherlands Mid-Year

One question that comes up often: what happens to CZ coverage when you arrive in the Netherlands at a time other than January?

When Does CZ Health Insurance Start If You Sign Up After February?

CZ health insurance starts on different dates depending on your situation. A newcomer can take out CZ in any month, and the cover is backdated to the date the Dutch insurance obligation started (usually when you started living or working here) as long as the policy is taken out within four months. Someone already insured with another Dutch insurer can only move to CZ for 1 January: the old policy must be cancelled before 1 January and the CZ policy taken out by 1 February (Rijksoverheid, checked 28 September 2026). After 1 February, a switcher stays with the current insurer until the next year.

New arrivals: If you are registering in the Netherlands for the first time, you can take out health insurance at any point in the year. Your obligation starts on the date you start living or working in the Netherlands (for most newcomers this is close to their BRP registration). You have four months from that date to take out insurance; if you take it within those four months, coverage is retroactive to the start of the obligation.

Before Dutch cover starts: Travel or international health insurance such as SafetyWing is sometimes used for the period before Dutch cover starts. It is not a substitute for the Dutch basic insurance, which you must take out within four months.

Leaving the Netherlands: Check with CZ and the Rijksoverheid how to end your policy when you deregister from the Netherlands.

Switching to CZ From Another Insurer

Insurers announce next year’s premiums before 12 November. To switch your basic health insurer, cancel your current policy before 1 January (or let CZ do it through the overstapservice by signing up by 31 December) and take out the new policy by 1 February; it runs from 1 January (Rijksoverheid, checked 28 September 2026).

Steps to switch to CZ:

1. During November–December, go to cz.nl and select your new policy
2. Sign up by 31 December if you want CZ to arrange the cancellation (overstapservice)
3. Your CZ policy starts 1 January; your old policy ends 31 December
4. Continue paying your old insurer until 31 December

The basic insurance switch is restricted to the annual window that closes on 1 February.

The Real Cost of Dutch Health Insurance Over a Full Year

Compare the annual cost rather than only the monthly premium. The illustration below combines the premium with one deductible scenario; actual care use and policy choices will change the result:

Scenario: single adult, CZ Zorg-op-maatpolis + Basis supplementary package, EUR 385 eigen risico, no collective discount

The zorgtoeslag (healthcare benefit) lowers the cost at moderate incomes: in 2026 it is paid in full up to a toetsingsinkomen of EUR 29,500 and falls above that (Belastingdienst, checked 28 September 2026). You must apply via toeslagen.nl.

Comparing Insurers in Practice

Insurers announce next year’s premiums before 12 November. If you want to compare CZ with other insurers, run the comparison once those premiums are published, for example with the Health Insurance Wizard. For a side-by-side with another insurer, see Zilveren Kruis vs CZ for expats.

External source: SKGZ — the Dutch ombudsman and disputes committee for health insurance.