Insurance

Information about insurance

• Health insurance (ziektekostenverzekering)

  Dutch law requires all international students to be properly insured by an internationally recognised insurance agency for the duration of your stay. It is mandatory to have valid health insurance that covers all of the Dutch health care costs.

• European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

  Please first check carefully whether you already have valid health insurance that will cover your stay in the Netherlands. If you are an EU student, you can apply for a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from your own insurance company. Click here to find out more about your country’s EHIC application process. Here you can find more information about what EHIC does and does not cover.

• Aon Insurance

  Don’t forget to arrange your insurance! Aon's insurance is specially designed for students going abroad. Not being insured in the Netherlands means that you have to pay for all costs yourself, such as:

  • Medical expenses;
  • Repatriation (in case of an emergency home);
  • Liability (if you harm someone or damage something);
  • Legal cost.

  Your costs will not be reimbursed if you don’t have insurance. Make sure to apply for Aon Student Insurance before you leave your home-country.
  
  Everything can be arranged online, go to www.aonstudentinsurance.com.

• Job or internship next to your studies

  It’s important to note that if you are planning to have a job next to your studies or do an internship which pays more than the minimum wage you need to take out Dutch health insurance, even if you’re covered elsewhere. More information about this and Aon's offer for international students who are also working in the Netherlands can be found here.

• General Practitioner

  As a student at VU Amsterdam living in Amsterdam, you will be able to register with the GP at the University General Practice (located in the VU Medical Center on our campus) once you have a valid health insurance. More information can be found on their website. If you live outside of Amsterdam, you can look for a GP close to your home. More information about health care in the Netherlands can be found here.

• Liability insurance (aansprakelijkheidsverzekering)

  If you damage someone’s property or cause an accident, then Dutch law states that you are responsible for paying the costs of this. You are therefore advised to take out a liability insurance policy, especially if you will be working in a lab or doing research using expensive instruments.

• Travel insurance (reisverzekering)

  When temporarily studying in another country, most students make use of the opportunity to travel and become acquainted with new cities and countries. It is important that you have a suitable travel insurance policy to cover the costs of stolen baggage, repatriation etc.