What to do if you become sick while you are abroad

Claiming medical expenses

Whether you can claim healthcare costs and how to do so depends on:

• which health insurer you have

• what country you are in

Healthcare costs within the European Union

If you receive care in a European Union (EU) country, and you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), you do not have to pay the healthcare costs to the foreign provider yourself. Your Dutch health insurer will arrange payment. In some cases you may have to pay part of the cost back to your insurer later. This depends on your health insurance package.

Your EHIC should be on the back of your Dutch health insurance card. If that is not the case, find out how to apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

If the healthcare provider does not accept your EHIC and you pay the costs yourself, or if you are outside the EU, find out how to get reimbursed for healthcare costs you’ve had abroad.

Hospital admission

If you are admitted to hospital abroad, you should:

• inform your family in the Netherlands
• call your travel insurer’s or health insurer’s emergency support centre. You can find the telephone number for the emergency support centre on your travel insurer’s or health insurer’s website
• contact your tour operator if you have one

Assistance from the embassy or consulate

If you are unable to take these steps yourself, the Dutch embassy or consulate can help you.

Find the contact details of the nearest Dutch embassy or consulate in the country where you are.

If there is no Dutch embassy or consulate in the country you are in, contact the embassy of another EU country or a Dutch embassy or consulate in a neighbouring country.

Hospital admission without insurance

If you do not have insurance and are admitted to hospital, ask family or friends for help. If you cannot do this yourself, the embassy or consulate can ask your family in the Netherlands to transfer money so that you can pay the costs. The embassy charges a €50 mediation fee for this. 

Find the contact details of the nearest Dutch embassy or consulate in the country where you are.

If there is no Dutch embassy or consulate in the country you are in, contact the embassy of another EU country, or a Dutch embassy or consulate in a neighbouring country.