Dutch insurance companies nearly all doubled their profits last year,
but industry business leaders said they are doubtful that they can
reduce their customers premiums in 2014..
Last year
Dutch health insurers saw their profits more than double to 1,4 billion
euros. In response to the figures, the Minister for Health Edith
Schipper said was that there was a "social imperative" to conclude that
higher income leads to lower premiums.
Roger van
Boxtel, CEO of insurance company Menzis, said that he wants nothing
more than to lower premiums, but that any further decrease in premium
costs depends very much on the measures that the government presents in
the Budget.
As to the large profit figures made by the
health insurers, van Boxel said, "Many people have been saying over
the last few months ‘that we made large profits’. But if you want to be
a healthy company, you need to have buffers."
The Dutch health insurance system
(January 1st, 2006) is a combination of private health plans with social
conditions built on the principles of solidarity, efficiency and value
for the patient.
Health insurance in the Netherlands is
mandatory if you are on a long-term stay and is designed to cover the
cost of medical care. As a rule, all expats must have a Dutch health
insurance even if they are insured for healthcare in their homeland also.
Dutch
insurance companies are obliged by law to offer you the basic package.
They can not deny coverage because of gender, age or health profile.
Almere-Digest
A new edition of Koster verzekeringen b.v. international internet publication SURE, with highlights from and around the global insurance world, is available on-line. 
