Travel insurance for the Netherlands

What type of travel insurance do you need for the Netherlands?

Trips to the Netherlands are covered by any regular European travel insurance policy. When you’re comparing policies with MoneySuperMarket, your trip will fall into one of the following categories:

One holiday just to the Netherlands

If you are only taking one trip, select single-trip travel insurance with the Netherlands as your destination.

One trip to the Netherlands and other countries

If you are visiting other countries during the same trip, select multi-trip insurance and then pick each country you plan to visit as multiple destinations. If you are backpacking, select backpackers’ insurance.

Several holidays throughout the year that include the USA, Canada, or the Caribbean

You might be able to save money by selecting an annual multi-trip travel insurance policy. If you plan to visit the USA, Canada, or somewhere in the Caribbean, you need to select a worldwide policy that covers these countries.

Several holidays throughout the year that do not include the USA, Canada, or the Caribbean

Again, you could save by selecting an annual multi-trip travel insurance policy. If you don’t plan to visit the USA, Canada, or the Caribbean, you can select a worldwide policy that excludes those countries.

What should your travel insurance to the Netherlands include?

A good travel insurance policy should include the following:

Cover for medical expenses, usually up to a limit of £5m worldwide or £2m in Europe. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and its new replacement the Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) will continue to be accepted in Dutch hospitals for Brits needing treatment even though Britain is no longer in the EU. But it only covers emergency healthcare and should not be a substitute for good travel cover.

Cover for the cost of bringing you back to the UK, otherwise known as ‘repatriation’

Cover for the cancellation or curtailment of your holiday, in case you have to head home earlier than planned or an emergency prevents you from going in the first place

Delay and missed departure cover, in case events beyond your control (such as a car breakdown) cause you to miss your flight

Travel abandonment cover, for unusual circumstances where the journey to your destination becomes unfeasible

Baggage cover, in case your belongings are lost or stolen during your trip. Make sure you include cover for any particularly costly items you’ll have with you, such as jewellery

Passport cover, because getting a replacement for a lost or stolen passport while abroad can be both complicated and costly

Personal liability cover protects you in case something you do causes injury to someone else or the loss or damage of their possessions

Dutch travel insurance: Exclusions and what to watch out for

Many standard travel insurance policies won’t include the following:

If you have a pre-existing medical condition, or you’ve had one in the past for which you’ve received advice or treatment, you may find you’re charged a higher premium. You might even have to take out a special policy for pre-existing conditions

Cover for unexpected incidents that may affect your holiday, like civil unrest, war, terrorism and natural disasters

Cover for accidents or injuries that can be linked to you drinking too much

Cover for travel to locations that the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has said British holidaymakers should avoid

Cover for accidents or injuries that happen during sporting activities such as skiing and snowboarding. If you know you’ll be doing something adventurous, check to make sure you have adventure or winter sports cover in place first

How much should my travel insurance excess be?

The excess on your travel insurance to the Netherlands is the amount you will have to pay before your travel insurance company will pay out on a claim. While a higher excess might reduce the cost of your cover, you shouldn’t increase it to the point that you wouldn’t be able to afford to pay it if you made a claim.

When should my travel insurance policy start from?

Start your travel insurance policy from the day you book your trip, not from the date when you are planning to travel. If you delay the start of your policy, you will not be covered, if you unexpectedly need to cancel.

Top travel tips for the Netherlands

The Netherlands is one of Britain’s closest neighbours, just a short hop across the North Sea. The two nations have an inextricably linked history both as allies and enemies, while a Dutch prince known as William of Orange even sat on the British throne between 1688 and 1702.

Of course, the days of these empires are long behind us, and now the Netherlands is a very popular destination for British tourists. These are our tips on making the most of a trip there:

Hop on your bike

The Netherlands has incredible cycle infrastructure, and it’s really easy to get around cities – or even between them – because the land is so flat. So, make sure you hire bikes to really see the sights – but remember not to walk into the cycle lanes so that you’re not in the way of locals.

Consider the language barrier

While many of the locals speak English well, it’s always polite to speak the language when you’re in a foreign country when possible. You’ll undoubtedly pick up some phrases on your trip, so use them to your advantage!

Understand coffee vs café

It is very important to learn the difference between a café and a coffee shop. The former is a place to get hot drinks, pastries, and cakes, and while you can buy all those things at the latter, coffee shops are also where people go to legally smoke cannabis. Beware of the cakes at coffee shops too, as they might have marijuana baked into them!

Be aware of red-light etiquette

Amsterdam is famous for its red-light district, and it has plenty of strict rules for conduct. We won’t list them all here, but don’t photograph the women in their booths; it’s rude, and they might well come out and throw your phone into the river.

Explore outside of Amsterdam

The capital might be the Netherlands’ cultural nexus, but there are plenty of other picturesque towns and cities worth a visit. Leiden is particularly pretty, for instance.

Avoid debit card difficulties

VISA debit cards are much less commonly accepted throughout the country, while American Express and MasterCard aren’t much better – this is because everyone uses Maestro. Most tourist locations and ATMs will accept other debit cards, but there are entire national chains that won’t, so stock up on euros before you leave.

Embrace tulip season

Tulip season is very beautiful as huge fields suddenly burst into brilliant colour, but it’s surprisingly short – lasting six to eight weeks from March to early May.

Have coins ready

Typically, to use a public toilet in the Netherlands, you’ll have to spend 25 cents – so be sure to have some coins handy.

Get your skates on

This doesn’t happen every year, but sometimes it gets cold enough in winter for the canals to freeze over. This stops the country in its tracks as everyone gets out and goes skating; if you’re lucky and you time it right, you can join in on the fun.

Invest in a museum card

The ‘I Amsterdam City Card’ is designed with tourists in mind, and it will save you a lot of money if you plan to visit a lot of the city’s many attractions, despite the high up-front costs.

Compare travel insurance policies before you buy

While travel insurance for the Netherlands is a necessity, the price of a policy varies. Different companies will sell the same level of cover at completely different prices, so it’s important to compare before you buy.

MoneySuperMarket’s comparison tool asks you a few simple questions about you and your holiday: where you are going, how long for, and what you want your policy to cover. In just a couple of minutes, you can compare prices from a range of leading travel insurers.