I live in the Netherlands, my family members abroad

Do your family members live in a country with which the Netherlands has no treaty? Then you will have to take out health insurance for your family members in that country. This also applies to the ‘Dutch Antilles’ (Caribbean part of the Kingdom and the BES Islands) and Suriname.

You may be able to co-insure your family members. The health insurance fund in their country of residence determines this. Below you will find instructions on what to do.

1. Apply for a document S1 or 109 for your family members. You can download the application forms below.

2. Fill in the application form (one for each family member) and send it to: CAK, Regeling Buitenland, Antwoordnummer 91041, 2509 Den Haag.

3. When approved you will receive the S1 or 109. With this document you can register your family member(s) with the local health insurance fund in their country of residence.

What happens next?

The local health insurance fund checks if your family member(s) can be co-insured and will notify us. You will receive a letter from us stating which family members are co-insured. Your co-insured family members will receive a health insurance card from the local health insurance fund or a proof of registration. With that they will receive the same healthcare as other residents of their country of residence.

For each co-insured member of the family aged 18 and over, you pay a healthcare contribution to the CAK. This contribution is comparable to the premium for health insurance. We will send you an invoice for this every year. At the end of the calendar year you will receive an annual statement.

Does anything change in the composition or situation of your family? Then report this as soon as possible to the health insurance fund in your family's country of residence. For example:

• when the number of co-insured persons changes;
• when a member of the family finds work;
• when you or a family member are moving.

These changes may affect the level of the healthcare contribution you have to pay. If so, the health insurance fund will notify us and we will adjust the healthcare contribution accordingly.

Your family members are entitled to medical care in their country of residence, as provided for there by law. The coverage of the package is equal to the basic insurance in that country. They will have the same rights and obligations as other residents who are legally insured in that country. For example, if their country of residence has a obligatory deductable excess for medical care, it will also apply to your family members. However, the Netherlands does not cover such costs.

The health insurance fund in their country of residence can give you more information about:

• the care to which your family members are entitled;
• any deductable excesses, if any;
• possible supplementary insurance.

If your family members live in an EU/EEA country or in Switzerland or the United Kingdom, they are also entitled to medical care in the Netherlands. For this care in the Netherlands, your family members can use the EHIC (European Health Insurance Card). More information about care in the Netherlands can be found on the website of the Zilveren Kruis.

If your family members make use of medical care in the Netherlands, Zilveren Kruis will pay the costs incurred directly with the doctor or healthcare institution in the Netherlands. They are only entitled to healthcare which is included in the Dutch Health Insurance Act and the Long-Term Care Act.

Other treaty country

If your family members do not live in an EU/EEA country or in Switzerland or the United Kingdom, they will always need supplementary or travel insurance when staying in the Netherlands. They are not entitled to healthcare outside their country of residence at the expense of the Netherlands. They also do not receive an EHIC from the CAK.

Do you live in an EU/EEA country or Switzerland or the United Kingdom and go on holiday to another EU/EEA country or Switzerland or the United Kingdom? Then your family members are entitled to necessary medical care according to the laws and regulations that apply there. They need a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). They can request the EHIC online from us.

We also recommend that you always take out travel insurance. The EHIC usually does not offer 100 % coverage. If your family members go on holiday to other countries, they are subject to supplementary or travel insurance.

Other treaty country

If your family members do not live in an EU/EEA country or in Switzerland or the United Kingdom, they will always need supplementary or travel insurance during holidays. They are not entitled to healthcare outside their country of residence at the expense of the Netherlands. They also do not receive an EHIC from the CAK.