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Disney+ has lifted-off in the Netherlands (and launched with stacks of unseen content!)

Freya Sawbridge
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Disney+ has lifted-off in the Netherlands (and launched with stacks of unseen content!)

Remember in September when we announced that Disney+ was being trialled in the Netherlands which gave all us in the Netherlands free access? Well, that trial is now over, but the service lives on, has been upgraded and fully launched today! Better yet, there’s exclusive access to five new films.

How much will the new service cost and what are the new films?

Disney was late to the streaming service game (but better late than never), and they’re offering invaluable content and features that hope to accelerate its popularity.

A subscription for Disney+ costs 6.99 euros per month, and comes with unlimited downloads, and 4K Ultra HD content (not even Netflix has that!). You also get access to five exclusive original Disney films. What are these films? Well…

The Mandalorian

A Star Wars series, that follows a lone gunfighter on the edges of the galaxy who is far removed from the authority of the New Republic.

Lady and the Tramp

A remake of the 1955 Lady and the Tramp, that follows the love story between a pampered cocker-spaniel and a street dog.

High School Musical

A group of students in high school get ready to perform the original High School Musical. Bit of a mind-warp?  Watch the trailer and you’ll understand.

Noelle

Noelle, the daughter of Santa Claus, played by Anna Kendrick, adores Christmas and wishes she could do something special to honour her love for the holiday. Her brother Nick must take over from their father as Santa Claus but the pressure gets too much and he runs away. It is up to Noelle must find him and bring him back so Christmas isn’t ruined.

The World According to Jeff Goldblum

See the world through the eyes of Jeff Goldblum in this hilarious docu-series.

What do people think of the streaming service this far?

A hands on review of the Disney+ services conducted by TechRadar was on the whole positive. They emphasised that “the design is sleek and tidy, the content library is substantial for what you’re paying – if considerably smaller than Netflix’s 8,000 titles – and the list of supported platforms is amazing. You can also watch four titles at a time, which is a feature you won’t easily find at this price.”

Disney Plus is available on multiple devices and operating systems such as PS4, Google Play Store and Xbox One.

Similarly to Netflix, Disney+ will have tabs that list the most popular movies, “recommended for you” and “renewed classics”. And, just one Disney+ account can give up to ten devices access to the service (take that Netflix!)

Disney+ will also showcase old films

Disney+ have made efforts to make sure the service is not too child-orientated and makes sure old classics are available. In fact, some of the films in the Disney+ library date back as far as the 1930s.

On top of this, they also include popular films such as Avengers, Aladdin, Black Panther and every episode of the Simpsons. Given Disney is such a powerful company, they have managed to secure access to brands such as Pixar and National Geographic.

Disney Plus streaming service
How the Disney+ Streaming service appears on an Android phone. Photo by: Abuzer van Leeuwen

Where do you sign?! Head on over to get on board with Disney+.

What other streaming services are available?

Videoland and NLZiet, two Dutch streaming services cost €8.99 per month and €7.95 per month respectively. But perhaps you enjoy the more popular streaming services such as Amazon Prime Video or Netflix which both cost €7.99 per month.

There is also AppleTV+, the cheapest streaming service that only costs €4.99 per month. Finally, Ziggo Go is a streaming service that is free if you already have a TV plan with the internet provider.

Have you tried out Disney+ yet? Let us know your experiences and what you think in the comments below!

Feature image: DTCI Media

‘Kick Out Zwarte Piet’ group demands greater security protection following assault on meet-up in The Hague

Francine Zauner
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‘Kick Out Zwarte Piet’ group demands greater security protection following assault on meet-up in The Hague

On Friday night, five people between the ages of 13 and 37, were arrested following an attempted assault and arson attack on the private meet-up for the Kick Out Zwarte Piet (KOZP) protest group in The Hague. Following this assault, members of KOZP have demanded better security and emphasised that the government has not been doing enough to protect the safety of group members.

Jerry Afriyie, group member, commented to RTL news “We want extra protection, if the police does not do this, we will do it ourselves.”

The group announced that it arranged private security in order to ensure the safety of its members during the demonstrations. This is due to their perception that the police is not taking enough initiative to protect them.

What is the ‘Kick Out Zwarte Piet’ group protesting about?

Jerry Afriyie and his supporters have explained that the Zwarte Piet tradition has been great for some children but many others feel unsafe for two months a year. This debate has been going on for a while, with some Dutch people defending the use of the ‘traditional’ blackface Sinterklaas helper. They justify it by explaining that it is ‘innocent’ childhood fun. In recent years, they have protested in cities whenever Sinterklaas was about to arrive, accompanied by the traditional Zwarte Piet. This is their way to push back on what they find to be a racist stereotype, obviously to the dismay of the supporters of Black Pete.

Afriyie asked Dutch politicians to make a stand and protect the activists, emphasising that it was a matter of free speech and basic democratic rights. The KOZP group hopes that the police and the government will step up and increase their protection.

arson attack on kick out Zwarte Piet group
Feature Image: Constablequackers/wikipedia

What happened on Friday in The Hague?

60 to 70 individuals flocked to the former school building in The Hague to meet up and discuss the new ‘Zwarte Piet’ season. The Sint is scheduled to arrive next weekend, in Apeldoorn.

At 7:30 p.m., police arrived on location and witnessed the violent actions. The assailants wrecked the parked cars, smashed the building’s windows and tried to start a fire by bombarding the building with fireworks. The frightened activists had to resort to locking themselves in the building out of fear for their own safety.

However, once the suspects were arrested, the police surrounded the building and guarded the doors. This allowed the meeting to continue. Four of the five men arrested have since  been released. However, the police ensured that the investigation will be carried out properly and that the suspects will be questioned thoroughly.

How will this issue be addressed?

In the next few months, the KOZP group will protest in twelve municipalities. They insisted that “It is now up to the police and the government. We are repeatedly attacked. If we get the feeling that we are not being protected, we want extra protection.”

John van Zweden, staunch supporter of Zwarte Piet and an entrepreneur based in The Hague, had previously asked people to protest against the meeting on Twitter, stating: “This will be the last year for that bunch of troublemakers and failed clowns from our society. 95% are for, only 5% are against Zwarte Piet.” He goes on to say that he hopes the group will be disbanded in every city. He has since deleted the tweets due to complaints about his inflammatory remarks. On the same online platform, KOZP announced that they will make a stand against him.

 

“This absolutely does not fit into our society,” said Minister Grapperhaus when asked about the events of last Friday.

What is your opinion on the ongoing Zwarte Piet topic? Let us know in the comments below!

Feature Image: Constablequackers/wikipedia

Dutch landscape needs greater protection against fragmentation caused by the agriculture industry

Freya Sawbridge
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Dutch landscape needs greater protection against fragmentation caused by the agriculture industry

The Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL), in their latest Care for Landscape report, has asserted that the Dutch landscape needs better protection against fragmentation due to buildings and industrialisation caused by the agricultural industry.

The Netherlands feeds the world and it shows in the cultivated landscapes

Dutch agriculture is so advanced that it is now the world’s second biggest exporter of agricultural goods, pipped only by the United States.

Long gone are the days of endless grassy lands and wild plants. If you drive around the Netherlands today, you’ll witness row after row of wind turbines, glowing greenhouses stretching kilometres long and intensely cultivated fields. In fact, more than half of the Netherlands land mass is used for agriculture and horticulture.

This may be good for the economy, but what about nature?

The dramatic rise in solar parks, wind turbines, business parks and new residential areas, have a profound effect on the landscape, NOS reports. It is imperative that all aspects of the landscape are considered when planning agricultural development.

“the number of onshore wind turbines has increased from 300 in 1990 to more than 2000 in 2019”

“The Dutch landscape has changed considerably in the last thirty years,” PBL stresses, “the built-up area has increased from 12 to 16 percent and the number of onshore wind turbines has increased from 300 in 1990 to more than 2000 in 2019. Ditches and banks have disappeared as a result of the increase in agriculture. In 2017 there were 22 solar parks of more than 1 megawatt in the Netherlands, now there are now 80,” NOS reports.

agriculture industry damaging dutch landscape
Windturbines in the Netherlands. Source: Siebe Schootstra/Flickr

The landscape needs to be a primary consideration, not merely an afterthought

PBL states that “in the current environmental policy, the landscape is often an afterthought. This results in a worrying fragmentation of the landscape”, NOS reports. 

“Many people worry about the disappearance of openness, vistas, trees, birds and insects, and the increase in windmills, solar parks and distribution centres,” writes the PBL, RTL news reports. 

dutch landscape agriculture
Photo by: Abuzer van Leeuwen

There are been many protests in the Netherlands as of late, centred around the nitrogen crisis. The farmers have been up in arms about the measures the government is taking to combat the nitrogen crisis.

It is difficult for the people involved in the agricultural industry as their livelihoods are effected but as PBL states, action must be taken now ‘to prevent us from looking around in ten or twenty years and realising that we did not want this to happen’, RTL news reports.

SABOTAGE: First amplified call to prayer in Amsterdam left unheard

Samantha Dixon 🇦🇺
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SABOTAGE: First amplified call to prayer in Amsterdam left unheard

Crowds gathered around Amsterdam’s Blue Mosque this afternoon, the mosque attendees thrilled that the afternoon call to prayer would be broadcast over the loudspeakers for the first time. But at showtime, there was only silence. 

The people of the mosque were left shocked after the call to prayer failed to play. A spokesperson for the mosque says that a cable was cut in what was likely a ‘boyish prank’.

The spokesperson said the moment was painful. “We were full of excitement and there were many people outside. To our surprise, nothing sounded,” he told RTL Nieuws.

Why was the call to prayer sabotaged?

The matter has been attracting controversial attention for weeks after the Blue Mosque in Amsterdam announced it would make the call to prayer broadcast through the loudspeaker system on Friday afternoons.

Residents and the city council opposed the change, with Mayor Femke Halsema describing it as “unnecessary and no longer of this time.” However, the call to prayer is protected by the constitution and so the plan to amplify the sound went ahead, only to be stopped by the saboteurs.

What do you think of the plan to amplify the call to prayer at the Blue Mosque in Amsterdam? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Feature Image: Arch/Wikimedia Commons

The Netherlands has a new international logo (and it only cost €200,000!)

Freya Sawbridge
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The Netherlands has a new international logo (and it only cost €200,000!)

Last month the Dutch Government announced it would be ditching the word “Holland” and be rebranding as “the Netherlands” and today, the Dutch government launched its new international logo. But don’t worry, they got a bargain at only €200,000. That’s right, 200,000 big ones. 

The new symbol

The new symbol will be a capitalised NL with a simple stylised tulip in the middle.

The netherlands logo
The new logo. Source: rijksoverheid/nbtc

Ministers Kaag, the Foreign Trade Minister and Wiebes, the Economic Affairs minister, thought it was time to revamp and modernise the logo. Kaag  thinks this will attract new investors and talent “This is used on every trade mission, you can identify a country here,” she explained.  

The old logo

The logo will start being used from January 2020 by ministries, universities, colleges, municipalities and other organisations that collaborate with the government.

How much did it cost?

This new design cost 200,000 euros. But Kaag justifies this crazy cost by explaining “this is a small investment on a very large government sum to make the earning capacity of the Netherlands abroad as smart and attractive as possible,” NOS reports. 

Do you like the new logo? Think it was money well spent? Let us know in the comments below!

Amplification of the Blue Mosque’s call to prayer begins today

Freya Sawbridge
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Amplification of the Blue Mosque’s call to prayer begins today

The Blue Mosque in New-West Amsterdam decided to become the first mosque in Amsterdam to sound their call to prayer through loudspeakers and the first call to prayer will be amplified today.

Why do they want to amplify their call to prayer?

To normalise Islam and to make it a more visible part of Amsterdam “Amsterdam, the most tolerant city,” is the perfect place to do this for the first time, according to the main Imam at the mosque, Yassin Elforkani.

Pooyan Tamimi Arab, who carried out PhD research on use of speakers in Islamic prayer call, found that some mosques around the Netherlands began amplifying their call to prayer years ago, NOS reports. 

Why on Friday?

“Most mosques only use the speakers on Friday afternoons” Saïd Bouharrou, chairman of the Council of Moroccan mosques in the Netherlands (RMMN), tells NOS “Friday afternoon prayer is the most important of the week.”

All in all, there are around 500 mosques in the Netherlands, spread throughout the country.

The legal point of view

The constitution states that everyone has “the right to profess freely his religion or belief, either individually or in community with others.”

The Public Events Act, introduced in the 1980s, states that “bells on the occasion of religious and philosophical ceremonies and funeral ceremonies, as well as calls to confess religion or belief, are permitted”.

Amplifying a call to prayer is therefore legally protected under these rights and laws so the municipality in Amsterdam cannot prohibit it but can make rules about how loud the amplification can be and the duration of it.

Not everyone agrees

Bouharrou says when the call to prayer is sounded through speakers “it evokes a certain feeling, has spiritual value. All people can hear it. That also applies to church bells.”, NOS reports. 

Amsterdam mayor, Halsema, acknowledges that the the Islamic prayer call evokes “for many people the association with violence.” “I can’t deny that and I don’t want that at all,” she said in a debate with the city council last week.

Would you say Amsterdam is a tolerant city? Let us know in the comments below. 

Netherlands: Go out or chill at home this weekend? Weather: Yes.

Francine Zauner
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Netherlands: Go out or chill at home this weekend? Weather: Yes.

Ahhh yes, the dreadful work week is finally nearly over. It is time for our beloved beer or wine. But the question is, go out or chill at home this weekend? What sort of debauchery shall we get up to? There will be a mix of rain and clouds with a hint of sunshine. Typical Dutch weather right? It is going to be around 8 degrees so make sure you wrap yourself up in a warm coat before you jump on your bike!

netherlands rain weather
Cloudy and Rainy Dutch Weather. Source: Max Pixel

Friday

Friday will be mostly sunny with some clouds. Don’t eat your lunch inside your office! Take in the little sunlight that is left before the week ahead. The maximum temperature is  predicted to be 9 degrees, and the minimum temperature is a low 4 degrees.

Saturday

You won’t be able to do much outside on Saturday. Get ready for a cold day with some showers. It would be best to whip up some hot chocolate and read a good book. Perhaps even Netflix and chill with your loved ones (or someone you met on Bumble). Temperatures are going to be between 3 to 9 degrees.

Sunday and the next week

Sunday will be mostly sunny with some clouds, so go cycling, hiking or the beach while you still can! The temperatures will range from 3 to 8 degrees. The upcoming cloudy week is filled with either showers or full on rain. The temperatures will remain frightfully chilly (between 1 to 9 degrees).

It seems that winter is coming! But at least there is Christmas to look forward to. I am sure you can’t wait for the delicious food!

What are your plans for this weekend? Have they been ruined or did you expect this all along? Let us know in the comments below!

How to get the most out of living in Amsterdam (by ditching doing your laundry)

Samantha Dixon 🇦🇺
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How to get the most out of living in Amsterdam (by ditching doing your laundry)

Living in Amsterdam is all fun and games until you realise that no matter where in the world you live there are always those “adult responsibilities” that you “have to take care of”. We thought moving to Amsterdam was meant to be all sipping coffees next to canals, riding bikes with new Dutch friends through Vondelpark, and testing out all that cheap Dutch beer on offer. 

But, it turns out that while moving to Amsterdam is great, all those adult responsibilities still have to be taken care of. There are ways to save time (a.k.a: your most valuable asset) since the advantages of living in a major capital city like Amsterdam are endless: all the latest concerts on your doorstep, the best brands on every corner, cultural activities galore, and all the services you need.

Just want to get your laundry done in Amsterdam ASAP? Want a sweet korting along the way? We’ve got ya as we teamed up with Laundryheap to bring you this article. REVIEW7 is the code for getting that discount (you’re welcome) – now go!

How to save time when living in Amsterdam:

One of the easiest ways to save time is to forget about those piles of laundry sitting on your bedroom floor. We don’t have a sassy magic genie to offer you that will snap his fingers and make your clothes appear washed, dried, and folded, but we do have the next best thing: Laundryheap.

Forget the old days of slaving over the washing machine, squinting at product care labels or forgetting about that load you put on yesterday until its wrinkled and musty. Instead, a few taps of an app brings a courteous driver direct to you, your dirty clothes disappear, and magically materialise the next day washed, dried, folded and smelling delightfully fresh. That’s Laundryheap.

What is Laundryheap?

Laundryheap began after the founder was delayed on his way to his local dry-cleaner. His suit, hanging just metres from him, was locked behind the dry-cleaners door, rendering him suitless for an important event the following day. Brainflash: what if instead of going to get laundry, your laundry could come to you?

Laundryheap’s service is perfect for time-strapped people who wear clothes and need them washed (wait, does that sound like you?!). A swish-swash of an app and your clothes are whisked away, returned clean and fresh the next day – that’s some Mary Poppins level magic!

How does it work?

After a lightning-fast signup process, you book online to have your laundry collected (we’ll tell you how to save 7 euros below!) The same day as booking, a friendly driver will arrive at your collection point, depart with your prized clothing, and take them to be professionally washed and cleaned.

LaundryHeap_save-time-amsterdam
Do Laundry: Tick! Image: Laundryheap

The following day you can track your order online before it’s promptly delivered to you at your preferred location. Total time? Less than 24-hours as standard. The best thing is that Laundryheap isn’t just a 9-5 company: you can arrange a pick-up or drop-off as late as midnight, so if you forgot about that pesky outfit for the weekend until Thursday evening that’s fine too.

What can Laundryheap do?

Whether it’s your stock-standard laundry items washed at 30 degrees, dried, and folded, an additional ironing service, or some favourite items dry-cleaned, Laundryheap will make your dreams of never having to do laundry again come true!

Laundryheap_man-giving-bag
Doing your own laundry? Pffff. Image: Laundryheap/Supplied

Got some bigger items, like pillows or bedding! Not a problem for this Laundryheap, they can do them too (ever had the experience of snuggling up under a freshly washed blanket? Luxurious!)

And if you’ve got some pesky little repairs, like a broken zipper or a button dangling by a thread they’re all over that too. Like we said – magic!

Is Laundryheap worth it?

Worried about sending off your fave t-shirt to be washed by strangers? Laundryheap will take care of your clothing like it’s their own. In fact, they’ve cleaned over 4.5 million pieces of clothing to date, so it’s safe to say they know what they’re doing.

We’re sure we’ve got your attention, so let’s drop the big one: we’ve partnered up with LaundryHeap to get our loyal DutchReviewers 7 euros off your first order. That means ultra-fresh washed clothes magically delivered to your door with some sweet savings attached! Just enter REVIEW7 at the checkout to cash in.

What’s the worst adult responsibility that messes up your day? Let us know in the comments below!

Special Offer Terms and Conditions: Cannot be combined with any other promotion and requires a minimum order value of €25.

Feature Image: Laundryheap/Supplied

Penalties drastically increase for those found driving under the influence

Kavana Desai
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Penalties drastically increase for those found driving under the influence

The maximum penalty for those caught driving under the influence will increase from three months to one year, after a new bill was passed in parliament, reports NOS. Those who are caught drink driving will also loose their licences a lot faster.

These new regulations come after the Senate passed a bill which has introduced changes to the existing policies. This bill, which comes into force next year, will give judges more powers to really crackdown on people driving under the influence.

Accidents on road involving alcohol have doubled

According to the Council for the Judiciary, accidents caused by drugs and alcohol has doubled in the last two years. There has also been a rise in the number of convicted people for driving under the influence. According to Grapperhaus, this might also be because they have been working towards minimising this problem. He said to NOS, “there may be fewer trap controls, but we are now checking in a much more focused way, with inconspicuous cars.”

Image: Miguel Ángel Ramón/Pixabay

New regulations for driving under the influence

The new changes will come into effect starting from next year. One of the changes will be to give judges the power to immediately take away a person’s license after a decision has been passed, even if they want an appeal. Right now, the driver is allowed on the road if such an appeal is in process. They are also allowed to give a maximum penalty of a one-year prison sentence.

Judges can also now issue a driving ban of up to five years, and if found in violation of that, the person will be sent to jail. If the judge imposes a ban of more than two years, then the person will lose their license and will have to retake the driving test. If anyone is found in violation of the ban, they will be sent to prison for up to one year.

New and more strict regulations will also apply to motorists. Motorists who are found to have alcohol in their system can receive a prison sentence of up to one year. Right now, it is only for three months. They will also have to retake the test if they are a frequent offender, that is, if all of the decisions from these offenses total up to two years.

Drinking and driving is a very irresponsible thing to do, and anyone who does should have their licenses revoked. Do you agree with these new regulations? Let us know in the comments below!

Feature Image: Miguel Ángel Ramón/Pixabay

The guide to comparing Dutch health insurance in 2019: 7 things to know

Emma Brown
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The guide to comparing Dutch health insurance in 2019: 7 things to know

Comparing Dutch health insurance for 2019

Yup, it’s that time of year again. Throughout the whole of December, up until the last day of 2019, you can start comparing Dutch health insurance and then choose whether you want to switch. This will be the only time that you can change it for a whole year, so make sure that you take a look at what’s out there when it comes to health insurance in the Netherlands. If you haven’t a damn clue what we’re going on about, then check our health insurance guide first.

We bring you this article together with Zorgwijzer, to give you all the information you need when comparing health insurance companies in the Netherlands (and because they know more than we do 😉 )

Here are 7 things to know when comparing Dutch health insurance in 2019

1. Check your hospital coverage (this is really important!)

The cheaper the insurer, the less hospital coverage usually. What does this mean though? This means that only some hospitals will accept you for your treatments and if you go to a hospital not on the list, then you will have to pay for that treatment yourself. If your local hospital is on the list, then that’s great, but if you were outside of your area and needed the treatment, then you’d have to ensure that you can easily get to a hospital that is on the list.

For this reason, when comparing Dutch health insurance, make sure that you choose this option carefully. Sometimes it really doesn’t cost much more for full coverage, so it’s worth looking into.

 

2. You can change your deductible excess to suit your needs

The cheapest deductible here in the Netherlands is €385, but there is actually nothing stopping you from changing that deductible. You can actually get one as high as €885, which basically translates to your monthly health insurance cost sitting at around €20 cheaper. If you’re healthy and otherwise never go to the hospital, it may be worth checking out (providing you have that money just in case you get into an accident). Especially if you’re young, healthy and strapped for cash it’s worth thinking through.

You have a choice of a deductible at €385; €485; €585; €685; €785 and €885. Each of these will vary the cost of your monthly (or yearly) bill. Note: Make sure that you can afford the deductible that you pick! P.S. If you’re thinking about doing this because you’re struggling with money, then the Dutch government are here to help with healthcare allowances. 

Your face when I was throwing all those numbers out about comparing Dutch health insurance

 

3. The cheapest insurer may not necessarily be the best one for you

It’s always tempting when using comparison sites to go for the cheapest thing out there and just buy now. I’m certainly guilty of the *cheapest first* option. 😉 However, this is not necessarily the best way to do it, especially when it comes to health insurance. Sometimes it may cost an extra few euros to be covered extensively or even cover abroad and that’s definitely worth it. Don’t just go for the cheapest automatically, look at which is the best deal and what will suit you best. Comparing Dutch health insurance companies also isn’t something you should do at the very latest moment on New Year’s Eve (guilty as well).

You will find that if you just pick without looking into it, then along the line it may actually end up costing you more if you fall ill.

 

4. Paying per year is cheaper than per month (overall)

You can opt to pay your health insurance yearly. Generally, people pay monthly to stagger the cost, but if you have the money sitting in your account, it may be worth just getting it over and done with and all paid for. This means that you won’t have to worry about any payments for a year and also it will save you a bit of money in the end too! (Yearly payments generally end up cheaper than monthly ones overall).

Not all insurers and sites over this option I’ve noticed, therefore if this is what you’re after, then Zorgwijzer offers this on their comparison site. When browsing for your next insurer, just look on the left-hand sidebar and you’ll find the option to pay yearly. Easy!

 

5. You can get cover that insures you outside of the Netherlands

If you are looking to go abroad or travel across the border often, it’s worth having this covered by your insurer in case something happens. You can opt-in for Europe cover or worldwide cover. Many insurers have Europe cover already in their plans (you receive an EHIC card or you order one for free through your insurer). This is why it’s worth looking into their policy to see if it is covered.

If you opt-in this means that if you have an accident abroad your insurance will cover the costs and so you won’t have to worry about the high bill (depending on where you are, some hospital bills would literally cripple you)! So if you’re a traveller, PLEASE for the love of god look into this. With Zorgwijzer this is made easy – in the left-hand sidebar, just select what medical cover you’re after (basic, Europe, world cover).

 

6. Make sure to check that you are covered for specific treatments (e.g. dentist)

When you search for a health insurer, initially what will show up is the compulsory basic cover. This covers you for emergency treatment (minus the deductible), basic mental healthcare, (sometimes) emergency dental care and so on. If you are pregnant, need regular dental check-ups or have a complex mental health condition, these are the sort of situations where you would need an ‘add-on.’

When you go on a comparison site, there will be an option to tick these options if you need more cover – make sure that you have done this! It also lets you know just HOW much is covered. So if you want to make it a bit cheaper, you can choose what percentage they pay for it. If you’re in poor health, it is definitely worth opting for them to pay most of your costs. Or for example, if you’re into fierljeppen in Friesland, you want to get some ‘aanvullende verzekering’ for those physiotherapy sessions you’re going to need because fierljeppen is hella crazy.

 

7. Zorgwijzer is the only comparison site in English

Oh, the daily struggles if your Dutch isn’t up to scratch. In normal day to day life, it’s okay, but when it comes to important stuff like your health insurance, you need to be sure that you’ve done it right. Google translate is not always your friend either, sometimes it just makes no sense. True story – I once received an important letter from the Gemeente with a sentence that translated badly to “you’re going to die.” That’s certainly not a translation you’d want when organising your health insurance in the Netherlands…

Well, this is where Zorgwijzer comes in. They understood the struggles and have an English comparison site for us (also because just pronouncing ‘zorgverzekering vergelijken’ is impossible for a non-native Dutch speaker). This means that you can sort your own health insurance out, without having to bug that Dutch friend with personal health matters. The site is easy to use and easy to understand too. It essentially makes everything that we’ve just covered 10 times easier.

So there you have it – 7 things to know before you hop on that comparison site and sort out your insurer. 

Do you have any more tips when comparing Dutch health insurance? Let us know in the comments!

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