If you travel more than two or three weeks a year in total, whether for weekend city trips, visits back home, or a summer holiday, an annual policy called a doorlopende reisverzekering usually costs less overall than buying single trip cover every time, with basic plans starting at under €2 a month per person. This guide covers what continuous travel insurance includes, what to check before buying, and what it typically costs in 2026.
One thing to be clear on upfront: this is different from the short term Schengen travel insurance that visitors need before they first arrive in the Netherlands, which we cover separately in our visa sponsorship checklist. A doorlopende reisverzekering is for your own ongoing travel once you are already living here.
What Is a Doorlopende Reisverzekering?
A continuous travel insurance policy runs all year round rather than covering one specific trip. Once you have it, every trip you take is automatically covered without needing to notify the insurer beforehand, whether that is a three day weekend away or a multi week holiday. Standard policies cover trips of up to 60 consecutive days, and most insurers let you extend that to 180 consecutive days with a long stay add-on if you plan on a longer period abroad.
Why It Usually Beats Buying Single Trip Policies
- Lower total cost for frequent travelers. If your combined travel time adds up to more than two or three weeks a year, an annual policy is generally cheaper than several single trip policies.
- No need to remember to buy cover each time. A last minute weekend trip or an unplanned flight home is covered automatically, without having to arrange insurance in a hurry.
- Round the clock emergency assistance. Continuous policies include access to an emergency assistance desk (alarmcentrale) for medical emergencies, hospital admissions, and repatriation, wherever you are.
What to Check Before You Buy
- Geographic coverage. Policies are usually sold as Europe only or worldwide cover. There is no need to pay extra for worldwide cover if your trips are limited to Europe.
- How it interacts with your Dutch health insurance. Your Dutch basic health insurance (zorgverzekering) already covers medically necessary emergency treatment abroad, but only up to the tariff level that would apply in the Netherlands, and it does not cover repatriation. Many destinations, especially private clinics outside Europe, charge well above Dutch rates, and your regular deductible (eigen risico) still applies. In practice this means the medical and repatriation cover in a travel policy is rarely redundant, even though some overlap exists for routine treatment within Europe.
- Maximum consecutive days. Check how many days in a row you can be away before the standard policy stops covering you, and whether you need the long stay add-on.
What a Good Policy Should Cover
- Emergency assistance and repatriation (hulpverlening): support for medical emergencies, hospital stays, and being brought home if needed.
- Baggage (bagage): cover for loss, theft, or damage to luggage and belongings while traveling.
- Optional add-ons: cancellation cover (annuleringsverzekering) for non-refundable costs if you have to cancel a trip, and winter sports or extreme sports cover if you plan to ski, dive, or do similar activities, since these are usually excluded from standard cover.
What It Costs in the Netherlands in 2026
Pricing varies by insurer, age, household size, and the add-ons you select. ANWB advertises its continuous travel policy from around €1.72 a month for one person with Europe only cover, while Univé states that a doorlopende reisverzekering costs an average of €11 a month, with its own single person policies starting from €1.79 and children aged four and under covered at no extra cost. A family policy with Europe cover plus cancellation and medical add-ons generally lands somewhere between €10 and €25 a month, though it is worth running an actual quote since household composition and extras make a real difference.
Providers Worth Comparing
ANWB, working with insurer Unigarant, has been rated best in the Consumentenbond's travel insurance test multiple times, so it is a solid starting point for comparison. Other insurers commonly compared on platforms like Independer include Allianz Assistance, known for its international emergency response network, along with InShared, OHRA, and a.s.r., each offering slightly different combinations of modules and pricing.
A quick note before you buy: this is general information, not personalized advice. Terms, overlaps with health insurance, and premiums change, so check the exact policy conditions with the insurer, or compare current offers through a site like Independer, before finalizing cover.
Related Reading on DesiBiz
For your core medical cover, see our guide to Dutch Health Insurance for Expats. If you are still preparing to move and need short term Schengen travel insurance for a visa application, that is covered in our Visa Sponsorship Checklist, which is a separate requirement from the ongoing policy described here. If you are also setting up home or contents insurance as you settle in, keep an eye out for our companion post on that topic.
References
More in this series: Insurance
- Dutch Health Insurance for Expats: What You Need to KnowDutch health insurance is mandatory within 4 months of arrival, with no backdated cover if you miss it. Here is what every newcomer needs to know.
- Car Insurance in the Netherlands: What South Asian Expats Need to KnowWA, WA+, and all-risk car insurance in the Netherlands explained, with legal rules, average costs, and how to compare policies.
- Building Insurance (Opstalverzekering) in the Netherlands ExplainedWhat opstalverzekering covers in the Netherlands, when it is required, and what it typically costs for homeowners and apartment owners.
- Home Contents Insurance (Inboedelverzekering) in the NetherlandsHow contents insurance works in the Netherlands, what it covers, what it costs, and how renters and owners can avoid underinsurance.
- Private Liability Insurance (AVP) in the NetherlandsWhat AVP liability insurance covers in the Netherlands, who it protects, typical costs, and why most households carry it.
- Term Life Insurance in the Netherlands: What Expats Should Know About the ORVA clear guide to overlijdensrisicoverzekering (ORV) in the Netherlands: what it covers, typical costs, and what to check before choosing a term life policy.
- Legal Expenses Insurance in the Netherlands: What Rechtsbijstandverzekering CoversA practical guide to rechtsbijstandverzekering (legal expenses insurance) in the Netherlands: what it covers, waiting periods, and typical costs.
- Insuring Expensive Household Items in the NetherlandsWhy a Dutch home contents policy usually beats single-item warranties for your electronics, furniture and valuables.
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- bol.com Select: Is the Annual Subscription Worth It for Expats?A practical look at bol.com Select in the Netherlands: the yearly price, free delivery rules, and whether it pays for itself.
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