Frequently asked questions about invoices and annual statements

How do I deregister a family member?

Is your family member on the annual statement, but they are not supposed to be? For example, because they have their own health insurance? In that case, report this to the health insurer in your country of residence. They will deregister your family member with us. Find out more about deregistering family members.

Can my family members also pay the annual statement themselves?

Yes, they can. The bill is in your name, because you work in the Netherlands. And your family members are therefore entitled to health insurance through the CAK. But your family members may also pay themselves. Remember to state the payment reference when making the payment.

What are the rules on teleworking?

Do you have an employer established in the Netherlands, but you live over the border and often telework from your country of residence? In that case, there may be consequences for your health insurance and that of your co-insured family members. Find out more about teleworking.

What does an invoice look like?

Do you want to know what an invoice looks like? Take a look at the example below. You will also find an explanation of the concepts in the appendix.

Please note: the amounts in the invoice below have been fabricated. You cannot derive any rights from this.

Example invoice (pdf, 72 kB)

What does an annual statement look like?

Do you want to know what an annual statement looks like? Take a look at the examples below. You will also find an explanation of the concepts in the appendix.

Please note: the amounts in the statements below have been fabricated. You cannot derive any rights from this.

Example annual statement when you owe money (pdf, 70 kB)

Example annual statement when you get a refund (pdf, 71 kB)

How much time do I have to pay?

Invoice

The invoice does not come with an obligation to pay. This means that you do not have to pay this bill. You may, however, pay in monthly instalments. This way, you do not have to pay a large amount at once when you receive the annual statement.

Annual statement

The annual statement must be settled within 6 weeks.

I have lodged an objection. Does this mean that I don’t have to pay?

Even if you have raised an objection about an annual statement, you are required by law to pay the bill within 6 weeks. You are not allowed to withhold payment and wait for the outcome of your objection.

What happens if I don’t pay on time?

Does your annual statement show that you paid nothing or not enough last year? In that case, you will have 6 weeks to transfer this amount to us. Alternatively, you can enter into a payment arrangement with us.

Reminder

Are you unable to pay within 6 weeks and have you not contacted us to ask about a payment arrangement? In that case, we will send you a reminder. You will then have a further 2 weeks to pay.

Payment demand

If you still do not pay, we will send a payment demand. This is your last chance to pay the annual statement. You have 2 weeks to do so.

Bailiff

If you have still not paid after receiving the reminder and the payment demand, we will engage a bailiff. The amount you have to pay will increase as a result. This is because you also have to pay the bailiff’s collection costs.

In some cases, the bailiff informs us that you are genuinely unable to pay at the present time. In that case, we will temporarily suspend the collection process. The bailiff will check once a year to see whether you are able to pay at a later date. If you can, the collection process will be restarted.

I am due money back from the CAK. How long does it take?

We will transfer the amount to you as soon as possible. In any case, we will do so within 6 weeks. We can only do that if we have your bank account number.

Have you not yet given us your bank account number? Please provide us with your bank details as soon as possible. As soon as we have processed your details, we will transfer the amount to you.

Will I receive interest on any refund due?

Have you paid too much in a year and are you due money back from us? In that case, you will receive interest on this amount. The amount of this interest is set by law and is stated on your annual statement. The interest starts from the end of the healthcare year until the moment of refund.

Example: You receive a refund for the 2021 healthcare year on 15 March 2022. We then calculate the interest over the period from 1 January to 15 March 2022.

Can I enter into a payment arrangement?

Yes, you can. Find out how this works on the page about payment arrangements.

Does the CAK cooperate with debt counselling?

If you work in the Netherlands, you can receive help in the Netherlands with the settlement of your debts. This is referred to as Minnelijke Schuldsanering Natuurlijke Personen – MSNP (Amicable Debt Restructuring for Natural Persons).

If the debt counsellor is affiliated to the Dutch Association of Municipal Money-Lending and Debt Counselling Institutions (NVVK), we will cancel a portion of your outstanding debt. The amount due will be the remaining amount after we have received money from the debt assistance organisation.

Are you receiving help with the settlement of your debts in your country of residence? In that case, we will assess your situation separately. This is because participation in a statutory debt-restructuring scheme differs from one treaty country to another.

Can my family members apply for a healthcare benefit?

A healthcare benefit is a contribution towards the costs of your Dutch health insurance. Whether you receive a healthcare benefit depends on your and your partner’s income. See the Dutch Tax Administration website for the conditions and more information. Your co-insured children aged 18 and over can apply for a healthcare benefit independently.