Switching health insurance: Your rights and options

Questioner

My question is, can my old health insurance company refuse to let me switch because I only made my last payment to them in January? I chose a new health insurer in November, and they promptly informed my old one. I received confirmation that it was canceled as of January 1st, so I can't imagine they'll simply keep me as a customer because I made my last payment in January.

Lawyer

Day, That also surprises me: do you have a link to the terms and conditions?

Questioner

The old health insurance is VGZ, I don't know exactly what I'm looking for when I look up the terms and conditions on their website.

Lawyer

Day, I'll come back to it tonight, I'll do some searching myself.

Lawyer

Day, I find the condition, which I couldn't find quickly, unreasonable. http://www.vgz.nl/klantenservice/opzeggen/zorgverzekering-opzeggen I don't see anything about it either: is it correct? Did you receive a letter, and what does it say?

Lawyer

If you did indeed have payment arrears, you cannot cancel your health insurance, and therefore you cannot switch providers. Your previous health insurer was not allowed to let you switch in December, and if the new insurer knew you had payment arrears, they should not have accepted you.

Questioner

Is that the law? Seems strange to me—can't be right—

Lawyer

That is the law and it was explained that this was to prevent people from switching to a different health insurer every time and not paying again.

Questioner

But it's paid, seems like a way of selling people something they don't want!

Lawyer

Day, Perhaps you're referring to Article 18a of the Health Insurance Act, but it requires a two-month premium arrears. I advise you to ask your health insurer for an explanation.

Lawyer

Day, and additionally: the new health insurer may accept you on the basis of Article 4 of the same law, but they are not obliged to do so if you have not paid a premium (on) time.

Questioner

I'll get to work on this, thanks a lot! :D