The end of the year is approaching and many people are looking for health insurance that suits their needs. Health insurance premiums will rise again in 2025. Do you need physiotherapy? Then it is important to take an extra critical look at your health insurance, as physiotherapy is only reimbursed to a limited extent from the basic insurance. In this article, you will read what the basic insurance reimburses in 2025 and get tips on choosing the right supplementary insurance. We have also compiled a top 3 of the cheapest insurers per number of treatments.
Alternative to supplementary insurance: the FRISK package
Are you considering supplementary insurance for physiotherapy? The FRISK physiotherapy package may be an interesting alternative. Until the end of the year, you will receive 35% discount on the package Physiotherapy 21. This reduces the price from €950.25 to €617.66, or €51.50 a month. You pay only when you need care and the package is valid indefinitely, including in future years. In addition, payment in instalments is possible.
After purchase, you will also receive extra points for discounts on your next purchase in the FRISK webshop. Unsure about supplementary insurance? Then consider the flexibility of a FRISK package.
What does the basic insurance cover for physiotherapy in 2025?
The basic insurance reimburses physiotherapy only in specific cases determined by the government:
- Chronic diseases: For chronic conditions (included in the official list*), physiotherapy is reimbursed from the 21st treatment. You pay for the first 20 treatments yourself, unless you have supplementary insurance.
- Children up to 18 years: The basic insurance covers 9 treatments per year. If medically necessary, this can be extended by another 9 treatments.
- Pelvic physiotherapy for urinary incontinence: Up to a maximum of 9 treatments.
- Exercise therapy for specific conditions:
- Osteoarthritis (hip or knee joints): Up to 12 treatments.
- Claudicatio intermittens (leg ulcers): Up to 37 treatments.
- COPD: Up to 70 treatments in the first year.
- Fall prevention programme: A training to reduce the risk of falling. You will need a referral from your GP for this.
*Do you want to know if your condition is on the list of chronic conditions? Check with your health insurer or physiotherapist.
When is supplementary physiotherapy insurance useful?
Whether additional insurance is necessary depends on your personal situation and care needs. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I exercise intensively and am I at risk of injury?
- Do I often have complaints, such as back pain or weak joints?
- Am I willing to pay per treatment myself, or do I prefer to pay a monthly premium?
The cost of physiotherapy treatment in 2025 is on average between €45 and €60. Specialised treatments, such as manual therapy, are often more expensive.
Tips on choosing the right supplementary insurance
- Determine your care needs
Do you expect to need many treatments? Then choose supplementary insurance with higher coverage. For only a few treatments, lower coverage may suffice. - Compare insurers
Physiotherapy reimbursements vary widely between insurers. Use comparison sites such as Independer, Zorgkiezer or Care Guide to make the best choice. - Check conditions
Pay attention to things like waiting times, free choice of therapists and any exclusions in the policy conditions. - Do not choose too comprehensive cover if it is not necessary
Don't pay unnecessarily for comprehensive packages if you expect little physiotherapy. - Check reimbursements for preventive care
Some insurances offer coverage for preventive treatments. This can be interesting if you want to prevent symptoms. - Consider combination packages
Insurers often combine physiotherapy with alternative care, such as chiropractic. This can be convenient, but beware of the higher premium.
Supplementary insurance: what is a good choice?
The best supplementary physiotherapy insurance depends on your personal situation and expectations for the coming year. So how do you choose the health insurance that suits you best? First check what care you will actually need in 2025. Also look at what criteria are important to you, such as choice of hospitals and other care options.
If you use physiotherapy often, then supplementary insurance is highly recommended. Grab your current policy and start comparing. Most health insurers reimburse a maximum number of treatments per year. Decide how many treatments you need: 6, 9, 12, 18 or 27.
Some health insurers do not calculate in number of treatments, but reimburse a maximum amount per year for physiotherapy. You can use our rates to calculate how many treatments you will be reimbursed.
The cheapest supplementary insurance policies in 2025
Below are the top 3 insurers by number of treatments per year*:
27 physiotherapy treatments
| Insurer | Package | Care Choice | Premium p/m |
| DSW Health insurer | Healthcare policy AV Top | Full | € 207,50 |
| Stad Holland Health insurer | Health policy extended AV | Full | € 215,75 |
| ONVZ | Free choice basic insurance Free choice Optifit | Full | € 213,05 |
18 physiotherapy treatments
| Insurer | Package | Care Choice | Premium p/m |
| a.s.r. | Conscious Choice Care Best | Very spacious | € 183,45 |
| The Friesland | Alles Verzorgd Polis AV Extra policy | Very spacious | € 186,50 |
| ONVZ | Free choice basic insurance Free choice Benfit | Full | € 188,85 |
12 physiotherapy treatments
| Insurer | Package | Care Choice | Premium p/m |
| a.s.r. | Deliberate choice ZorgBeter | Very spacious | € 168,45 |
| Silver Cross | Basic Budget + Supplementary 2 stars | Restricted | € 172,00 |
| Christian Health Insurer | Principle Policy Budget + Medium Policy | Restricted | € 172,00 |
9 physiotherapy treatments
| Insurer | Package | Care Choice | Premium p/m |
| a.s.r. | Conscious Choice Care Good | Restricted | € 161,00 |
| Aevitae (EUCARE) | Basic insurance Natura Select | Very limited | € 161,85 |
| The Friesland | Zelf Bewust Polis AV Doorstap | Restricted | € 162,20 |
6 physiotherapy treatments
| Insurer | Package | Care Choice | Premium p/m |
| FBTO | FBTO Basis + Muscles & Joints 200 | Spacious | € 154,20 |
| The Friesland | Zelf Bewust Polis + AV Opstapstap | Spacious | € 155,90 |
| CZdirect | CZdirect Physio 6 | Restricted | € 154,50 |
*Source: Independer
Please note: the maximum reimbursement applies to all therapies together. So if you get reimbursed for a maximum of 12 treatments per year, this includes all treatments that the health insurer counts as 'physiotherapy'.
Alternative: FRISK packages
FRISK's physiotherapy package offers an interesting option if you are unsure about supplementary insurance. With a package of FRISKFYSIO you save directly on healthcare costs and pay only when needed. This can be more advantageous than a monthly premium. Moreover, our packages are unlimited and transferable to subsequent years.
Tips to save on your health insurance
Increase deductible, yes or no?
Do you expect few healthcare costs next year? Then consider increasing your deductible voluntarily. With the basic insurance, you have a compulsory excess of EUR 385. This is the amount you pay yourself before your health insurer reimburses the costs. Do you opt for a higher deductible? Then your premium will go down. You can choose a voluntary excess of €485, €585, €685, €785 or €885.
If you expect a lot of healthcare costs, increasing your deductible is not wise. Also, do not opt for a higher excess if you do not have the amount of your compulsory and voluntary excess in your savings account. The excess does not apply if you use physiotherapy treatment from your supplementary insurance.
Some insurers ask for a health or medical certificate. They may reject you on this basis. Check this before taking out a policy.
Finally, cooperation with all health insurers
FRISK works with all health insurers, including Zorg en Zekerheid, which stands out for its close cooperation with healthcare providers and customer-friendly conditions. This makes Zorg en Zekerheid an excellent choice in practical experience. You have until 31 December 2024 to change your health insurance or purchase a package from FRISK. Compare smartly and make a choice that suits you! Through these websites, you can compare health insurance and calculate which policy will be most interesting for you in 2025:
