Healthcare insurance premiums will be considerably more expensive next year, partly as a result of swine flu, report the Trouw and the free newspaper Spits on Friday.

In an interview with Spits, health insurer CZ says that it expects costs to rise by as much as €10 a month in 2010.
As well as swine flu, premiums will be higher because of the increasing number of older people, higher salaries in the healthcare sector and more cases of diabetes and other diseases, say the papers.
They also point out that the health ministry used reserves to keep health costs for consumers down this year. According to the Trouw, this measure meant premiums in 2009 were €5 cheaper than they would have been otherwise.
It is unclear whether a similar compensation is being considered for next year.
The health service authority NZa said it has no comment on a possible increase in premiums. ‘It is a free market. If an insurer wants to ask for a higher premium, it can,’ Judith van de Velde, spokeswoman for the NZa, is quoted as saying.
CZ’s premium for a basic insurance package was €90.75 in 2009, report Spits and Trouw.