ONVZ is purely a health insurer, and always has been, right from day one. As a not-for-profit organisation, our main goal is to help people find the right care.
Our roots
Our company was set up in 1933 as ‘Onderlinge Nationale R.K. Verzekering tegen de kosten van Ziekenhuisverpleging en Operatie’, originating from the White Yellow Cross and based in Utrecht. In 1950, we changed our name to ‘Onderlinge Nationale Verzekering tegen Ziekenhuiskosten (O.N.V.Z.)' and in 1990 we became ‘ONVZ Ziektekostenverzekeraar’.
The organisation grew considerably in 2006, when we took over the health insurance portfolios of Allianz Nederland, Nationale-Nederlanden, Aegon and VvAA. Over time, ONVZ has built up a good reputation as an innovative and capable health insurer that is independent and has a sound position on the market. Our main goal is to look after people’s health, and this notion is supported by all of the 400+ ONVZ employees. There is a good reason why we have often been voted the Netherlands’ best health insurer.
Organisational structure: customer-oriented
Everything we think and do is based on the customer’s perspective. We want to support our customers with their health care as well as possible and make sure they are aware of their options. Our main goal is to look after people’s health, and this notion is supported by all of the 400+ ONVZ employees.
Being a medium-sized organisation makes us flexible enough to deliver both custom and large-scale solutions. We are practical and fast, but also analytical and innovative.
Supervisory Board
Prof. dr. L. J. Gunning-Schepers, acting chair
Louise Gunning-Schepers is a professor of Health and Society at the University of Amsterdam. She also chairs the Schiphol Group and VSBFonds supervisory boards and is a Crown-appointed member of the SER (Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands).
Drs. W. (Willem) Geerlings
Willem Geerlings trained as an internist and has run various teaching hospitals and leading general hospitals. His current roles include chairing the supervisory board of the VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam and the board of RijnmondNet. He is also a member of the regulations evaluation committee of the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (CER ZonMw) and the Phase2Therapy board, as well as chair of the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution’s Radio Medical Service’s medical committee.
Ir. E. W. (Edgar) Koning
Edgar Koning is the Chief Investment Officer and a member of AEGON Nederland’s management team. He is also a member of the Nederlands Dans Theater, UMG and TKP Pensioen supervisory boards, chair of the Amvest Vastgoed supervisory board and vice-chair of Insurance Europe’s ECOFIN committee.
Drs. I. (Iris) van Bennekom
Iris van Bennekom is managing director of Wilgaerden elderly care organisation. She is also a member of the Victim Support Netherlands and Treant Care Group supervisory boards and chairman of the Wound Platform Netherlands and the supervisory board of Agora (a national knowledge centre for palliative care).
Management Board
J. P. A. (Jean-Paul) van Haarlem, chair
Jean-Paul van Haarlem (born 1964) has worked for ONVZ Zorgverzekeraar since 1999. Before that, he worked as an accountant for KPMG.
Jean-Paul van Haarlem is vice-chairman of Zorgverzekeraars Nederland and a member of the board of VRZ Zorgverzekeraars (association of Dutch quality insurers).
I. (Ivo) van Dijk
Ivo van Dijk (born 1967) has worked for ONVZ Zorgverzekeraar since 2015. Prior to that, he was the general manager of SOS International and director of health-care plans at ASR.
Ivo van Dijk is a member of the Insurance and Implementation board committee for Zorgverzekeraars Nederland, member of the VRZ management board, and secretary of the Vereniging Vrienden van het Elisabeth Weeshuis.
Management Team
In addition to the members of the Management Board, the ONVZ management team consists of:
J. J. (Jan) Berkelmans, Clustermanager Health care
Jan Berkelmans (born 1981) has worked for ONVZ since 2014 and was appointed Health-Care Division Manager in 2017. Before joining ONVZ, he held a number of positions at the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa).
J. (Jan) Doornbos, Clustermanager Compliance, legal affairs and fraud control
Jan Doornbos (born 1964) has worked for ONVZ since 2010 as Clustermanager Compliance, legal affairs and fraud control. Before his time at ONVZ, he worked for almost 20 years in a similar position at DBV Verzekeringen (currently SRLEV N.V.).
(Astrid) van Leeuwen-Ros, Clustermanager Internal Audit
Astrid van Leeuwen-Ros (born 1973) has worked for ONVZ since 2020. Before that, she worked for De Volksbank, Delta Lloyd en AXA.
H. J. (Henk-Jan) Maas, Clustermanager HR & Facilities
Henk-Jan Maas (born 1967) has worked for ONVZ since 2003. Before that, Henk-Jan was an officer in the Netherlands Marine Corps and a managing HR consultant with Hays and Ernst & Young.
E. (Esther) Jelsma, Clustermanager Customer relations
Esther Jelsma (born 1975) was appointed Customer Relations Manager in 2022. Before that, she worked at companies including DAS, Essent, Delta Lloyd and Nationale Nederlanden.
A. (Anna) Chernilovskaya, Clustermanager Datacare
Anna Chernilovskaya (born 1983) has worked for ONVZ since 2021. Before that, she worked at Nederlandse Spoorwergen, Achmea and Universiteit Utrecht. Anna is also a member of the Supervisory Board at Naturalis Biodivercity Center, Japanmuseum SieboldHuis and Hogeschool Leiden.
M. (Marco) Saas, CFRO
Marco Saas (born 1969) has worked for ONVZ since 2008. Before that, he worked for Azivo Zorgverzekeraar, where he held the position of controller and was a member of the management team.
