Taking the easy way out. Who switches health care insurer in the Netherlands?

This thesis investigates the relation between consumer characteristics – socio-demographic variables and three new variables; decision avoidance, financial literacy and risk aversion – and the decision to switch health care provider in the Netherlands. Dutch Household Survey panel data of the years 2006 through 2010 is analysed with different logistic model specifications. Results show that being older, having at least one child and experiencing high levels of decision avoidance reduce the probability to switch but having a partner, a high education level and a modal income increase this probability. It can be concluded that besides socio-demographic variables, psychological constructs can have an influence on mobility rates in the Dutch health care insurance market.