Living/working in Belgium

What do you need to do to get health insurance coverage in Belgium?

Living and working in Belgium

If you come to live and work in Belgium under a Belgian employment contract, you must register with a Belgian health insurance fund.

This grants you the following coverage:

• You will immediately enjoy comprehensive health insurance coverage at the doctor, the hospital, the dentist, the pharmacy …
• After a 12-month waiting period, you can become eligible for a sickness allowance. If you were previously covered by a public health insurance provider, your waiting period can be shorter.

Cross-border work

You are a cross-border or migrant worker if you work in Belgium but live in a neighbouring country, or vice versa. You must always register with a Belgian health insurance fund.

• If you work in Belgium while living abroad, you will be issued an S1 form by the health insurance fund in Belgium. Take this document to your health insurance provider in your home country.
• If you’re coming to live in Belgium and work abroad, you should register with a health insurance provider in the country of your employment. You will be issued an S1 form. Bring this with you as you register yourself also with a Belgian health insurance fund.

This way, you will receive reimbursements of your health care costs, regardless of where you incur them.

Posted to Belgium as an expat

Companies can temporarily post employees to another country.

• If your employer is located in a European Union or EFTA member state, you will be issued an S1 form or a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) by the country you come to work in. You must register with a Belgian health insurance fund. Bring your documents with you.
• If your employer is located elsewhere, check with your employer or contact a Belgian health insurance fund for more information.

Pensioner in Belgium

• If you receive a pension from a European Union or EFTA member state, you will be issued an S1 form by the country paying you your pension. You must register with a Belgian health insurance fund. Bring the S1 form with you.
• If you receive a pension from another country, get in touch with a Belgian health insurance fund for more information.

What about children?

You can register your children living with you, or other dependants living with you, with a Belgian health insurance fund. The country you work in will issue an S1 form. Bring it to your health insurance fund. We can arrange for your children to be insured with you.