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Do I have to join a health insurance fund?

Once you turn 25, you need to join a health insurance fund.

Why is it important to do so? Because from the age of 25 onwards you can no longer benefit from your parents’ health insurance fund affiliation.

If you are under 25, one of the following situations may apply:

  • Are you still a student? You don’t need to do anything. You are considered to be “dependent” on your parents. You can rely on their health insurance fund affiliation for medical care
  • Do you have a student job? You don’t need to do anything as long as your income and the amount of hours you work stay within certain limits
  • Are you an employee and does your employer take care of your social contributions? You need to join a health insurance fund if your gross pay exceeds a certain level. As each health insurance fund has specific conditions in this case, better get informed before you make a choice.
  • Do you receive unemployment benefits? You need to join a health insurance fund

Why do you need a health insurance fund?

Health insurance funds or the ‘National Health Service’ in Belgium take care of the payment of:

  • contributions to medical costs
  • maternity benefits
  • payments during incapacity for work or invalidity

Which health insurance fund should you choose?

You have the choice between the following health insurance funds:

Health insurance funds are private organisations. If you would rather take advantage of a government organisation, then you can join the Hulpkas voor Ziekte- en Invaliditeitsverzekering (in French)(new window) (HZIV - Auxiliary fund for sickness and invalidity insurance).