Affiliation to a health insurance fund
Who needs health insurance?
Anyone who lives and/or works in Belgium must have health insurance. This obligation applies from the moment you stay in Belgium for more than three months. Health insurance is part of the Belgian social security system and ensures that your medical costs are partially reimbursed.
Affiliation with a health insurance fund is mandatory for you and your family members.
What does health insurance cover?
The Belgian health insurance funds reimburse part of the costs you pay when visiting a doctor, dentist, hospital, or pharmacist. They also provide sickness or maternity allowances when you are unable to work due to illness or pregnancy.
Depending on the provider, you can also receive additional benefits, such as:
- Partial reimbursement for glasses, medical supplies, or sun cream
- Support for preventive care, sport or childcare
- Hospitalization or dental insurance
On average, around 75% of medical expenses are reimbursed. You pay the remaining personal contribution ('remgeld'), usually about 25% of the cost.
How to register
There are two ways to obtain the mandatory basic health insurance in Belgium. You are free to choose your provider.
Public option – HZIV (CAAMI)
- Public health insurance institution managed by the government
- Offers only the basic mandatory insurance (no extra benefits or reimbursements)
- Free of charge
- Registration possible only after arrival
- Communication available only in Dutch
- Website: www.caami-hziv.fgov.be
Mutual health insurance funds ('ziekenfondsen' or 'mutualiteiten')
These are non-profit organisations that offer the mandatory basic insurance as well as additional benefits and optional insurances (hospitalisation, dental, etc.). Affiliation should be started within one month after arrival in Belgium.
You can choose freely among the recognised providers:
- Helan – English support, video calls before arrival, (10–15 days processing) – www.business.healthinsurance.be/en
- CM – English support, €9.50/month (10–30 days) – www.cm.be/international
- Solidaris – Dutch/French – www.solidaris-vlaanderen.be
- Liberal Mutuality (LM) – Dutch/French – www.lm-ml.be
- Neutral Mutuality (NZVL) – Dutch/French – www.nzvl.be
What is reimbursed?
The legal health insurance funds reimburse a large part of Belgian medical expenses:
- Medical consultations and treatments
- Prescribed medicines
Some costs are not reimbursed, such as:
- Supplements charged by non-contracted doctors
- Additional hospital room fees and hospitalization costs
- Ambulance transport
These may be partially covered if you take extra insurance through your health fund. A hospitalisation insurance is also available through UGent for scholarship holders or employed staff.
To request a reimbursement:
- Attach one of your identification stickers (received after registration) to the medical certificate or receipt ('getuigschrift van verstrekte hulp').
- Send or deliver it to your health insurance fund.
- The reimbursement will be transferred to your bank account.
Other option for health insurance: the all-insurance policy
The ALL-IN insurance is a collective policy established by Ghent University (UGent) for its international students, staff members, and guests.
It offers a comprehensive insurance package that includes:
- Medical expenses – covering costs on top of what is reimbursed by the Belgian health insurance fund (which is legally required for stays of more than three months in Belgium).
- Civil Liability in Private Life – covering up to EUR 7.5 million in case of bodily injury.
- Travel assistance – covering university-related travel outside Belgium.
Registration procedure
Registration for the ALL-IN insurance must be completed by a UGent staff member (your faculty or department contact).
The request is processed through the dedicated All-in insurance SharePoint application.
Within two working days after registration, the insured person receives by email:
- An insurance certificate (available in English, Spanish, and Dutch);
- A claims manual explaining what to do in case of an incident.
A copy of both documents is also sent to the UGent contact person who completed the registration.
Please keep the insurance certificate carefully, as it contains essential information for claims or emergencies.
Cost and coverage
The ALL-IN insurance costs EUR 2.70 per day.
The premium is paid by UGent, although your faculty or department may charge it back to you, possibly including additional administrative costs.
The collective contract covers international students, staff members, and guests.
If you wish to insure accompanying family members (partner and/or children), you can apply for the same insurance package at your own expense and under identical policy conditions as the collective UGent contract.
UGent is not involved in this process.
Further information and application details can be found here: https://UGINT.eu/home.
This option is also available for international students, staff members, and guests not financially covered by UGent.
Insurance provider
All applications with coverage starting from 1 October 2021 are handled by the insurance broker Expat & Co, and underwritten by Inter Partner Assistance (IPA).
The complete policy wording is available upon request.