Health & Protection in Belgium

The regular costs of health and protection insurance, especially with international coverage, can be quite expensive which is why most people think it’s not worth it as they can just as well pay for the cost of emergencies with the amount of money they save from paying off the insurance, but this is a very common misconception especially when you’re moving to a country like Belgium where the cost of living and cost of care is quite high. Explore the best options for you and your family before you move so you can enjoy your expat experience abroad.

We have raised the importance of portability of cover for health insurance in our global guide as your group cover that is currently contracted with your employer in Belgium might not follow you to your next destination, even less if you resigned, and during your expat in Belgium might not allow you to seek treatment back home close to your loved ones.

As we mentioned earlier, insurance is often neglected in an expat’s preparation usually due to the expense and thinking that you can only really use it on rare occasions, in which case you can just pay up front. However, costs of emergencies are never cheap, and they usually have to be paid in bulk. You may risk using your entire life savings on a single occurrence without just because you didn’t know about the services and policies that can be useful for you when you have an insurance plan. 

Getting insurance

As an expatriate, your access to insurance will be either by your employer or directly on your own.

When it comes to your employer, they are often a good source of information, well at least to understand your benefits package.

For your personal requirements, getting insurance in Belgium is not difficult. There are several local, international and regional insurance companies that offer general, life, and medical insurances for expats. Belgium is also a very well developed country in the insurance industry so signing up for insurance in this country can be as simple as asking for a quote through their website, sending an email, or calling or visiting insurance offices.

Several local insurance companies such as NN and Coface offer good quality general insurance services. There are also several regional insurance companies that offer general and medical insurance services in Europe such as ACE Group and AIG. Bigger international insurance companies such as Allianz, AXA, Cigna, and all the other major players in the global insurance industry also have a large presence in the country. It should not be difficult for an expat to get coverage for any type of insurance before moving to Belgium. 

Local insurance 

Local insurance is very accessible in Belgium, and the government also has a very efficient social security service that extends to expat residents in the country. As a member of the EU, EU expats can also easily get social security services in the country. Despite the efficient public services in Belgium, it is still advisable for expats to get an international private insurance while living abroad.

Local private insurance is very good and accessible in the country. However, local insurance, especially for general insurance such as car, home, and property in Belgium, can be quite expensive. Ask your colleagues what would be a good local agent they have been using. You will get local or at most regional coverage for Europe under a local private insurance.