Helan Independent health insurance

The Belgian healthcare system is part of social insurance, the system that covers residents in the event of illness, unemployment or for retirement. It is funded by the government and by social insurance contributions from employees and the self-employed.

The healthcare funds play a key role in this system. They form the link between you and the government (the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance - NIHDI) and ensure that you:

• receive reimbursements for medical expenses, such as visits to the doctor or hospital care
• receive financial support for illness or maternity leave.

Yes, everyone who lives or works in Belgium is required by law to join a health insurance fund. This means it is a necessity even for students. However, you are free to choose which health insurance fund suits you best, such as Helan.

The Belgian healthcare system has three levels of cover:

• Statutory health insurance
  The compulsory basic insurance for everyone who lives or works in Belgium. This reimburses you for most of your medical expenses, such as visits to the doctor, hospital admissions and medication. You only pay a small amount yourself, the non-reimbursable portion.
• Additional advantages
  Every health insurance fund, such as Helan, offers additional advantages to keep healthcare affordable, such as reimbursement for glasses, vaccines, sports or mental healthcare.
• Extra insurance
  Optional insurance for extra peace of mind, such as hospitalisation insurance or dental insurance, which covers high costs or non-reimbursed care.

The statutory health insurance in Belgium reimburses around 60% to 70% of medical expenses, depending on the type of care. The exact amount is determined by the government and is the same for all recognised health insurance funds. The part that you pay yourself is known as 'remgeld' (non-reimbursable portion).

Tip! The additional benefits offered by Helan allow you to get additional reimbursements, such as glasses, contraception or preventative care.

The non-reimbursable portion (known as 'remgeld') is the portion of medical costs that you pay yourself. If a visit to the doctor costs 30 euros and your health insurance fund reimburses 20 euros, you pay 10 euros yourself as the non-reimbursable portion. The system of non-reimbursable portions for medical expenses ensures that everyone makes a contribution towards the costs of healthcare.

It is easy to join Helan. How you do this depends on your status. Are you an employee, student or self-employed?

1. Gather together your documents, such as your national register number, identity card and proof of residence or enrolment.
2. Complete the online form on our website or contact us by telephone or email.
3. Helan will do the rest – we will support you during the joining process and let you know when your cover starts.

You will always receive personal support in Dutch, French or English.

• Expats and foreign national professionals
• Companies and HR services
• International students
• Universities of applied sciences and academic universities