With the aim of prevent your health situation in Belgium, all foreign students have to prove they already have a valid health insurance or arrange coverage at once upon their arrival.
The benefits of health insurance are clear: life in Belgium without a health insurance is very risky because medical costs are extremely high. Without health insurance treatment of a simple disease can cost you around 50 EUR. Treatment of medical complications or severe injury can cost several hundred EUR or even more if it involves surgery or hospitalization.
The steps to get the health insurance depend on your nationality:
A) If you are a national from one of the countries of the European Economic Area (EEA = EU + Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland) or from Switzerland
Since June 1st 2004, nationals from one of the EEA countries or from Switzerland can obtain a European Health Insurance Card allowing them to receive medical care in all member states of the EEA and in Switzerland. This card is available at your local Health Insurance Agency in your home country.
The presentation of the European Health Insurance Card guarantees your reimbursement of the medical costs on the spot, or soon after your return home. As a general rule the European Health Insurance Card only covers emergency medical care (E.g. breaking a leg, losing a tooth, catching flu) or continued treatment that cannot be interrupted (E.g. on-going Diabetes treatment).
B) If you are NOT a national of one of the countries of the European Economic Area or Swiss:
- Visa required: a Health Insurance (covering a minimum of €30.000) was requested by the Belgian Embassy to start up your Visa procedure in your home country. This insurance covers all necessary needs.
- No Visa required: Check with your own health insurance company whether medical costs abroad are covered and for which period. If not, you will have to subscribe to a health insurance in Belgium after arrival.
Health insurance information
Do I need it? - Where can I get it? - Can somebody help me? - Other insurance
You do not need a Belgian health insurance, if:
- You are a national of one of the countries of the EEA or Switzerland, because you have a European Health Insurance Card (be sure to ask it in your home country). This guarantees reimbursement of medical costs on the spot or soon after you return home. It only covers emergency medical care (e.g. breaking a leg, losing a tooth, catching flu) or a continued treatment that cannot be interrupted (e.g. on-going Diabetes treatment)
- A Visa was required for coming to Belgium, because a Health Insurance (covering a minimum of euro 30.000) was a prerequisite to start up the procedure.
- Your health insurance back home covers your medical costs in Belgium
- You are a foreign worker in Belgium and you have a health insurance as a part of the social benefits of your job (check this thoroughly)
- You can use the health insurance of someone you happen to live with (check this thoroughly)
If you do not belong to one of these categories, you need a Belgian health insurance:
- Students can join a Health Insurance providing the student certificate delivered by the Erasmushogeschool. Public Health Insurance rates are around 20 euro/month.
- Residents are eligible for insurance at low cost, providing they are living alone, have no taxable income in Belgium and are able to show a document delivered by their municipality stating they have been granted the temporary status of legal resident. This means that students can switch to this status once they have obtained the temporary resident permit, after registration at the town hall.
Where can I get this insurance?
- Euromut: All information is available in English on their website.
- Partena: Their website is only available in Dutch and French, but they have an office on the campus of the Vrije Universiteit Brussels, please ask IRO how to contact them.
Anyway, health Insurance will be one of the topics of the welcome day.
After registration with the Health Insurance ("Mutualiteit" or "Mutualité" as it is called in Belgium) affiliates will receive proof of coverage, documents necessary to claim refunds and eventually a plastic badge allowing them direct discounts at the pharmacy or hospital.
Can somebody help me?
The International Office of the Erasmushogeschool Brussels will help you with this matter. If you need a Belgian health insurance, it is best you mention it in your first contacts with the International Students Office. They may settle things for you.
Other Insurances
If your third person liability and travel assistance is not covered by your insurances back home; you can take these insurances in Belgium. The international students Office of the Erasmushogeschool will help you to set up a Student Insurance Programme (SIP).
