International affairs

Application of European rules and bilateral conventions for the reimbursement of health care delivered abroad.

 

An insured Belgian worker has had an occupational accident in Belgium and lives or resides abroad


A victim leaving Belgium to go on holiday or to go live abroad continues to get his occupational accidents benefits from the insurance company or Fedris by payment into a bank account or by international money order. 

If the victim resides in a member state of the European Union, of the European Economic Area, in Switzerland or in a country linked to Belgium by a bilateral convention about occupational accidents, he can get a reimbursement for some of the costs incurred because of his occupational accident through the institution of the place of stay or residence. Before leaving, the victim must inform the insurance company (or Fedris). The insurance company or Fedris will give the victim a form that has to be handed to the institution of the place of stay or residence.

The conditions and procedures for this reimbursement vary according to the reason of the moving (reside, stay, planned health care) and the country where the health care is provided.

  

An insured foreign worker has had an occupational accident abroad and lives or resides in Belgium


During his stay in Belgium, a victim of an occupational accident indemnified through the competent institution of a member state of the European Union, of the European Economic Area or of a country linked to Belgium by a bilateral convention can, under certain circumstances, get an intervention for medical, pharmaceutical and hospital costs incurred because of the accident.

The interventions are paid by the institutions of the place of stay or residence, the insurance institutions (health insurance funds or CAAMI-HZIV) or the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI-RIZIV). 

 

An insured Belgian worker has had an occupational accident abroad

If a Belgian worker has an occupational accident abroad, for instance during a secondment or a business trip, it must be declared to the insurance company. The insurance company will take care of the formalities to arrange a reimbursement of the health care through the institution of the place of residence. Awaiting confirmation of the insurance company's acknowledgement of the occupational accident, the competent health care institution intervenes (in Europe, upon presentation of the European Health Insurance Card delivered by the health insurance funds).

Outline internship in cross-border context

For more information on cross-border internships of unremunerated trainees, see the page on small statutes.