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Protect yourself with health insurance for the self-employed

You may find that you’re ill unexpectedly or temporarily off work all of a sudden. And while it may be annoying, you shouldn’t be worried, as you have the opportunity to make sure you – and your income – are well protected. The right insurance policies help you to ensure you maintain financial security, even when times are tough. 

As a self-employed entrepreneur, your health insurance fund offers basic cover, but this often isn’t enough to compensate for the financial consequences of illness or an accident. Fortunately, however, supplementary insurance policies are available to help you increase your security and guarantee your income.
We explain how you can enjoy optimal protection. Find out everything you need to know about our basic cover, supplementary insurance policies and the best solutions to secure your income in the event of incapacity for work.

Why opt for health insurance?

Illness or incapacity for work can happen at any time, and often have a huge impact on both your work and private life. As a self-employed entrepreneur, your income is directly linked to your activity, and your income may take a significant hit if you’re unable to work due to illness. A good health insurance policy will help you maintain financial stability, even if you’re unable to work for a while.

Basic cover for the self-employed

As a self-employed entrepreneur, you have to pay social security contributions to a social insurance fund. These contributions entitle you to certain social rights, such as reimbursement of medical costs and a daily allowance in the event of incapacity for work. This basic cover is, however, limited.

  • Daily allowance in the event of incapacity for work: if you’re ill or unable to work, you’ll receive a daily allowance from your health insurance fund. You should be aware, though, that this allowance only amounts to tens of euros a day. And that often isn’t enough to cover your daily expenses and living costs.
  • Reimbursement of medical costs: the basic insurance covers part of your medical costs, but costs can soon spiral in the event of a serious illness or long-term treatment. What’s more, the basic insurance does not cover all medical costs.

With larger medical bills, such as hospital admissions or dental treatments, the basic cover is not always sufficient. That’s why it is advisable to take out certain supplementary insurance policies, which are available at Partena Professional.  

Read on to find out more about examples of supplementary insurance for the self-employed.

Supplementary insurance for the self-employed

To ensure you are better protected, it is recommended to take out supplementary insurance. And at Partena Professional, we can help you do just that. We offer two key supplementary insurance policies:

Hospitalisatieverzekering voor zelfstandigen

Hospitalisation insurance for the self-employed

Hospitalisation insurance for the self-employed covers the costs linked to a hospital admission, over and above the allowance provided by the health insurance fund for the self-employed. This insurance covers the following (non-exhaustive list):
  • Costs related to your hospital stay: think of room and accommodation costs that aren’t fully reimbursed by your health insurance fund.
  • Pharmaceutical costs: medicines and other medical supplies needed during your stay.
  • Costs for pre- and post-hospital care: costs for examinations and treatments before and after your admission.

Example: suppose you need an operation and you opt for a private room. The extra costs for the private room are not covered in full by your basic insurance. With hospitalisation insurance, there’s no need to worry.
Dentalia Up-verzekering

Dentalia Up insurance

Dentalia Up insurance is a dental care insurance policy that covers costs that are otherwise not covered by the basic insurance:
  • Orthodontic fees: treatments such as braces for your children.
  • Costs for preventive dental care: regular check-ups and cleaning.
  • Costs for curative dental care: treatments for cavities, root canals and more.
  • Costs for prostheses, implants and periodontics: expensive procedures that could otherwise have a significant financial impact.



Example: if you need an implant, the costs can quickly spiral out of control. With Dentalia Up insurance, these costs will be covered in part.

Want to know more?

Find out more about Hospitalia and Dentalia insurance on the Partenamut website.  

Read more about these insurance policies

Conditions for reimbursement and allowances

The extent of the reimbursement and allowances depends on the specific policy and conditions of insurance. It is important to read the conditions carefully and discuss them with your doctor or our experts if necessary.

Protect your income as a self-employed entrepreneur

As mentioned earlier on this page, if you’re ill or unable to work, you’ll receive a daily allowance from your health insurance fund as a self-employed entrepreneur. This allowance, however, is minimal and means that you won’t be able to maintain your standard of living (on a temporary basis).

Fortunately, a solution is available to guarantee your standard of living if you fall ill or are unable to work: with guaranteed income insurance, you’ll receive an allowance that matches your lifestyle.  
 

Although you must pay a premium for the guaranteed income insurance, it is 100% tax-deductible. Guaranteed income insurance gives you a monthly payment that corresponds to your usual income if you’re unable to work on a temporary basis due to illness or an accident. 
 

Example: if you are unable to work for three months due to an accident, guaranteed income insurance will make sure you can fulfil your financial obligations, such as paying your rent or mortgage.

Why should you become affiliated to a health insurance fund as a self-employed entrepreneur?

Becoming affiliated to a health insurance fund is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended. That’s because your affiliation will mean you have access to basic cover and certain social rights. In addition, you can take advantage of supplementary insurance policies and services through your health insurance fund to enjoy even better protection.

 

How to ensure you get the best protection

We’d be happy to help you choose the right types of insurance to suit your personal situation. Through a combination of the basic cover, supplementary insurance and guaranteed income insurance, you can make sure you’re protected both in the short and long term against the financial consequences of illness or incapacity for work. Click here for an overview of all types of insurance for the self-employed.

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