If you are ill or have had an accident that prevents you from exercising your self-employed activity, you are incapacitated for work and you are entitled to a benefit through your health insurance fund. That is, if you meet the conditions.
What are the conditions for a benefit?
- As a self-employed person, you can claim benefits from the first day of incapacity for work, provided that you made a timely declaration to your doctor and to your health insurance fund and on condition that you remain incapacitated for work for at least 8 consecutive days. If you are incapacitated for work for less than eight consecutive days, you are not entitled to benefits.
- You were declared incapacitated for work by your doctor. Together with your doctor, you filled in the form 'Getuigschrift van arbeidsongeschiktheid' (Certificate of incapacity for work). You can find this form on the website of your health insurance fund.
- You submit the completed form 'Getuigschrift van arbeidsongeschiktheid' (Certificate of incapacity for work) to your health insurance fund so that your incapacity for work can be recognised. You do this within 7 calendar days from the moment you are incapacitated for work.
TIP: Do not deposit your declaration in the mailbox of your health insurance fund. The date of the declaration is verified on the basis of the postmark or the date on which you issued the declaration at the office of your health insurance fund.
- Your social contributions for the second and third quarters prior to the start of your incapacity are 'in line'. Your contributions and any increases must be paid or exempt. When the period of incapacity for work starts in the second or third month of the quarter, you must ensure that the contribution of the quarter itself is also in line.
How much is the benefit if I am incapacitated for work?
The amount of your incapacity benefit depends on your family situation:
- With family expense: 79,51 euros per day
- Single: 63,01 euro per day
- Cohabiting: 48,32 euro per day
Saturdays also count as a reimbursable day. You are therefore entitled to six daily benefits per week.
ATTENTION: These are the amounts for self-employed persons. If you are self-employed in a secondary occupation, you build up rights as an employee or as a civil servant. In that case, different rules and amounts apply. Contact your health insurance fund for more information.
Want to get back to work?
If you resume work on the first working day after the end date of your incapacity for work, you do not have to do anything: the health insurance fund will automatically stop your benefits.
Do you want to return to work before the end date of your disability or after a period of disability? Then you must provide your health insurance fund with proof of return to work in good time. You can find this document on the website of your health insurance fund.