Key takeaways
- Every self-employed person and every company director must affiliate to a social insurance fund before starting.
- Key point: contributions are set by law and identical everywhere; you choose a fund on service, not price.
- The main funds are Liantis, Acerta, Xerius, Partena, Securex and Group S, plus the National Auxiliary Fund.
- Not to be confused with the mutualité, which manages the reimbursement of health care.
Choosing your social insurance fund in Belgium is a mandatory step in any self-employed launch, often rushed through without understanding what is at stake. Many think a fund can lighten their contributions: this is false, they are identical everywhere. The real question is therefore not the price, but the service. This article clarifies the role of a fund, distinguishes it from the mutualité, lists the main options and explains what to really compare.
What is a social insurance fund?
The social insurance fund is the body that collects your self-employed social contributions and opens rights for you: pension, family allowances, insurance in case of incapacity for work or maternity. It acts as the intermediary with the INASTI, the public institute overseeing the social status of the self-employed.
It must not be confused with two other bodies. The mutualité manages the health-care insurance, that is, the reimbursement of your medical costs: it is a distinct affiliation. And the secrétariat social manages the payroll of your employees if you have any. Our article on the secrétariat social and social insurance fund details this often-confused distinction.
The main social insurance funds
In Belgium, you freely choose your fund among several accredited funds, to which a public default fund is added.
The available funds
Liantis, Acerta, Xerius
Three of the main free funds, often backed by a business one-stop shop.
Partena Professional, Securex, Group S
Other recognised free funds, also linked to business services.
National Auxiliary Fund
Managed by the INASTI, it affiliates you by default if you do not choose a free fund.
Many of these funds are backed by an accredited business one-stop shop, which lets you group in one place the registration with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises and the social affiliation. It is a practical criterion at the time of creation.
The key point: contributions are the same everywhere
This is the most frequent source of confusion, kept alive by some guides. The self-employed social contributions are set by law and calculated the same way whatever the fund.
What can vary are possible management fees and above all the quality of the support. To gauge what these contributions represent, see our guide to becoming self-employed in Belgium.
How to choose your fund
Since the price of contributions does not move, the choice is made on criteria of service and proximity.
The real comparison criteria
Quality of the support
Responsiveness, advice on contributions, help in case of difficulty or income revision.
Integrated business one-stop shop
Grouping affiliation and CBE registration simplifies the starting steps.
Additional services
Online tools, support with creation, information on your social rights.
Proximity and sector
A fund used to your sector or close to you can ease the exchanges.
In practice, many self-employed people choose the fund linked to the business one-stop shop that handles their creation, for simplicity. The essential thing is to keep a reliable contact, since it is the one that will follow you throughout your activity.
Launch your self-employed activity with peace of mind
CBE registration, social affiliation and VAT number: Monsiegesocial sets up your activity and guides you through the starting steps.
Going further
- Secrétariat social and social insurance fund, to distinguish the two bodies.
- Becoming self-employed in Belgium, the full launch path.
- Creating a company in Belgium: the steps, where the social affiliation comes in.
