Insurance
The following insurances are included in the annual Bar fee:
Civil professional liability insurance
The professional liability insurance protects lawyers against damage claims from clients resulting from professional errors.
Insurer:
Amlin Insurance. Vanbreda Risk & Benefits acts as the broker.
- Consult the [OVB professional liability policy] (LXX034899)
Insured:
- Lawyers registered on the tableau, the trainee list, and the EU-list.
- Lawyers registered on the B-list who do not have their own insurance or whose insurance cannot be considered as equivalent to the OVB policy, and who have indicated in the application form that they wish to join the collective professional liability policy (“opt-in”). Lawyers on the B list are only covered for their activities within the Flemish Bars
- Opt-out possibility for lawyers registered on the EU-list: the insurance premium can be reimbursed by the bar upon presentation of proof of an own insurance that is equivalent in terms of coverage and modalities.
Insured risks:
Lawyers are insured for civil liability, both contractual and non-contractual, for:
- Damage caused to third parties, including their clients, in the exercise of their profession as a lawyer, by their own actions or those of their trainees or temporary or permanent employees, whether as partners or in any other capacity for which they are legally responsible.
- Any bodily injury and material damage to third parties or clients caused by them, their staff, or their property, movable or immovable, during or on the occasion of the exercise of their professional activities as lawyers.
Insured amount
Maximum €2.500.000,00 per claim for all activities conducted in Belgium, with a deductible of €2.500,00.
Insurance premium per lawyer
€557,15 for the calendar year 2024. This premium is included in the annual bar fee.
Contact
By email at socialprofit-public@vanbreda.be / cindy.raemaekers@vanbreda.be or by phone at +32 3 217 50 35.
Disability insurance
Verzekeringen Precura provides income insurance for lawyers through the collective disability insurance Prevoca. Prevoca covers income loss and guarantees daily compensation for lawyers in the event of recognized disability due to illness or accident.
Insurer
Verzekeringen Precura OVV. The Brussels Bar has a separate policy with Verzekeringen Precura.
Consult the [Prevoca regulation], [Appendix 1], the [general terms and conditions], and the [information sheet].
Insured parties
Lawyers registered on the tableau, the trainee list, the EU-list, and the B-list.
Guarantee
The collective disability insurance covers income loss due to illness, pregnancy, or accident. The basic coverage provides a gross daily allowance of €105,00 if the recognized incapacity is 65% or more, and provided the insured has ceased all personal professional activities. A degree of 25% or more entitles to a prorated compensation. A degree of incapacity of less than 25% does not give any right to compensation.
Pregnancy coverage
Pregnancy ending in childbirth entitles the lawyer to a minimum benefit of 10 times the basic insurance coverage (€105,00 gross). Early termination of pregnancy (before six months) is not considered as childbirth.
To claim benefits related to pregnancy, kindly provide the following information to medical@precura.be after the delivery:
- Copy of the birth certificate
- National registry number
- Bank account number
- Private address
Termination or end of coverage
- Upon cessation of professional activities as a lawyer or deregistration from the bar association
- Upon reaching the age of 65, memberships under the basic coverage are automatically extended, provided that the insured individuals are not disabled at that time and are still regularly registered with the bar. The extension is granted until the age of 75. These guarantees are identical to the basic coverage, except for the number of compensable days, which amount to a maximum of 300 days regardless of the number of claims. After these 300 days, both the claim file and the membership will be terminated.
Individual continuation after termination or end of coverage:
You have the right to continue your disability insurance individually, in whole or in part, unless you lose the benefit of the insurance for reasons such as those described in Articles 6, 7, 14, 16, and 24 of the Insurance Contract Act of June 25, 1992, or in the case of fraud.
To exercise this right, you must have been continuously enrolled in one or more successive disability insurance policies for the two years preceding the loss of the insurance.
The bar will inform you in writing or electronically within 30 days after the loss of the benefit of the disability insurance, specifying the exact date of the loss, the possibility to continue the insurance individually, the contact details of Precura Insurance, and the period within which you can exercise this right.
Contact
For claims: medical@precura.be
For questions about the policy or joining: business@precura.be
Also contact your health insurance fund
In case of incapacity for work, lawyers should also notify their health insurance fund. The benefits from Precura can be combined with the allowances from the health insurance fund. You will receive the benefits on average 25 days per month (every day except Sundays and public holidays). The daily allowances are taxable as replacement income.
Insolvency insurance
The insolvency insurance protects victims of lawyers against misappropriated funds due to dishonest actions in their profession.
Insurer
Amlin Insurance. Vanbreda Risk & Benefits acts as the broker.
- Consult the [OVB insolvency policy] (LXX034900)
Insured parties
- Lawyers registered on the tableau, the trainee list, and the EU list.
- Lawyers registered on the B-list who do not have their own insurance and have indicated in the application form that they wish to join the insolvency insurance. Lawyers registered on the B-list are only insured with regard to their third-party accounts in the context of their activities with the Flemish Bars.
Beneficiaries
Individuals, clients, or third parties who, as a direct result of lawyers’ insolvency, cannot receive the amounts due to them.
Guarantee
The insurance provides reimbursement of funds, securities or values received and embezzled as a result of dishonesty committed in the exercise of his/her profession. The compensation paid out will be recovered from the lawyer involved.
Insurance premium per lawyer
€41,90 for the calendar year 2024. This premium is included in the annual bar fee.
Contact
By email at socialprofit-public@vanbreda.be or by phone at +32 3 217 50 35.
Solidarity Fund for Lawyers and Bailiffs
The Solidarity Fund provides financial assistance to lawyers experiencing financial difficulties. In the event of the death of a lawyer, the Solidarity Fund also offers financial assistance to the orphans and/or surviving partner.
Beneficiaries
Lawyers who are or were registered on the tableau, the trainee list, the EU list, and the B list, as well as their spouse, surviving partner, and children.
Unconditional benefits (regardless of income)
- Orphan’s pension: Annual allowance of €5.000,00 (or €7.000,00 for higher education) for each orphan of a lawyer who is under 25 years old and is entitled to statutory child benefit.
- One-time allowance upon death: For the spouse, surviving partner or children of a deceased lawyer, provided that the deceased was still registered as a lawyer on the date of death, or had been registered for at least 30 years until the legal retirement age.
Conditional benefits (based on an examination of income)
Lawyers who, during their active career (including during prolonged unemployment) or after reaching retirement age, find themselves in a significant situation of concern or encounter difficulties, can request an allowance or assistance from the Solidarity Fund.
Insurance premium per lawyer
€90,00 for the calendar year 2024. This premium is included in the annual bar fee.
Contact
For more information, consult the [solidarity regulation], visit the website www.solidarit.be or contact info@solidarit.be.
The following insurances and provisions are not included in the annual bar fee:
- Cyber insurance
- Hospitalization insurance: Lawyers can optionally join the hospitalization insurance provided by the Flemish Bar Association. Read more
- Voluntary supplementary pension for self-employed individuals
Social security
A foreign lawyer registered on the EU-List of the Brussels Bar is subject to the Belgian social security system. The social security contributions cover pension, family allowance, and sickness and invalidity insurance. Social security contributions are calculated on the basis of the income of the person in his or her self-employed capacity and covers pension, family allowance and sickness and invalidity insurance for the second-to-last fiscal year preceding the year for which the contributions are due.
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