Belgian Finance Minister Jan Jambon (N-VA) has called for an investigation into the tax-free profits of health insurance funds.
This follows a recent report by Het Laatste Nieuws, which revealed that mutual societies in the country have made a total profit of €1.45 billion from hospitalisation insurance since 2020. Unlike private insurers, these funds do not pay taxes on their earnings, while private companies must hand over 25% of their profits via corporate taxes.
Jambon stated that he has instructed the Ministry of Finance to assess whether this practice is legally permissible. “If we heavily tax everyone who makes a profit, I believe the same rule should apply to the health insurance funds,” Jambon said.
Additionally, the minister will explore whether majority support exists to amend the law in case the practice turns out to be lawful. He emphasised the need to scrutinise the privileged position of certain organisations operating in civil society.
