Have you been exposed to asbestos, or do you have a loved one who is affected, and are you wondering what the requirements are to submit a recognition request to the Asbestos Fund?

  • You can submit a compensation request to the Asbestos Fund if:

    • You have been exposed to asbestos in Belgium, whether at work, in your environment, or in daily life;

    • You are or have been an employee in the private sector, a civil servant, or self-employed;

    • You suffer from a recognized asbestos-related disease, or you are a beneficiary (close relative) of someone who died from one of these diseases.

    A request can be submitted by the victim themselves or by one or more of their close relatives.

  • If you suffer from one of these diseases, you can contact the Asbestos Fund (AFA):

    • Mesothelioma (a cancer of the pleura)

    • Asbestosis (a lung disease)

    • Pleural thickening

    • Certain cancers caused by asbestos: lung, larynx, or ovary

    The Asbestos Fund does not provide compensation for other diseases, even if they may be related to asbestos.

    In addition, if you are a private-sector employee and have been exposed to asbestos through your work, your request will automatically be handled by Fedris under the occupational disease system.

    If you work for a provincial or local administration, you must submit your request to Fedris through your employer.

  • If a person dies from a disease already recognized by the Asbestos Fund, a letter is automatically sent to the identified beneficiaries — that is, the spouse, legal cohabitant, child, parent, grandchild, or the deceased’s brother or sister.

    This letter informs them of their right to submit a claim related to the death and includes a form to complete and return within one month.

    If no recognition request was submitted by the victim during their lifetime, the beneficiaries have a six-month period from the date of death to submit their request.