Unclaimed Money in Belgium
Belgium has one of the shortest dormancy periods in Europe — just 5 years of inactivity before banks and insurers must transfer funds to the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CeDC), the Belgian state depositary body. After 30 years of total inactivity, funds are permanently transferred to the Belgian State and cannot be recovered — exactly as in France.
Over €815 million currently sits at the CeDC waiting to be claimed. The most common sources are dormant savings accounts, life insurance (assurance vie / levensverzekering), employee savings plans, and forgotten securities accounts. Belgium's bilingual nature means searches can be conducted in French, Dutch, or German.
How to Search Belgian Unclaimed Accounts
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Caisse des Dépôts (CeDC)
The primary holder of transferred dormant accounts. Search via caissedesdepots.belgium.be — you can search by name and submit a claim online. Results are typically available within a few weeks.
✓ Central portal — search here first
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Belgian Banks
BNP Paribas Fortis, KBC, Belfius, ING Belgium, and Crelan hold accounts that haven't yet reached the 5-year transfer threshold. Contact banks directly for accounts inactive less than 5 years.
✓ Check if under 5 years old
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Life Insurance
Assurance vie / levensverzekering policies that have gone unclaimed. Allianz, AG Insurance, Ethias, and AXA Belgium are major insurers. Transferred to CeDC after 5 years.
✓ Searchable via CeDC portal
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Securities Accounts
Dormant securities and investment accounts are also transferred. If a deceased relative held Belgian shares or bonds, these may be held at CeDC.
⚠ 30-year limit applies — act promptly
The 30-Year Belgian Deadline
Belgium's règle de la prescription trentenaire (30-year expiry rule) mirrors the French system: once 30 years have passed since the last customer-initiated activity, funds are permanently transferred to the Belgian State and cannot be recovered. This makes urgent searching important for older accounts.
The Belgian National Register number (numéro de registre national / rijksregisternummer) — an 11-digit personal identifier — is the most efficient way to search. If you don't have it, full name and date of birth can also be used at the CeDC portal.
How do I search the Belgian Caisse des Dépôts?
Go to caissedesdepots.belgium.be and click on 'Rechercher des avoirs dormants' (Search dormant assets). Enter your name and date of birth or national register number. If a match is found, you can submit a claim online with supporting ID documents.
How much unclaimed money is held in Belgium?
The Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations holds over €815 million in dormant assets from bank accounts, life insurance, and securities. This figure continues to grow each year as new transfers arrive.
What is the dormancy period in Belgium?
Banks and insurers must transfer assets to the CeDC after 5 years of inactivity — one of the shortest periods in Europe. Life insurance has a 5-year transfer period after the policy maturity date or death of the insured.
Can I claim for a deceased relative?
Yes. You'll need the death certificate, proof of your relationship (birth certificate, marriage certificate), and your own government-issued ID. Estate claims can be submitted online via the CeDC portal.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Unclaimed Money in Belgium
How does Belgium handle dormant bank accounts and unclaimed assets?
Belgium's law of 24 July 2008 governs dormant accounts, insurance policies, and safe deposit boxes. Under this law, financial institutions must report assets that have been inactive for five years to the National Bank of Belgium (Banque Nationale de Belgique / Nationale Bank van België — NBB). After a further period of holding, unclaimed assets are transferred to the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC) / Deposito- en Consignatiekas (DCK), a state body that holds them until claimed. There is no time limit on claims to CDC/DCK — assets can be claimed at any time by the owner or their heirs. Visit nbb.be or caissedesdepots.be for more information.
How do I search for dormant accounts in Belgium?
Febelfin (the Belgian banking federation at febelfin.be) maintains the SEARCH system — a centralised database that allows individuals to check whether a deceased relative had accounts with any participating Belgian bank. The search is free but is intended primarily for heirs of deceased persons. A notary handling the estate of a Belgian resident can submit a SEARCH enquiry on behalf of heirs. For living persons searching for their own forgotten accounts, contact your former Belgian banks directly. The NBB can help direct enquiries to the appropriate institution. The Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA at fsma.be) handles queries about investment products.
Are there unclaimed Belgian pension savings?
Yes. Belgium has a multi-pillar pension system. For occupational pension plans (second pillar), the DB2P database (Databank Aanvullende Pensioenen / Banque de données des pensions complémentaires) at mypension.be allows workers to check their supplementary pension entitlements from current and former employers. This is particularly useful if you left a Belgian employer years ago without claiming your occupational pension. State pension entitlements are managed by SFPD / PDOS for civil servants and ONSS / RSZ for private sector workers — contact mypension.be or sigedis.be to verify your contribution history.
Can non-Belgian residents claim unclaimed money from Belgium?
Yes. Non-residents who previously lived or worked in Belgium and their heirs can submit claims to Belgian financial institutions or to CDC/DCK for assets already transferred to the state holding body. You will need to provide certified identity documents and, for estate claims, notarised proof of inheritance (such as an act of notoriety or European Certificate of Succession). Belgium recognises the EU's European Certificate of Succession, which simplifies cross-border inheritance within the EU. For non-EU residents, documents may need to be apostilled and translated into French, Dutch, or German.