Financial assistance
For an AFL member to be entitled to financial assistance from the Sickness Benefit Fund, the member's premiums must have been paid for at least 10 weeks. From that time on, the member's entitlement increases proportionally until s/he achieves full entitlement after six months. However, the premiums paid must have reached at least ISK 10,500 to give full entitlement.
You can apply for financial assistance at My pages. Note that in every instance you will also have to send one or more legal receipts, in addition to other information if applicable.
You can apply for financial assistance on account of:
- Health-promoting activities: 25% of the cost is refunded, up to a maximum of ISK 15,000 for a 12-month period. The application must include a legal receipt.
- Physiotherapy / massage therapy / chiropractic: 50% of the cost is refunded for as many as 30 appointments over a 12-month period. The application must be accompanied by a physician's referral.
- Physiotherapy for a child: 50% of the cost is refunded for as many as 30 appointments over a 12-month period. The application must be accompanied by a physician's referral.
- Icelandic Heart Association: 50% of the cost is refunded, up to a maximum of ISK 15,000 for a 12-month period.
- Cancer examinations: The basic fee for cancer screening is refunded, along with the fee for an additional examination, though no more than ISK 15,000.
- Travel costs due to medical services: If Icelandic Health Insurance has refused to pay, the union will provide a 100% refund of the transportation tickets and/or the standard kilometre rate, based on Health Insurance rules. Your application must be accompanied by the following: confirmation of the trip's necessity, the Health Insurance refusal and the visit to the physician, together with the tickets and/or fuel receipts. Maximum: 6 trips over a 12-month period.
- Travel costs due to a child's medical services: If Icelandic Health Insurance has refused to pay, the union will provide a 50% refund for trips with the child if one of the parents is an AFL member, or 100% if both parents are AFL members. The refunds will correspond to the transportation tickets and/or the standard kilometre rate, based on Health Insurance rules. Your application must be accompanied by the following: confirmation of the trip's necessity, the Health Insurance refusal and the visit to the physician, together with the tickets and/or fuel receipts. Maximum: 6 trips over a 12-month period.
- Purchasing glasses: 50% of the price of the lenses is refunded, once during a 24-month period.
- Purchasing a child's glasses:50% of the price of the lenses is refunded, once during a 24-month period.
- Purchasing hearing aids: 50% of the cost is refunded, up to a maximum of ISK 150,000 every 36 months.
- Laser surgery / lens replacement: 50% of the cost is refunded, up to a maximum of ISK 75,000 per eye, or a total of 150,000 for every 36 months.
- Artificial insemination: 50% of the cost is refunded, up to a maximum of ISK 200,000.
- Psychological treatment: 50% of the union member's cost share is refunded, for a maximum of 6 consultations over a 24-month period, though not totalling more than ISK 48,000. The therapist must be a psychologist with an operating licence from the Director of Health. (applicable since 1 May 2017)
As provided in Article 13, Financial assistance, of the Sickness Benefit Fund Rules