How does our Assistance Centre work?

Here, you’ll find everything you need to know about our Assistance Centre and what to do when you need help. For example how to report urgent situations, planned medical care, pre-authorisation and guarantees of payment.

Our Assistance Centre is SOS International. They help our policyholders worldwide in cases of emergencies, medical urgency and planned medical care such as hospitalisation. SOS International works for several insurers and are there to help you 24 hours a day. No matter where you are. 

Note: When contacting the Assistance Centre, always mention that you’re insured with OOM Verzekeringen, so that they can help you immediately. Always have your policy number ready. 

In the case of an emergency, call:  
Worldwide: +31 (0)70 353 21 35
From the US: 1 866 700 1144 (tollfree) 
Or send an email to: ma@sosinternational.nl 

In the case of planned medical care, you can easily submit an online ‘Smartmelden’ form. You can also send an email or call: 
Worldwide: +31 (0)70 353 21 35  
From the US: 1 866 700 1144 (tollfree) 
email: expats@sosinternational.nl

You can contact our Assistance Centre in the following situations: 

• You urgently or unexpectedly need to be taken to a hospital or clinic, or you’ll soon be admitted for planned treatment. 
• Repatriation is necessary.
• You need pre-authorisation for a treatment. 
• An insured person on the policy has died.
• The healthcare provider has requested a guarantee of payment.

Once your request arrives at SOS International, they’ll first check whether it’s emergency care or planned care. Emergencies are always given priority. Based on the information provided by the doctor treating you, the SOS International medical specialists, together with our medical advisers, will assess whether the treatment is within the scope of your cover.  

To speed up the process, you can include your medical report or treatment plan with your application. If you complete the ‘Smartmelden’ form on the SOS International website, they can help you faster and, if necessary, issue a guarantee of payment immediately.

A guarantee of payment, is a document issued by our Assistance Centre to your healthcare provider for a certain treatment or course of treatment, ensuring them that we’ll pay the costs. This means you don’t need to pay these costs in advance. The costs will be settled directly with the hospital or healthcare provider.

It may be that a healthcare provider or local hospital doesn’t accept payment guarantees. If this is the case, please pay the costs in advance and we’ll reimburse these costs afterwards. If you’re unable to pay the costs, please contact us. Together, we’ll find a solution.

There are many healthcare providers available worldwide. In some situations, you need to ask us for authorisation before receiving treatment. You can read when this is necessary and how this affects you on this page.

If it’s urgent or an emergency, you don’t need to request pre-authorisation. Emergencies are always given priority. For example, in situations where you need immediate medical attention (acute care) to prevent serious damage to your health, or death.

In the United States, we use New Frontier Group’s network. They’re specialised in the American healthcare system and support our Assistance Centre. They help us ensure that the care you receive in the US is well-organised, clear and accessible.

If you’re staying in the United States for more than 3 months, you’ll receive a Member ID card from New Frontier Group within 14 days of your insurance start date. You can show this card to the healthcare provider as proof that you’re insured.

You will only receive this letter and insurance ID-card if the policy has a US correspondence address on it and the information for you and any other insured persons on the policy is correct. If necessary, you can change your address easily by logging into your My OOM account or by sending an email to info@oomverzekeringen.nl.

You must contact the OOM Assistance Centre to request pre-authorisation before undergoing any type of treatment in the United States, with the exception of acute care. Is your email related to New Frontier Group (NFG) member ID-card? You’ll find information about when you need this and what it means here.

Important: Without authorisation or member ID-card, you will not be entitled to reimbursement.