Child insurance when your child gets a diagnosis or attendance benefit

Draft, translated: translated from the Norwegian original with the help of a language model, and may contain errors. The Norwegian version is the authoritative one. See the Norwegian original →

Many child insurance policies can pay out for lasting illness, disability, or when NAV grants attendance benefit (hjelpestønad). How to find out what your policy covers, which deadlines apply, and how to complain.

Norwegian original last checked against official sources: 14 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so always check the official site before you act.

Child insurance (barneforsikring) is a private insurance policy you have taken out for your child, for example with an insurance company or through your job or bank. It is something quite different from NAV's benefits, but they can be linked: many child insurance policies pay out when NAV has granted attendance benefit (hjelpestønad). What your policy covers is stated in the policy document and the terms. These vary a lot between companies and from year to year.

What can child insurance cover?

Medical disability after illness or accident. The degree is often assessed using a table for childhood illnesses used by the insurance industry.
Attendance benefit. Some policies have cover where the insured event occurs when NAV grants attendance benefit because of illness or injury. The payout may be an annual amount that depends on the rate NAV has granted, or a one-off payment. Not all policies have this cover, especially not all newer versions.
Treatment costs, incapacity and death, depending on the policy.

How to find out what you are entitled to

Find the policy document and terms, from the company, in your online bank or on "My page". Look for words like "hjelpestønad", "pleie- og omsorgsbehov" and "medisinsk invaliditet".
Report the claim to the company, even if you are unsure. Attach NAV's decision on attendance benefit and medical statements. The company must process the claim and give you an answer.
Tell the company if NAV changes the rate. A higher rate, or a decision that is reversed, may give a larger payout from the insurance.

When the diagnosis was known before the policy was taken out

When the policy was taken out, you answered questions about your child's health (a health declaration). Under the Insurance Contracts Act, the company may reduce or refuse payment if the information was wrong or incomplete, unless the error is minor. If a diagnosis or condition was known when the policy was taken out, the company has often made a reservation for it, so that everything connected to that condition is not covered. The rest of the policy applies as normal. If you are unsure what was stated, you can ask the company for a copy of the health declaration and the policy document.

Deadlines to keep in mind

Report the claim within one year. For illness, the claim must be reported within one year after you became aware of the circumstances behind it (Insurance Contracts Act section 18-5). The Norwegian Financial Services Complaints Board (Finansklagenemnda) has said the deadline does not start until you have the necessary knowledge, and that you do not need to know the degree of disability. Report the claim early.
After a rejection: six months. If the company rejects the claim in whole or in part, you must take the case to Finansklagenemnda or the courts within six months of the written rejection. The deadline should be stated in the rejection letter.
Limitation. Claims are normally time-barred three years after the end of the calendar year in which you got the necessary knowledge, and at the latest ten years after the insured event (section 18-6). Several cases at Finansklagenemnda about attendance benefit concern claims reported too late.

If your claim is rejected

Ask for the reasons and read the terms the company refers to.
Complain in writing to the company, explaining why you think the decision is wrong, with documentation.
Complain to Finansklagenemnda. According to the board, the company must first have finished processing the case. You send the complaint via the form on the board's website or by post (not e-mail), with a short explanation, what you want, the case number and a copy of the rejection. It is free for you.

Tip: If you have several child insurance policies, or have changed policy along the way, check all of them. An older policy sometimes covers something a newer one does not. Read also about attendance benefit and increased attendance benefit from NAV.

Sources

Kontaktpunkt24 gives general information, not legal advice. If you need help with your own case, contact a lawyer, a legal aid service, or the relevant authority.

This page is translated from Norwegian with the help of a language model, and may contain errors. The Norwegian version is always the authoritative one.