KBC Brussels Reviews 

I applied for a basic current account, providing all required documents as listed on KBC's website. After two weeks without any update, I visited the KBC Schuman branch in person to follow up.

To my surprise, I was told that opening a simple current account was not possible unless I also subscribed to additional products, such as home insurance or investment funds. This condition was never mentioned on the website or during the application process.

I find this practice misleading, unprofessional, and potentially in violation of consumer protection regulations. Bundling mandatory products with a basic banking service raises serious concerns about transparency and fair commercial conduct.

I would strongly advise anyone looking for a straightforward banking experience to carefully reconsider before engaging with this institution.

KBC used to be a decent bank, with access to experienced staff who made you feel like a valuable customer. Over the last few years, it has become a terrible experience. Very difficult to have any contact with a human being. Some transactions require you to call the KBC Brussels Live phone number, but brace yourself for insane waiting times with no indication of your position in the queue. Staff rotate often and are undertrained. Very poor service, to be avoided!

Tried to open a bank account with KBC and just finished a surreal call with an employee. After trying selling me unrequested insurances several times, at my refusal eventually KBC rejected my request of opening an account. Good to know who you are dealing with from the beginning. Worst experience ever.

Gross incompetence or deliberate fraud by feigned ignorance.

[RESOLVED; there actually was an actual outstanding payment but their referencing on future documents was wrong so it looked as if everything was fine.] (1) They sent me a payment notice for supposedly not having paid an invoice for my insurance of month X—which I did—but they sent the notice with a different reference code compared to the original invoice, which makes it seem as if it pertains an invoice for a different month. However, when looking at the month-to-pay-for in question on the original invoice and the reminder, they are the same. In short, for month X I twice received an invoice: a normal one and a reminder that I haven't paid, but both having a different reference number.
This caused me to pay for the same month twice.

When providing KBC with all the evidence necessary they simply said "We are correct." and continued to try and argue by saying that I paid for month Y, on another date, unrelated to the problem in question. Considering this I'm fairly confident they are simply dumping customer support problems in an AI, which cannot comprehend these detailed complexities.
When having provided proof of payment from my other bank they are using a verbal loophole by merely saying "your invoices were paid", which is correct, but they ignore my every mention of the double payment.

It's insane a client has to engage in legal recourse against their own bank for something this trivial.

(2) Last year I tried to close my (back then) free normal account because I didn't want to pay the €2 monthly fee. Users were warned ahead of time so I reached out months in advance of the actual change. However, during these months I received no reply whatsoever and only after I opened a complaint on "Test Aankoop" they reached out and after too much back-and-forth closed my account.

Simply the best bank I’ve ever banked with. Always very human and helpful customer service, with good advice given. The app is so powerful and good (love the loan simulator and the self-changing limit of your credit card!).

I've been KBC's customer for 3 years. Three years after closing my account, I requested a bank statement; at first, they told me it wasn't possible, so I reminded them that the law requires them to keep the old statements for 10 years after an account is terminated. Their reply: "Oh sorry, we had forgotten, you are right". Now it turns our I have to pay 40€ because they can only send the statement by snail mail.

Easy to set up accounts for expats. Always have staff that can speak English (not a given in Belgium). Payment products are subpar, often don't work for not-clearly explained administrative reasons, even where foreign cards work well. Various products are priced well above market. I have been a personal and business customer for 3+ years.

I tried to open an account online with KBC shortly before starting an internship with the European Parliament in Brussels. I applied online fine and then after one correspondence from them I emailed them a completed questionnaire and discussed my application with them by phone. I was told the application would be successful and would be ready for funds to be paid in. I did not hear anything for a week and called at their branch nearest the EU Parliament when I arrived in Brussels. They told me that they were unable to open an account for me as they could not find my online application. I left feeling very poorly treated.

Awful bank. I had to hastily make other arrangements in order not to miss the deadline set by my employer.

J'ai perdu beaucoup de temps à remplir le formulaire d'ouverture en ligne d'un compte pour recevoir en réponse ce message:
We have looked into your application but unfortunately cannot open a KBC Brussels Account for you.
One of KBC Brussels Bank strategies is to build up a long-term customer relationship experience by providing extra services such as loans, insurances and mortgage, in order to create high level of loyalty for the company.
Taking into account your needs, KBC Brussels is not the best financial partner for you in order to open an account.
Given that KBC Brussels invests a lot in the quality of these applications, the quality of its branch network, the quality of its remote agency and the expertise of its employees, we are looking for customers who wish to make the most of this package of services and expertise.
Other financial institutions have proposals that better suit your needs.
On ne peut pas faire mieux en matière de langue de bois. Autant dire que la possibilité d'ouvrir un compte gratuit relève purement et simplement de la publicité mensongère.

I reached out to KCB Brussels, because I was told by my tax adviser in Brussels that KBC offers the service of tax recuperation for foreign dividends without any additional fees for their client. I met a very friendly investment adviser at Meudon agency in Brussels who informed me that KBC charges 100 Euro per stock, however he checked with Bolero, a daughter of KBC, and informed my that Bolero offerers the service for free. He has been extremely service oriented and of course I believed what he was telling me. I then started transfering my assets from BNP to KBC, I placed some money KBC, something I could have perfectly done with BNP. I was about to transfer my stocks from the Scalable app in Germany to Bolero as well, when I was checking with Bolero client service on 6th June rather by accident, that they have the same charges as KBC. It turned out to be a misunderstanding between KBC and Bolero. But instead of saying, well, you trusted us, the mistake is with us, we cover the costs, nothing happens. The clients service of Bolerdo doesn't bother, and the agent of KBC is embarrassed, but sends me over to Bolero. Nobody moves. The KBC agent is now on holidays, the person supposed to look after my dossier, does not reply to my mails...The normal way would be that KBC says we made a mistake and will cover this exceptionally delivering the service I am asking from from Bolero or KBC. I actually don't care if KBC or Bolero, I just would like to receive the service I was promised to get from one of them. I am on this dossier now since March 2023 without advancing, many unnecessary emails, a waste of time ...

One star for KBC group insurance service in Bulgaria.

I tried to generate third-party liability insurance online. The system of KBC couldn't create a policy online because it is not in working condition, and I had to call KBC group to return my payment. Afterwards, I received a 20 BGN (around 10 EUR bill for calling the KBC group) on the customer support telephone line. They do not tell you how expensive it is during the call.
I lost my time and money dealing with KBC group's low-quality service.

5 star for their telephone and in branch service . Their staff are very helpful and effective and willing. I have always been exceptionally impressed with their impeccable customer service.

KBC Hospitalization Insurance : confusing process for making a claim, and difficult to get pre-approved Belgian hospital treatment in refunded even when partially covered by INAMI. I sent the documentation, and they just reply back with the same questions. However, they do reimburse the correct amounts so I will stay. Brussels hospital coverage is restricted ( no real private room cover). Regardless I have had their hospital insurance for nearly ten years. The ASSURE card never worked in a Belgian hospital. I always had to call them to open a file. I do wish they sold an add-on out-patient cover.

KBC mortgages: easy to do. Pleased with the personal approach. ( Like everything at KBC).

KBC Brussels Mobile application:
It was excellent and set the mobile banking benchmark in Belgium. Over the past two years an otherwise excellent UI was dumbed down into a mindless exercise involving swiping and tapping between multiple screens just to undertake simple banking tasks. It is riddled with items that I consider advertisements. The June 2022 release 00C 22.5.0 PROD had a good revised teanfermoney process, but contained significant screen flashing animations that caused sensory overload. The transfer screen now flashing and zooms visual effects during a transfer. It was too disorientating, which mean I had to close my eyes or look away during the last screen whilst making a transfer. They replaced the live agent chat with a bot called Kate which meant I had to phone them: Speaking to an agent is an outstanding example of customer sevice.

Overall: Excellent banking service. I have always felt like a valued customer.