First law: 1970 (provident fund).
Current laws: 2000 (national insurance corporation) and 2003 (national insurance).
Type of program: Social insurance system.
Employees and apprentices aged 16 to 65.
Exclusion: Civil servants were excluded until January 31, 2003.
Insured person: 5% of earnings.
Employer: 5% of payroll.
Government: 5% of payroll for contributing civil servants.
The maximum annual earnings for contribution purposes are E.C.$60,000.
All of the above contributions also finance sickness, benefits, maternity benefits, and work injury benefits.
Old-age pension: Age 61 with 10 years of contributions. Retirement from gainful employment is necessary.
Old-age settlement: Age 61 and does not meet the qualifying conditions for the old-age pension.
Disability pension: Under age 61 with at least of 5 years of contributions.
Disability settlement: Disabled with less than 5 years of contributions.
Survivor pension: The insured met the qualifying conditions for a pension or was a pensioner at the time of death. The pension is paid to a
Survivor settlement: Paid to the
Old-age pensions: 40% of average covered earnings in the best 5 of the last 10 years, plus 0.1% of average covered earnings for each month of contributions over 144 months.
Old-age settlement: A lump-sum refund of 50% of contributions without interest. (For those covered previously by the provident fund, 100% of contributions plus accrued interest.)
Disability pension: The pension is in proportion to the assessed degree of disability.
The minimum pension for an assessed degree of disability of at least 30% is 65% of the insured's average insurable earnings in the month of the accident.
Disability settlement: A lump-sum benefit.
Survivor pension: In the absence of any other survivors, 75% of the insured's old-age pension or disability pension is payable to a
Orphan's pension: In the absence of any other survivors, 50% of the insured's pension (50% of each insured parent's pension if a full orphan) is payable to a dependent child under age 16 (age 18 if a full-time student). If there are other survivors or dependents, the rate of the orphan's pension is reduced by 50%.
The maximum benefit is 100% of the insured's pension.
Survivor settlement: A lump-sum benefit.
Funeral grant: Expenses up to a maximum of E.C.$1,750.
Minister of Finance provides general supervision.
National Insurance Board administers the program.
First law: 1978 (national insurance).
Current laws: 2000 (national insurance corporation) and 2003 (national insurance).
Type of program: Social insurance system. Cash benefits only.
Employees and apprentices aged 16 to 65.
Exclusion: Civil servants were excluded until January 31, 2003.
Insured person: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors, above.
Employer: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors, above.
Government: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors, above.
The maximum annual earnings for contribution purposes are E.C.$60,000.
Cash sickness benefits: Employed on the day before the onset of illness, 6 months of contributions including 2 of the 4 months immediately before the onset of illness.
Cash maternity benefits: Seven months of contributions in the 10 months immediately before the date of the claim.
Maternity grant: Payable to women receiving cash maternity benefits and to women whose husbands have at least 7 months of contributions.
Sickness benefit: 65% of the insured's average salary in the last 2 months. The benefit is payable after a
Maternity benefit: 65% of the insured's average salary in the last 7 months. The benefit is payable for 3 months, beginning 1 month before the expected month of childbirth.
Maternity grant: A lump sum of E.C.$600.
No statutory benefits are provided. (Enabling legislation exists, but specific benefits are yet to be prescribed.)
Minister of Finance provides general supervision.
National Insurance Board administers the program.
First law: 1964 (employer liability).
Current law: 2000 (national insurance corporation).
Type of program: Social insurance system.
Employees and apprentices aged 16 to 65.
Exclusion: Civil servants were excluded until January 31, 2003.
Insured person: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors, above.
Employer: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors, above.
Government: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors, above.
The maximum annual earnings for contribution purposes are E.C.$60,000.
Work injury benefits: There is no minimum qualifying period.
65% of wages. The benefit is payable from the day of injury until full recovery, for up to 52 weeks.
65% of covered earnings for an assessed degree of disability of 100%; the pension is reduced in proportion to an assessed degree of disability of less than 100%.
All medical expenses, including specialist care abroad if necessary, up to a maximum of E.C.$20,000.
Survivor benefit: A benefit is paid to parents and grandparents who were fully or largely dependent on the insured.
Funeral grant: Expenses up to a maximum of E.C.$1,750.
Minister of Finance provides general supervision.
National Insurance Board administers the program.