Survivors
What is Survivors Benefit?
Survivors benefit is an amount payable to the widow or widower, children
and a dependant parent of an insured person in the event he or she dies.
Payment can be either in the form of a pension or a grant. A pension is
a monthly payment whereas a grant is a lump sum payment.
Where death occurs as a result of a job related injury or accident, a
DEATH BENEFIT is payable.
How do I Claim Survivors/Death Benefit?
Complete the Survivors benefit claim form and submit it to the National
Insurance Scheme. This claim form must be accompanied with the birth
certificate of the spouse and children of the deceased. In cases of
adoption all the legal documents must accompany the claims. Where there
is a change of name please ensure that all supporting documents are
presented. These include marriage certificate, affidavit, deed poll and
any other supporting document.
Survivors/Death Pension
How can someone become entitled to a Survivors/Death Pension?
This benefit is paid to a surviving spouse, dependant children and parent of an insured person who has died. Children are paid until the age of sixteen (16) and up to eighteen (18) if they are still at school. Any other person who was financially wholly or mainly dependant upon the deceased for the provisions of the ordinary necessities of life shall be entitled to Death Benefit.
What is the benefit rate?
Of the maximum pension available for payment to survivors, the rate of
Survivors pension payable is as follows:
* Spouse - three fourths (3/4).
* Children- one-fourth (1/4).
* In the case of an orphan or an invalid child - one half (1/2)
* Parent- one-fourth (1/4).
* Any other dependant person- (1/4) { where the claimant was wholly
maintained by the deceased the amount shall be one-half (1/2)}.
The minimum weekly pension for a spouse is $46.40, and for a child
$9.90. In the case of an orphan or invalid child, the minimum weekly
amount shall be $19.70.
When is the pension payable?
The pension is calculated at a weekly rate and is paid monthly. All
cheques can be forwarded directly to the claimant’s bank account.
Duration of pension
A Survivors pension can be paid to a widow or widower for either one
year or for life. To receive a survivors benefit for life, the widow or
widower must be age fifty (50) or over and has been married to the
deceased spouse for three (3) years or more. However, if the widow or
widower was under the age of fifty the pension payable would be for one
(1) year.
In circumstances where the widow or widower was an invalid at the time
of the death of the insured person, then the pension would be payable as
long as the invalidity continues.
N.B. There are no age restrictions for a widow or widower where a death
benefit is payable.
Survivors Grant
To qualify for a Grant, the deceased insured person must have paid at
least 50 weeks contributions into the National Insurance Scheme.
Survivors Grant is paid at 5 times the average weekly insurable earnings
for every 50 contributions. This is a Lump Sum payment.
PLEASE NOTE:
* In addition to his or her age pension a widow or widower can also
receive fifty percent (50%) of the Survivors benefit.
* Spouse includes persons in common-law relationship. Children include
illegitimate, adopted or stepchildren.
* The dependant parent would receive the benefit only if the maximum
amount payable to the children and spouse is not exhausted.
* Survivors benefit ceases on remarriage or cohabitation.