British Virgin Islands

Old Age, Disability, and Survivors

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1979.

Current law: 1993.

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Employed and self-employed persons aged 16 to 65.

Source of Funds

Insured person: 3.25% of earnings; the self-employed contribute 6.5%.

Employer: 3.25% of covered wages.

Government: None.

The maximum annual earnings for contribution and benefit purposes are U.S.$23,400.

Qualifying Conditions

Old-age pension: Age 65 with 500 weeks of contributions.

Partial pension: A reduced pension is payable with between 51 and 499 weeks of contributions.

Old-age grant: Age 65 with at least 50 weeks of contributions and ineligible for any periodic benefit.

Disability pension: Under age 65 with 500 weeks of contributions and permanently incapable of any work.

Disability grant: Under age 65 with at least 50 weeks of contributions, ineligible for any periodic benefit, and permanently incapable of any work.

Survivor pension: A widow(er) aged 40 or caring for a child under age 15 (age 21 if a student).

Funeral grant: For the death of an insured person or his or her dependents.

Old-Age Benefits

Old-age pension: 30% of average covered earnings in the best 3 consecutive years, plus 1% of average covered earnings for every 50-week period of contributions above 500 weeks.

Partial pension: The full pension is reduced in proportion to the total number of weeks of contributions.

Old-age grant: Six times average weekly earnings for every 50-week period of contributions above 50 weeks and below 500 weeks.

Permanent Disability Benefits

Disability pension: 30% of average covered earnings in the best 3 consecutive years, plus 1% of average covered earnings for every 50-week period of contributions above 500 weeks.

Disability grant: Six times average weekly earnings for every 50-week period of contributions above 50 weeks and below 500 weeks.

Survivor Benefits

Survivor pension: Widow(er)s receive 66.6% of the insured's pension or prospective pension.

Orphan's pension: 33.3% of the widow(er)'s pension; 66.6% if a full orphan.

Funeral grant: The grant depends on the age of the person at death. For a child under age 1, U.S.$300; for a child aged 1 to 15, U.S.$1,200; for persons aged 16 or older, U.S.$2,000.

Administrative Organization

Chief Minister's Office provides general supervision.

Social Security Board administers the program.

Sickness and Maternity

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1979.

Current law: 1993.

Type of program: Social insurance system. Cash benefits only.

Coverage

Employed and self-employed persons aged 16 to 65.

Source of Funds

Insured person: 0.75% of covered earnings; the self-employed contribute 1.5%.

Employer: 0.75% of covered wages.

Government: None.

Qualifying Conditions

Cash sickness benefits: Twenty-six weeks of contributions, with 8 weeks of contributions in the 13 weeks before the onset of illness.

Cash maternity benefits: Twenty-six weeks of contributions, with 20 weeks of contributions in the 39 weeks before the expected date of childbirth.

Maternity grant: The wife of an insured worker.

Sickness and Maternity Benefits

Sickness benefit: 66.6% of average weekly covered earnings, payable for up to 26 weeks.

Maternity benefit: 66.6% of average weekly covered earnings in the 39 weeks prior to the expected date of childbirth. The benefit is payable for up to 13 weeks, beginning no earlier than 6 weeks before the expected date of childbirth.

Maternity grant: A lump sum of U.S.$200.

Workers' Medical Benefits

No statutory benefits are provided.

Dependents' Medical Benefits

No statutory benefits are provided.

Administrative Organization

Chief Minister's Office provides general supervision.

Social Security Board administers the program.

Work Injury

Regulatory Framework

First and current law: 1994.

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Employed and self-employed persons aged 16 to 65.

Source of Funds

Insured person: None; the self-employed contribute 0.5% of earnings.

Employer: 0.5% of covered wages.

Government: None.

The maximum earnings for employer contribution purposes are U.S.$23,400.

Qualifying Conditions

Work injury benefits: There is no minimum qualifying period.

Temporary Disability Benefits

Temporary disability pension: 75% of average weekly covered earnings, payable for up to 26 weeks.

Permanent Disability Benefits

Permanent disability pension: 75% of average weekly covered earnings is payable for up to 26 weeks if the assessed degree of permanent disability is 100%.

Partial disability: The pension is proportionately reduced for an assessed degree of disability of 30% to 99%.

A lump-sum grant is paid for an assessed degree of disability of at least 1% up to 29%.

Workers' Medical Benefits

Benefits include hospitalization; general, specialist, and nursing care; medicines; transportation; and artificial limbs.

Survivor Benefits

Survivor pension: The maximum survivor pension is 75% of the insured's pension or prospective pension. The widow(er) receives half of this amount.

Other eligible survivors: Half of the maximum survivor pension is divided equally among other survivors.

Funeral grant: A lump sum of U.S.$2,000.

Administrative Organization

Chief Minister's Office provides general supervision.

Social Security Board administers the program.