Saint Lucia

Old Age, Disability, and Survivors

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1970 (provident fund).

Current laws: 2000 (national insurance corporation) and 2003 (national insurance).

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Employees and apprentices aged 16 to 65.

Exclusion: Civil servants were excluded until January 31, 2003.

Source of Funds

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.

Qualifying Conditions

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 widow(er) who is age 61 or older or caring for a dependent child. A limited pension is paid for 1 year to a widow(er) who is under age 61 and has no dependent children.

Survivor settlement: Paid to the widow(er) of an insured person who did not meet the qualifying conditions for a pension.

Old-Age Benefits

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.)

Permanent Disability Benefits

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 Benefits

Survivor pension: In the absence of any other survivors, 75% of the insured's old-age pension or disability pension is payable to a widow(er). If there are other survivors or dependents, the rate of the survivor pension is reduced by 50%.

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.

Administrative Organization

Minister of Finance provides general supervision.

National Insurance Board administers the program.

Sickness and Maternity

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1978 (national insurance).

Current laws: 2000 (national insurance corporation) and 2003 (national insurance).

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

Coverage

Employees and apprentices aged 16 to 65.

Exclusion: Civil servants were excluded until January 31, 2003.

Source of Funds

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.

Qualifying Conditions

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 and Maternity Benefits

Sickness benefit: 65% of the insured's average salary in the last 2 months. The benefit is payable after a 3-day waiting period for up to 26 weeks.

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.

Workers' Medical Benefits

No statutory benefits are provided. (Enabling legislation exists, but specific benefits are yet to be prescribed.)

Administrative Organization

Minister of Finance provides general supervision.

National Insurance Board administers the program.

Work Injury

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1964 (employer liability).

Current law: 2000 (national insurance corporation).

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Employees and apprentices aged 16 to 65.

Exclusion: Civil servants were excluded until January 31, 2003.

Source of Funds

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.

Qualifying Conditions

Work injury benefits: There is no minimum qualifying period.

Temporary Disability Benefits

65% of wages. The benefit is payable from the day of injury until full recovery, for up to 52 weeks.

Permanent Disability Benefits

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%.

Workers' Medical Benefits

All medical expenses, including specialist care abroad if necessary, up to a maximum of E.C.$20,000.

Survivor Benefits

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.

Administrative Organization

Minister of Finance provides general supervision.

National Insurance Board administers the program.