Social Security Programs Throughout the World: The Americas, 2019

British Virgin Islands

Exchange rate: Currency is the US dollar ($).

Old Age, Disability, and Survivors

Regulatory Framework

First and current laws: 1979 (social security), 1980 (social security), and 2016 (retirement age).

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Employed and self-employed persons.

Voluntary coverage for persons who previously had mandatory coverage for at least one year.

Source of Funds

Insured person: 4% (private sector) or 3.5% (public sector) of monthly covered earnings; 7% of covered earnings for the voluntarily insured (old-age, disability, and survivor benefits); none for persons aged 65 or older.

There are no minimum earnings used to calculate contributions.

The maximum earnings used to calculate contributions are $815.00 ($837.00 as of January 2020) a week, $3,531.66 ($3,627.00 as of January 2020) a month, or $42,380 ($43,524 as of January 2020) a year.

The insured person's contributions also finance cash sickness and maternity benefits (only cash maternity benefits for the public sector).

Self-employed person: 8.5% of monthly covered declared earnings.

There are no minimum earnings used to calculate contributions.

The maximum earnings used to calculate contributions are $815.00 ($837.00 as of January 2020) a week, $3,531.66 ($3,627.00 as of January 2020) a month, or $42,380 ($43,524 as of January 2020) a year.

The self-employed person's contributions also finance cash sickness and maternity benefits, and work injury benefits.

Employer: 4.5% (private sector) or 4% (public sector) of monthly covered payroll; 0.5% for persons age 65 or older (work injury benefits only).

There are no minimum earnings used to calculate contributions.

The maximum earnings used to calculate contributions are $815.00 ($837.00 as of January 2020) a week, $3,531.66 ($3,627.00 as of January 2020) a month, or $42,380 ($43,524 as of January 2020) a year.

The employer's contributions also finance cash sickness and maternity benefits (only cash maternity benefits for the public sector), and work injury benefits.

Government: None; contributes as an employer.

Qualifying Conditions

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

Employment may continue.

The old-age pension is payable abroad.

Old-age grant: Age 65 with at least 50 weeks but less than 500 weeks of contributions.

Employment may continue.

The old-age grant is payable abroad.

Disability pension: Must be younger than the normal retirement age, be assessed with a permanent incapacity for any work, have been unable to work for at least the last six months, and have at least 250 weeks of contributions.

A medical doctor assesses the degree of disability every six months.

The disability pension ceases at the normal retirement age and is replaced by the old-age pension.

The disability pension is payable abroad.

Disability grant: Must be younger than the normal retirement age, be assessed with a permanent incapacity for any work, have been unable to work for at least the last six months, and have at least 50 weeks but less than 500 weeks of contributions.

The disability grant is payable abroad.

Survivor pension: The deceased received or was entitled to receive an old-age or disability pension or had at least 250 weeks of contributions at the time of death.

Eligible survivors include a widow(er) (or a partner who lived with the deceased for at least three years) who is aged 40 or older, who is disabled, or who is caring for a dependent child younger than age 15 (age 21 if a student), and orphans younger than age 15 (age 21 if a student).

The widow(er)'s pension ceases upon remarriage.

The survivor pension is payable abroad.

Survivor grant: The deceased did not qualify for an old-age or disability pension and had at least 50 weeks but less than 250 weeks of contributions at the time of death.

The survivor grant is payable abroad.

Funeral grant: Paid to the person who pays for the funeral when an insured person, the spouse of an insured person, or a dependent child younger than age 15 (age 21 if a student) dies. The insured must have at least 26 weeks of contributions.

The funeral grant is payable abroad.

Old-Age Benefits

Old-age pension: 30% of the insured's average annual covered earnings plus 1% of average annual covered earnings for every 50 weeks of contributions exceeding 500 weeks is paid.

Average annual covered earnings are the sum of the insured's earnings in the best 11 years of earnings in the last 15 years of contributions (or the total years of contributions, if less) before retirement divided by 11.

The maximum annual earnings used to calculate benefits are $42,380 ($43,524 as of January 2020).

The minimum monthly old-age pension is $260.

The maximum annual old-age pension is 60% of the insured's average annual covered earnings.

The insured may receive the old-age pension and the survivor pension at the same time. The total amount received is 100% of the old-age pension plus 50% of the survivor pension, up to 100% of the insured's average annual covered earnings.

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted annually based on changes in a composite consumer price index or 5%, whichever is lower.

Old-age grant: A lump sum of six times the insured's average weekly earnings is paid for every 50 weeks of contributions exceeding 50 weeks.

Permanent Disability Benefits

Disability pension: 30% of the insured's average annual covered earnings plus 1% of average annual covered earnings for every 50 weeks of contributions exceeding 500 weeks is paid.

The maximum annual earnings used to calculate benefits are $42,380 ($43,524 as of January 2020).

The minimum monthly disability pension is $260.

The maximum annual disability pension is 60% of the insured's average annual covered earnings.

The insured may receive the disability pension and the survivor pension at the same time. The total amount received is 100% of the disability pension plus 50% of the survivor pension, up to 100% of the insured's average annual covered earnings.

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted annually based on changes in a composite consumer price index or 5%, whichever is lower.

Disability grant: A lump sum of six times the insured's average weekly earnings is paid for every 50 weeks of contributions exceeding 50 weeks.

Survivor Benefits

Survivor pension

Spouse's pension: 66.7% of the old-age pension the deceased received or was entitled to receive is paid to a widow(er) or cohabiting partner.

Orphan's pension: 33.3% of the spouse's pension is paid; 66.7% for full orphans.

Survivor grant

Spouse's grant: 66.7% of the old-age grant the deceased received or was entitled to receive is paid to a widow(er) or cohabiting partner.

Orphan's grant: 33.3% of the spouse's grant is paid; 66.7% for full orphans.

Funeral grant: The benefit amount depends on the deceased's age at the time of death. For a child younger than age 1, $450 is paid; for a child aged 1 to 15, $1,950; for a person aged 16 or older, $3,000.

Administrative Organization

Social Security Board (http://www.bvissb.vg/), managed by a tripartite board of directors appointed by the Minister of Health and Social Development (http://www.bvi.gov.vg/content/ministry-health-and-social-development/), administers the program and collects contributions.

Sickness and Maternity

Regulatory Framework

First and current laws: 1979 (social security), 1980 (social security), and 2015 (national health insurance).

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Cash benefits: Employed and self-employed persons. Public-sector employees and civil servants are covered for maternity benefits only.

Medical benefits (National Health Insurance): Legal residents of the British Virgin Islands.

Source of Funds

Insured person

Cash benefits: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors.

Medical benefits: 3.75% of monthly covered earnings plus 3.75% for a nonemployed spouse.

There are no minimum earnings used to calculate contributions.

The maximum earnings used to calculate contributions are $1,630.00 a week, $7,063.34 a month, or $84,760.00 a year.

Self-employed person

Cash benefits: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors.

Medical benefits: 7.5% of monthly covered declared earnings.

There are no minimum earnings used to calculate contributions.

The maximum earnings used to calculate contributions are $1,630.00 a week, $7,063.34 a month, or $84,760.00 a year.

Employer

Cash benefits: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors.

Medical benefits: 3.75% of monthly covered payroll.

There are no minimum earnings used to calculate contributions.

The maximum earnings used to calculate contributions are $1,630.00 a week, $7,063.34 a month, or $84,760.00 a year.

Government

Cash benefits: None; contributes as an employer.

Medical benefits: Pays contributions for dependent children, unemployed elderly persons, needy persons, and prisoners; contributes as an employer.

Qualifying Conditions

Cash sickness benefit: Must have at least 26 weeks of contributions, including at least eight weeks of contributions in the 13 weeks immediately before the incapacity began.

Cash maternity benefit: Must have at least 26 weeks of contributions, including at least 20 weeks of contributions in the 39 weeks immediately before the expected date of childbirth.

Maternity grant: Must have at least 26 weeks of contributions.

Eligible parents include the mother, her husband, or her cohabiting partner who has lived with her for at least two years.

Medical benefits: Must be insured. There is no minimum qualifying period.

Sickness and Maternity Benefits

Sickness benefit: 66.7% of the insured's average weekly covered earnings in the 13 weeks before the incapacity began is paid after a three-day waiting period for up to 26 weeks.

The maximum weekly earnings used to calculate benefits is $815 ($837 as of January 2020).

There is no minimum weekly sickness benefit.

Maternity benefit: 66.7% of the insured's average weekly covered earnings in the 39 weeks before the expected date of childbirth is paid for up to 13 weeks, beginning no earlier than six weeks before the expected date of childbirth.

The maximum weekly earnings used to calculate benefits is $815 ($837 as of January 2020).

There is no minimum weekly maternity benefit.

Maternity grant: A lump sum of $300 per child is paid to each eligible parent.

Workers' Medical Benefits

The National Health Insurance (NHI) program covers a comprehensive package of primary, secondary, and tertiary care. Benefits include preventive care, diagnostic procedures, outpatient care, hospitalizations, surgery, acute and intensive care, medicine, mental health services, dental and eye care, prostheses, and rehabilitation.

Cost sharing: No copayment is required for medical treatment at community health clinics within the NHI network. Copayments vary depending on whether the providers are in the NHI network and whether they are local or overseas: 5% for the local public hospital; 10% for local providers in the NHI network; 20% for out-of-network local providers and overseas providers in the NHI network; and 40% for out-of-network overseas providers.

Dependents' Medical Benefits

Benefits for dependents are the same as those for the insured.

Administrative Organization

Work Injury

Regulatory Framework

First and current law: 1994 (employment injury).

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Employed and self-employed persons.

Source of Funds

Insured person: None.

Self-employed person: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors.

Employer: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors.

Government: None; contributes as an employer.

Qualifying Conditions

Must be assessed with a work injury or occupational disease.

Temporary Disability Benefits

75% of the insured's average weekly covered earnings is paid for up to 26 weeks.

The maximum weekly temporary disability benefit is $611.25.

Permanent Disability Benefits

For a total (100%) disability, 75% of the insured's average weekly covered earnings is paid.

The maximum weekly permanent disability benefit is $611.25.

A medical doctor assesses the degree of disability, according to a schedule in law.

Partial disability: For an assessed degree of disability of at least 30% but less than 100%, a percentage of the full permanent disability pension is paid based on the assessed degree of disability; a lump sum is paid for an assessed degree of disability of less than 30%.

A medical doctor assesses the degree of disability every six months.

Workers' Medical Benefits

Benefits include medical, surgical, dental, and hospital treatment; skilled nursing services; medicine; prostheses (including maintenance and repair); and the cost of transportation to and from medical services.

Survivor Benefits

Survivor pension

Spouse's pension: 50% of the maximum survivor pension is paid to a widow(er) or a cohabiting partner who lived with the deceased for at least three years.

The maximum survivor pension is 75% of the deceased's average weekly earnings.

The spouse's pension ceases upon remarriage or cohabitation.

Orphan's pension: 16.7% of the maximum survivor pension is paid to each orphan younger than age 15 (age 21 if a student, no limit if disabled).

Other eligible survivor's pension: Up to 50% of the maximum survivor pension is split equally among other dependent survivors.

Funeral grant (Employment Injury Funeral Benefit): A lump sum of up to $3,000 is paid to the person who paid for the funeral. The benefit must be claimed within six months of the date of death.

Administrative Organization

Unemployment

Regulatory Framework

The Labour Code (2010) requires employers to provide severance pay to employees with at least 12 months of continuous service. Severance is paid in cases of redundancy, mental or physical incapacity, liquidation of the firm, in situations where the employee cannot continue to work without breaking a law, or if the employer dies. The payment amount for a full-time employee is 75% of the employee's daily pay multiplied by the number of months of service, or nine days of pay multiplied by the number of years of service. (Different formulas apply for casual, part-time, or piece-work employees.)

Family Allowances

Regulatory Framework

Under the 2013 Public Assistance Act, the Social Development Department (http://www.bvi.gov.vg/departments/social-development-department/) under supervision of the Ministry of Health and Social Development (http://www.bvi.gov.vg/content/ministry-health-and-social-development/) provides cash and in-kind benefits to needy individuals.