Death

Insured persons who live in a registered partnership with their partner are treated equally by married couples.

If a married, resp. a spouse who is an active or disabled insured person in a registered partnership, active or disabled insured dies, his or her partner is entitled to a lifetime spouse's pension if at least one of the following conditions is met:

a)   the partner is caring for at least one dependent child; or

b)   FSOPP has reached the age of 45 and has been married for at least five years.

A surviving partner who does not fulfil either of these conditions is entitled to a one-off settlement equal to three annual pensions. The period of a life partnership is calculated as the period of marriage, resp. registered partnership. In this case, the savings capital is paid out in the pension plan in accordance with the general order of beneficiaries.

Following the death of an active insured, a distinction is made between survivors' benefits during the active term of the insured's insurance and benefits after hypothetical retirement.

Up to the insured's hypothetical retirement age, the spouse's pension amounts to 60% of the temporary disability pension.

At the time when the deceased insured would have reached normal retirement age, the spouse's pension is recalculated as 60% of the retirement pension based on the conversation rate applicable at that time and the savings capital maintained in the Pension Plan.

You can find all these amounts on your pension benefits statement.

Pension reduction at a large age difference

If the partner is more than 10 years younger than the deceased insured, the calculated spouse's pension is reduced. The reduction equals 4% per full year of age difference over 10 years for each full year.

As a minimum the partner receives the minimum spouse's pension according to the FSOPP.

Remarriage

If the widowed parner remarries, the entitlement to the current survivors’ benefits via the Pension Fund Swiss Re lapses in the month following the marriage and the Pension Fund Swiss Re makes a payment equivalent to three annual pensions.  On payment thereof, all claims against the Pension Fund Swiss Re shall lapse.

Spouses' pensions paid on the basis of a delayed report will be reclaimed by the Pension Fund Swiss Re.

ER Account and Capital Plan

Insureds living together in cohabitation can apply for a partner's pension if the following conditions are met by the partner:

a)  the partner is caring for at least one dependent child; or

b)   the partner has reached the age of 45 and has been living in cohabitation for at least five years, and

c)    a written partnership agreement has been registered with the Pension Fund.

PDF  Partnership Agreement

This partnership agreement must be submitted to the Pension Fund for registration during the insured's lifetime. The Pension Fund registers the partnership agreement and you receive the contract stamped in the original back. It appears as a reference on the first page of your pension benefits statement. The original agreement is stamped and returned to you. After the death, the original must be submitted to the Pension Fund within three months.

If these requirements are satisfied, the partner's pension for a cohabiting partner is identical to a spouse's pension.

The savings capital or value of the fund units, whichever is higher, in the Capital Plan, as well as the insured risk capital and any amount on the ER Account, always become due for payment and are paid out immediately after the insured dies, in accordance with the statutory order of beneficiaries.

Pension reduction at a large age difference

If the partner is more than 10 years younger than the deceased insured, the calculated partner's pension is reduced. The reduction equals 4% per full year of age difference over 10 years for each full year.

As a minimum the partner receives the minimum spouse's pension according to the FSOPP.

Remarriage

If the partner remarries, the entitlement to the current survivors’ benefits via the Pension Fund Swiss Re lapses in the month following the marriage and the Pension Fund Swiss Re makes a payment equivalent to three annual pensions.  On payment thereof, all claims against the Pension Fund Swiss Re shall lapse.

ER account and Capital Plan

The following persons may be named as beneficiaries in the Capital Plan:

If an active, disabled or retired insured dies, his or her underage children, resp. eligible children up to the age of 25 are entitled to an orphan's pension.

The orphan's pension amounts to 20% for each half-orphan, and 40% for each full orphan, of the insured temporary disability pension, current disability pension or current retirement pension. The Pension Plan pays an orphan's pension for up to a maximum of three eligible children.

Children with whom the insured established a relationship after the effective retirement age are entitled exclusively to the FSOPP minimum benefits.

The orphan's pension is paid until completion of the 18th year of age. Children who are still in education/training, or who are impaired or unfit for work due to a physical or mental disability, remain entitled to a pension until completion of the 25th year of age.

From the age of 18, the child's entitlement must be justified through proof of education/training

On the death of a divorced insured, the divorced spouse is entitled to the statutory minimum benefits under the FSOPP if the relevant requirements are satisfied.

If an insured dies before before his retirement, the entitlement to risk capital in the event of death follows the entitlement to savings capital in the event of death pursuant to the Pension Plan.

The amount of the risk capital in the event of death is determined by the insured salary in the Pension Plan and the missing full years remaining until the normal retirement age of 65.

The risk capital amounts to 10% of the insured salary for each missing year.