Disability

Invalidity exists under the following conditions:

  • There is a health damage,
  • there is a permanent or long-term disability or inability to work in the previous area of ​​responsibility, and
  • the disability is caused by the health damage.

Further Information

Wage replacement benefits

Insureds who suffer at least 20% incapacity for work before reaching the normal retirement age are entitled, after the end of the affiliated employer's continued salary payment obligation or other replacement income (eg daily sickness or accident benefits, income from another employer), to a time-limited wage replacement benefit according to the extent of the incapacity for work, up to 70% of the last insured salary in the Pension Plan. Salary replacement benefits are provided by the Pension Fund as long as the 20% minimum incapacity for work persists, for up to 18 months or until a Federal Disability Insurance (IV) pension is awarded by the IV Office, whichever occurs sooner. 

This salary replacement benefit is paid:

  • as long as the minimum incapacity for work in accordance with the above definition persists, but for no more than 18 months. The 18-month period starts after the end of the affiliated employer's continued salary payment obligation or the end of other replacement income.
  • until it is replaced by payment of a temporary disability pension by the Pension Fund Swiss Re if the IV Office awards an IV pension.
  • until it is stopped if the IV Office rejects the application for an IV pension.

The insured person must have registered with the Federal Disability Insurance to receive the salary replacement benefit.

In the event of full incapacity for work, the amount of the wage replacement benefit is 70% of the last insured salary in the Pension Plan. In the case of partial incapacity for work, the wage replacement benefit is reduced in line with the degree of incapacity for work. If the degree of incapacity for work changes while it is being drawn, the wage replacement benefit is adjusted correspondingly.

The insured is obliged to submit in a timely manner the documents required by the Pension Fund Swiss Re regarding health assessment as well as information on the degree of incapacity for work and income; otherwise the Pension Fund Swiss Re wage replacement benefits may be immediately suspended.

The Pension Fund Swiss Re may require the insured to undergo a medical examination by an appointed physician.

Exemption from contributions

For the period of salary-replacement benefits or at the latest at the start of entitlement to a temporary disability pension, the insured will be granted exemption from contributions. An insured is entitled to exemption from contributions on expiry of the affiliated company's obligation to make salary payments and lapses when the entitlement to the salary-replacement benefits or temporary disability pension ends. The exemption from contributions is granted during partial incapacity for work or partial disability in accordance with the degree of disability.

For insureds who become disabled before the start of the full insurance cover, the exemption from contributions is insured according to Category 1 from the point when the insured would have acquired full insurance cover.

As in the past, retirement credits are credited to the individual retirement account based on the last contribution category that the insured selected before becoming unfit for work. During exemption from contributions, the contributions to the Pension Plan by the disabled insured and the employer's contributions for the insured in question are debited from the Pension Fund Swiss Re.

Full disability

Entitlement to a Pension Fund Swiss Re temporary disability pension starts with entitlement to a Federal Disability Insurance (IV) pension. It expires with the ending of entitlement to an IV pension, but at the latest on attainment of normal retirement age; from this time on, the insured is entitled to a retirement pension. 

The Pension Fund Swiss Re may assign a Swiss external body to assess any entitlement.

If there is a change in the degree of disability recognised by the IV Office, the Pension Fund Swiss Re benefit will be adjusted accordingly. If the IV reduces the insured's degree of disability or revokes the insured's pension altogether, the Pension Fund Swiss Re will correspondingly adjust its benefits even if the insured challenges the IV ruling. If the insured wins their legal case against the IV Office, the Pension Fund Swiss Re will back pay the disability pension it owes.

The Pension Fund Swiss Re temporary disability pension replaces the wage replacement benefits as of entitlement to a full or partly IV pension.

A degree of invalidity of 70% or higher is entitled to a full invalidity pension and is considered to be full disability.

Size of the temporary disability pension

The temporary full disability pension is 70% of the last insured annual salary. 

The Pension Fund Swiss Re pays the following disability pensions, in line with the IV degree of disability and remaining degree of occupation:

  • For a 40% to 49% degree of disability, the following percentage shares apply:
Degree of disability under DI

Pension of Pension fund Swiss Re in % of the insured disability pension

 Percentage of the remaining degree of  occupation
Less than 40 % 0.0 % 100.0 %
40 % 25.0 % 75.0 %
41 % 27.5 % 72.5 %
42 % 30.0 % 70.0 %
43 % 32.5 % 67.5 %
44 % 35.0 % 65.0 %
45 % 37.5 % 62.5 %
46 % 40.0 % 60.0 %
47 % 42.5 % 57.5 %
48 % 45.0 % 55.0 %
49 % 47.5 %

52.5 %
  • For a degree of disability of 50% to 69%, the percentage share corresponds to the degree of disability. The remaining degree of occupation, as a percentage, corresponds to the difference between 100% and the partial pension as a percentage.
  • For a degree of disability of 70% or more, insureds are entitled to a full disability pension. The percentage of the remaining degree of occupation is 0%.

 

Exemption of contributions

For the period of salary-replacement benefits or at the latest at the start of entitlement to a temporary disability pension, the insured will be granted exemption from contributions. An insured is entitled to exemption from contributions on expiry of the affiliated company's obligation to make salary payments and lapses when the entitlement to the salary-replacement benefits or temporary disability pension ends. The exemption from contributions is granted during partial incapacity for work or partial disability in accordance with the degree of disability.

For insureds who become disabled before the start of the full insurance cover, the exemption from contributions is insured according to Category 1 from the point when the insured would have acquired full insurance cover.

As in the past, retirement credits are credited to the individual retirement account based on the last contribution category that the insured selected before becoming unfit for work. During exemption from contributions, the contributions to the Pension Plan by the disabled insured and the employer's contributions for the insured in question are debited from the Pension Fund Swiss Re.

Child's pension:

Insureds who receive a temporary disability pension are entitled to a child's pension for each of their children who would be entitled to an orphan's pension in case of the insured's death.

The child's pension for each child amounts to 20% of the temporary disability pension, for up to 50% of the maximum single AHV pension valid from the time of the entitlement. The Pension Plan pays a child’s pension for up to a maximum of three eligible children.

Children's pensions for children of an insured who is partially disabled are based on the partial amount corresponding to the degree of disability.

Partial disability

If the Federal Disability Insurance Office has assessed you as having a partial disability of 40% or more but less than 70%, you are entitled to a partial disability pension.

The Pension Fund Swiss Re pays the following disability pensions, in line with the IV degree of disability and remaining degree of occupation:

  • For a 40% to 49% degree of disability, the following percentage shares apply:
Degree of disability under DI

Pension of Pension fund Swiss Re in % of the insured disability pension

 Percentage of the remaining degree of  occupation
Less than 40 % 0.0 % 100.0 %
40 % or higher 25.0 % 75.0 %
41 % 27.5 % 72.5 %
42 % 30.0 % 70.0 %
43 % 32.5 % 67.5 %
44 % 35.0 % 65.0 %
45 % 37.5 % 62.5 %
46 % 40.0 % 60.0 %
47 % 42.5 % 57.5 %
48 % 45.0 % 55.0 %
49 % 47.5 %

52.5 %
  • For a degree of disability of 50% to 69%, the percentage share corresponds to the degree of disability. The remaining degree of occupation, as a percentage, corresponds to the difference between 100% and the partial pension as a percentage.
  • For a degree of disability of 70% or more, insureds are entitled to a full disability pension. The percentage of the remaining degree of occupation is 0%.

 

Exemption of contributions

For the period of salary-replacement benefits or at the latest at the start of entitlement to a temporary disability pension, the insured will be granted exemption from contributions. An insured is entitled to exemption from contributions on expiry of the affiliated company's obligation to make salary payments and lapses when the entitlement to the salary-replacement benefits or temporary disability pension ends. The exemption from contributions is granted during partial incapacity for work or partial disability in accordance with the degree of disability.

For insureds who become disabled before the start of the full insurance cover, the exemption from contributions is insured according to Category 1 from the point when the insured would have acquired full insurance cover.

As in the past, retirement credits are credited to the individual retirement account based on the last contribution category that the insured selected before becoming unfit for work. During exemption from contributions, the contributions to the Pension Plan by the disabled insured and the employer's contributions for the insured in question are debited from the Pension Fund Swiss Re.

Child's pension:

Insureds who receive a temporary disability pension are entitled to a child's pension for each of their children who would be entitled to an orphan's pension in case of the insured's death.

The child's pension for each child amounts to 20% of the temporary disability pension, for up to 50% of the maximum single AHV pension valid from the time of the entitlement. The Pension Plan pays a child’s pension for up to a maximum of three eligible children.

Children's pensions for children of an insured who is partially disabled are based on the partial amount corresponding to the degree of disability.

Risk capital for disability

If as an insured you are recognised as fully disabled as understood by the Federal Disability Insurance (IV) before you reach the normal retirement age of 65 (full pension) and you remain fully disabled 24 months after being recognised as such by an IV ruling, you are entitled to the risk capital for disability from the Pension Fund.

In the case of partial disability, there is no pro rata entitlement to the risk capital for disability.

The amount of the risk capital on disability is determined by age and the insured salary in the Pension Plan at the time full disability is recognised by the IV ruling, and by the missing full years remaining until the normal retirement age of 65. 

The risk capital amounts to 15% of the insured salary for each missing full year.