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Social security overview

Switzerland has a close-knit network of different types of social insurance, which offer the working population and their dependents a broad protection against risks of which the financial consequences would be too high for an individual person.

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The Swiss social security system is divided into five areas:

  • old-age, survivors' and invalidity insurance (OASI - the three-pillar system) (German: AHV)
  • protection against the consequences of illness and accidents (LOB/AI) (German: BVG/UVG)
  • income compensation allowances in case of military service and in case of maternity
  • unemployment insurance
  • family allowances

These different types of insurance offer protection in the form of pensions, unemployment benefits and family allowances, as well as paying for costs incurred through illness and accidents.

The benefits paid out by the different types of social security are in principle financed by contributions levied on income. For the health insurance, each person insured pays a premium. The Government and the Cantons contribute different amounts to the social security fund of the basic pension and invalidity insurance or finance them either in toto (supplementary benefits) or by subsidising premiums for persons with very low incomes (reduced premiums for health insurance).