Welcome to the website of the Federal Social Insurance Office
The Federal Social Insurance Office (FSIO) ensures that the social security network functions properly and is continuously adapted to new challenges and social developments. It also coordinates the federal government's work in the areas of poverty prevention and combating poverty. In addition, it is the federal policy centre of expertise for general social policy issues and for matters relating to families, children, young people, older people and intergenerational coexistence. The FSIO also initiates and coordinates reciprocal social security agreements with other countries.
Overview of the Swiss social insurance system
Old Age and Survivor’s Insurance (OASI)
OASI is designed to cover basic subsistence needs if a person loses their income from gainful employment owing to old age or death. OASI provides benefits in old age (retirement pension) or pays survivors a widow’s, widower's or orphan's pension. The benefits depend on the amount of the latest income and contribution period. Generally speaking, all people who live or work in Switzerland are subject to compulsory OASI insurance.
Occupational pension funds - Overview
The idea behind occupational pension insurance is to enable employees to maintain, to an appropriate extent, their accustomed standard of living after retirement. To this end, the employees join a pension fund, either voluntarily or on a compulsory basis. These funds are run by representatives of both the employers and the employees.
Invalidity Insurance - Overview
Invalidity insurance (AI) encourages the professional and social integration of insured persons and guarantees their basic material needs. It is obligatory and covers both the working and non-working population. Find out how AI is financed and organised, and get information on current issues.
Supplementary benefits
As OASI/disability pensions are not always enough to cover the necessary cost of living, pensioners may be entitled to supplementary benefits. A person deemed to be needy is thus legally entitled to a supplementary benefit. The neediness must be clarified on an individual basis; the amount of the benefits will also be determined individually.
Family Allowances - Overview
Family allowances are both a social security and family policy matter. The purpose of these benefits is to partially compensate for the costs of raising children. There are four types of family allowance: child allowance, education allowance, childbirth allowance and adoption allowance.
Loss of earnings compensation scheme - Overview
The loss of income compensation regulations was established to provide some compensation for loss of earnings to people who perform military, civilian or civil defence service. The scope of benefits has been extended in several steps: loss of income compensation now also includes maternity, paternity, adoption and care leave.
Transition Benefits - Overview
Transition benefits safeguard the livelihood of people who lose their job shortly before they reach retirement age. These benefits are means-tested and calculated in the same way as OASI and IV supplementary benefits. They are financed from the general resources of the Confederation. The cantons are responsible for disbursing these benefits and covering their enforcement costs.
Unemployment insurance
Unemployment insurance provides benefits in the case of loss of employment, shortened working hours, lack of employment due to weather conditions and insolvency on the part of the employer. This insurance also pays for re-integration measures.
Health and accident insurance
From health insurance to accident insurance – Switzerland’s solidarity-based system covers the costs of medical treatment.
International social insurances - Overview
Social security also has an international dimension: countries conclude agreements with each other and participate in the work of international organisations
Social Assistance
Social assistance, formerly called welfare, is not a social insurance. It operates according to the principle of need and ensures that in any case a minimum subsistence is guaranteed. This is especially true when people fall through gaps in the social safety net . Social assistance falls primarily within the competence of the cantons and is tailored to the particular conditions.
History of Social Security
In around 150 articles, an online publication provides insight into the history of the Swiss welfare state from various perspectives. The web publication on the history of social security was developed by the FSIO in 2013 to mark its 100th anniversary, in collaboration with several universities. A learning platform is also available to complement the publication.