Invalidity
Invalidity insurance system supports people who are unable to work or whose capacity to work is limited because of a health impairment. It helps with occupational rehabilitation, provides assistive devices and pays out pensions to safeguard the livelihood of the person affected and allow them to lead an independent life.
Eligibility requirements
You must meet the following conditions to qualify for invalidity insurance system support:
- your health is impaired;
- your health impairment prevents you from earning a living or performing your usual tasks; and
- your incapacity is permanent or long-lasting.
The health impairment may be mental, psychological or physical in nature and is the result of a congenital disorder, illness or an accident.
Invalidity is a legal term and is therefore not the same as disability. Art. 8 GSSLA (Social Security Act) sets out the legal definition of the term.
An example of invalidity versus disability
A pianist who loses a finger can no longer play the piano. If she loses the capacity to work because of this health impairment, she is an invalid within the meaning of the law. On the other hand, a shop assistant who loses a finger is not usually incapable of working as a result. After a period of recovery, he can. continue to do his job despite this disability.
Various social insurance schemes provide cover against the risk of invalidity. Eligibility requirements may vary from one scheme to the other.
Invalidity insurance
Invalidity insurance cover is mandatory for everyone living or working in Switzerland. Even if you are not in paid work, for example you are student or homemaker, you are also subject to mandatory invalidity insurance cover.
Occupational benefit insurance (pension fund)
To be entitled to invalidity benefits from your pension fund, you must have been insured with the fund when the incapacity to work that led to your invalidity began.
If your annual salary from the same employer is CHF 22,680 or more (as of 2025), you must pay into the compulsory occupational benefit scheme.
If you are self-employed, occupational pension cover is optional.
Your pension fund will generally base its decision on your invalidity benefit claim on the decision of the invalidity insurance.
Accident insurance
If you are an employee, you are subject to compulsory insurance against the risk of invalidity as a result of an accident.
If you are self-employed, you can take out voluntary insurance against the risk of invalidity as a result of an accident.
You will find more information on accident insurance conditions here: Accident insurance: Who is subject to compulsory insurance?
Military insurance
if you are in military, civilian or civil protection service, you are automatically insured under the military insurance against the risk of invalidity.
Benefits
The most important objective of invalidity benefits is to ensure that people with health impairments remain able to work or regain that capacity so that they can lead an independent life and earn a living. If workforce reintegration is not possible, the invalidity insurance, accident insurance, occupational pension and military insurance schemes will provide pensions to help offset the loss of earnings and ensure an appropriate income.
Invalidity insurance benefits fall into two categories:
- rehabilitation measures. These aim to prevent or reduce impending or existing invalidity.
- cash benefits. These aim to allow the person affected cover their basic needs and lead an independent life.
Rehabilitation measures (or reintegration measures)
If you have a health impairment that has a lasting impact on your capacity to work, the invalidity insurance system will offer you one or more rehabilitation measures. These might be adjustments to your workplace, vocational counselling or career change support.
If your health impairment begins while you are in military, alternative civilian or civil protection service, the military insurance is responsible for providing reintegration measures.
You will find a full list of rehabilitation measures here: Rehabilitation measures
Cash benefits
If you do not regain your capacity to work after rehabilitation measures, you are entitled to an invalidity pension. The invalidity, insurance, accident insurance, occupational pension and military insurance schemes pay out invalidity pensions on a case-by-case basis.
Invalidity insurance pension
The amount of the ordinary invalidity insurance pension depends on three factors:
- your degree of invalidity
(calculated on the basis of your loss of earnings due to invalidity); - your average income
(over your entire working life and extrapolated for the years you have left to work); and - your insurance contribution record.
If your degree of invalidity is 70% or more and you have no gaps in your contribution record, you will be entitled to a monthly pension of CHF 1,225 to CHF 2,450 depending on your earnings.
If your invalidity pension does not cover your basic needs, you are also entitled to supplementary benefits.
Occupational pension
If you are insured with an occupational pension fund when your incapacity to work that led to your disability occurs, you are also entitled to an invalidity pension from this institution. When paid by the mandatory occupational pension scheme, the amount will depend on your hypothetical retirement assets. However, pension funds providing extra-mandatory occupational pension cover are free to have different regulations on how they calculate the invalidity pension.
Accident insurance pensions
If your invalidity is due to an accident (or an occupational disease), the accident insurance scheme can also pay you an invalidity pension. The amount depends on your insured salary and your degree of invalidity. Depending on the circumstances of your case, it may be paid out either alone or as a supplement to the invalidity insurance pension.
For more information on accident insurance benefits in the event of invalidity: Monetary benefits of accident insurance
Military insurance pension
If your invalidity occurs when you are in military, alternative civilian or civil protection service, the military insurance scheme can also pay you an invalidity pension. The amount depends on your insured salary and your degree of invalidity. Depending on the circumstances of your case, it may be paid out either alone or as a supplement to the invalidity insurance pension.
More information on military insurance benefits in the event of invalidity here: Military insurance: monetary benefits
Other benefits
Depending on the type of health impairment you have, you are also entitled to:
- assistive devices;
- a helplessness allowance; and
- a personal assistance allowance
Assistive devices are aids or equipment that allow you to perform tasks and remain independent. They include, wheelchairs, hearing aids, orthopaedic shoes and communication aids.
Helplessness allowances and personal assistance allowances are a form of financial support to help cover the costs of hiring assistance personnel. You are entitled to these allowances if you are unable to perform certain routine tasks by yourself, such as getting dressed, washing, eating, or if you need help at night.
If you have children in your care, you are also entitled to a supplementary child pension from the invalidity insurance, and in certain circumstances the pension fund, too.
Contributions
Invalidity insurance contribution
If you live or work in Switzerland, you must pay contributions to the mandatory invalidity insurance scheme from 1 January following your 20th birthday until you reach reference age (formerly 'retirement age'). If you are already in paid work, this obligation begins at the age of 17. The same applies to individuals who remain in paid work beyond the reference age. The contributions for the invalidity insurance are deducted together with the contributions for the old-age and survivors' insurance.
- As an employee, you pay half of these contributions. Your employer pays the other half.
- If you are self-employed, your contributions are calculated on the basis of your earnings for the contribution year.
- If you are not in paid work, you still have to pay invalidity insurance contributions. These are calculated based on your assets and/or your annual pension income
You will find a list of cantonal compensation offices here:
Cantonal compensation offices | Contacts | OASI/DI Information Center
Occupational pension contributions
As an employee, you and your employer pay contributions to the occupational benefit scheme, which also provides benefits in the event of invalidity and death (known as risk premiums). The employer usually pays at least half of the premium. The amount of the premium is determined by the pension fund on the basis of several factors, such as your age and coordinated salary. The pension fund can also tier premiums according to sector and company.
Accident insurance premiums
Your employer pays the premiums for compulsory insurance against accidents and occupational illness. In principle, premiums for non-occupational accidents are deducted from your salary.
The amount of the premium varies depending on your income and the industry in which you work.
More information on accident insurance premiums: Accident insurance: Premiums
Overview of invalidity contributions and premiums
Table in German, French or Italian
Claim submission
If you have become or are in danger of becoming unable to work as a result of an illness, you must submit a claim to the invalidity insurance office in your cantons. This marks the beginning of the occupational rehabilitation process. Only once this process is finished will the assessment of your entitlement to an invalidity pension begin.
List of invalidity insurance offices.
If your invalidity is the result of an accident or occupational disease, you must notify your accident insurance provider. Your employer will provide you with the contact details. If you are not a salaried employee, you must notify the invalidity insurance office in your canton of residence (see link above).
If you contribute to an occupational pension fund, you also have to submit a claim to this institution.
If your invalidity occurred in connection with the performance of military, alternative civilian or civil protection service, your point of contact is a branch of the Swiss National Accident Insurance Fund (Suva). The military physician or your own physician can also inform the Suva on your behalf.
Contacts
You will find the contact details of the cantonal invalidity insurance offices
List of cantonal compensation offices and professional fund associations:
Contacts | OASI/DI Information Center
You will find a list of accident insurers on the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) website:
Accident insurance: insurers and supervision
Military insurance provided by Suva:
Military insurance: Insurer and oversight