Death of a Partner or Parent

The 1^st and 2^nd pillar social insurance provision is designed to ensure that the surviving dependants (spouse, registered partner, children) do not suffer financial need in the event of the death of a partner or parent.

The AHV includes the following survivors‘ benefits:

• Widow‘s pensions
• Widower‘s pensions
• Orphan‘s pensions

The Pension Fund includes the following survivors‘ benefits:

• Partner‘s pension/Lump sum payment/Payment of half the savings capital
• Orphan‘s pensions for minors

Entitlement to AHV survivors‘ pension

Basic prerequisites to entitlement

• The deceased must have accrued contribution credits for a period of at least 1 year.

Preconditions for a widow‘s pension

The surviving wife 

• has children.
• is over 45 years old. 
• was married to the deceased for at least 5 years.

The surviving divorcee

• has children and the divorced marriage lasted for at least 10 years, or
• is older than 45 and the divorced marriage lasted for at least 10 years, or
• has a child who will only turn 18 after she herself has turned 45.

Preconditions for a widower‘s pension

Surviving husbands, divorced husbands and surviving registered partners will receive a widower‘s pension, provided

• they have children under the age of 18.

Preconditions for an orphan‘s pension

Surviving children are entitled to an orphan‘s pension 

• until they are 18 years of age, or
• until the completion of their education (at the latest up until the age of 25)

Entitlement to survivors‘ benefits from the Pension Fund

Preconditions for a partner‘s pension

• The couple lived together for at least 5 years, or
• the partner has maintenance responsibilities for one or more children
• and was registered with the GastroSocial Pension Fund by the insured person during the insured person’s lifetime.

Preconditions for an orphan‘s pension

• The deceased was actively insured or in receipt of an IV or retirement pension
• Up to a maximum age of 20, or
• up to completion of his/her education (at the latest up to the age of 25)

Calculation of pension 

The amount of the AHV survivors‘ pension depends on:

• Creditable contribution years
• Income on which contributions were paid
• Credits for time spent raising children or caring for relatives

The amount of the Pension Fund survivors‘ benefits depends on:

• The pension plan chosen

Application

AHV survivors‘ pension

If the deceased paid AHV contributions most recently with the GastroSocial Compensation Fund, please complete the «Application for survivors pension (AHV form)» form and send this to:

Survivors‘ benefits from the Pension Fund

If the deceased was actively insured or in receipt of an IV or retirement pension from the GastroSocial Pension Fund, please complete the «Announcement in case of death» form and send this to:

We will calculate your pension and contact you.