VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTOR
A Voluntary contributor is an Insured person who does not satisfy the conditions under which he may contribute as an employee or self-employed person.
Benefits Voluntary Contributors Qualify For
Voluntary Contributors currently qualify for Long-Term benefits. The benefit payable is a function of the number of Contributions (or Credits) which a person has recorded against his account, and his average insurable earnings for the best 10 of the last 15 years during which contributions were paid. Having determined the Claimant’s Average earnings, the Claimant is paid a percentage of such Average Earnings. The percentage payable depends on the number of Credits that the person had accumulated during his insurable years. Please see the Pension Percentage Computation Chart for the percentage equivalency.
It is of interest to note that while the total Social Security contributions payable by a Voluntary Contributor is 11.90% of his earnings, the minimum Pension for which he may qualify is 30% of his Average Annual Insurable Earnings (AAIE).
The Long-term benefits being paid by DSS are as follows:
- Age Benefit
- Invalidity Benefit
- Survivors Benefit
In addition, a lump sum Funeral Grant is provided to assist with the burial expenses of an Insured Person, his or her spouse, and/or his/her dependent children. The Grant is payable to the person(s) who has met, or is liable to meet, the burial expenses.
A Medical Referee is a medical practitioner (or a group of medical practitioners) appointed to independently evaluate the medical condition of a claimant for Invalidity or Disablement Benefit who has been referred to him for evaluation by the Dominica Social Security.
Dependent Children are all the biological children, stepchildren, or legally adopted children of a deceased Insured Person who, at the date of the parent’s death, was below the age of 21, at school, unemployed and unmarried, and was living with, or wholly or mainly maintained by the deceased.
A Certificate of Life form is a certificate attesting to the fact that the Pension recipient is alive and in receipt of his pension. The form must be signed by the pensioner in the presence of a witness who must be one of the following persons: Justice of the Peace; Notary Public; Lawyer; Police Officer (Sergeant or above); Ordained Minister of Religion; Doctor; Family Nurse Practitioner; School Principal; Licensed Surveyor; Banker or Credit Union senior Personnel; Social Security Officer. For benefit recipients residing overseas, the Certificate of Life form must be notarized.
Pensioners residing overseas can also have their Certificate of Life forms renewed by contacting the DSS Office via WhatsApp Video Call to +1767 275 2600. The DSS Registration Card or other valid form of ID is required to complete the process.
For information on how to make a claim, click here.