Invalidity insurance (AI)

If you are self-employed, you are responsible for paying your own social security contributions into the Compensation Fund.  They will be fixed provisionally on the basis of your estimated earnings for the year.  The AVS/AI/APG contributions are payable all together at a maximum rate of 10%, provided your annual income is equal to or greater than CHF 57,400.  Within this overall rate, AVS is 8,1%, AI is 1,4%, and APG is 0,50%. If your income ranges between CHF 9,600 and CHF 57,400, you benefit from a regressive rate.  If it is below CHF 9,600, you only pay the CHF 503 per annum, minimum lump-sum.  In addition, there is a 1% contribution to compensation fund administrative costs, based on the fixed contribution level.  The obligation to contribute terminates when you reach retirement age and when you cease all paid employment.  If you carry on working, contributions will be levied after deduction of an exemption of CHF 1,400 per month or CHF 16,800 per year.  

Insured persons must take an active part in the implementation of all reasonable measures that contribute to work rehabilitation.  Before putting in a claim for benefits, together with the AI office you should examine early prevention and early detection measures. As a rule, the AI pays a daily allowance to insured persons over 18 years of age who have an incapacity for work equal to or greater than 50%, and who undergo rehabilitation.  You may be granted benefits depending on the degree of your disability insofar as your earnings capacity, or your capacity to carry out usual occupational activities, cannot be re-established by rehabilitation. In the event that the AI benefits are insufficient to cover your basic needs, you can request supplementary benefits. Moreover, in cases when a person’s injury requires care-taking or qualified service personnel, the AI may grant helplessness benefits.

If you wish to apply for AI benefits, you must put in a claim as soon as possible at the AI office in the canton where you live. They will process your application and determine whether you have a right to benefits, as well as assess your degree of disability.  Please note that the decision lies entirely with the AI office - our Compensation Fund is only a payment office.

In order to pay the contributions, you must first register with the CVCI and our Social Compensation Funds. Once affiliated, your provisional contributions will be fixed on the basis of your estimated income for the current contribution year.  You should inform us of any major changes during the course of the year (+/- 25%).  The provisional contributions are payable on a quarterly basis to the compensation fund, that is, at latest on the tenth day following the end of the quarter. In the case of late receipt of your statement of account or late payment, a default interest of 5% will be charged. Once you have provided your accounts (profit and loss account and balance sheet) you will be sent a statement of account which will set real income receipts for the year under consideration against your provisional contributions.  For the difference you will either be invoiced, or a credit note will be deducted from your next contributions.  The definitive amount of your contributions will be fixed on the basis of your tax assessment.