Social insurance system: General Overview
Under the 1998 Social Welfare Assistance Act, limited public assistance is provided by the Department of Social Welfare to destitute persons incapable of work and to persons aged 65 or older or disabled.
Universal coverage is to be achieved in phases. The first completed phase provided coverage to employees in all sectors with the exception of domestic workers and civil servants. The second completed phase provided coverage to civil servants. The third phase will cover domestic workers, and the fourth phase will cover self-employed workers and informal-sector employees.

Coverage
All employed persons between ages 16 and 65 who are citizens or residents of Zimbabwe.

Pensions

Old Age Pensions
Insured person contirbute 3% of earnings.
Employer contributes 3% of payroll.
The pension is equal to 4.5% of monthly insurable earnings multiplied by the number of years of contributions up to a maximum of 30 years, plus an additional 1% of monthly insurable earnings multiplied by the number of years of contributions beyond 30 years.
Old-age pension:
Age 60; age 55 for arduous employment, with at least 10 years of contributions.

Deferred pension
A deferred pension is possible up to age 65. Deferred pension are alculated in the same way as the pension.

Retirement grant
Payable if the insured does not satisfy the qualifying conditions for the pension but has more than 1 year but less than 10 years of contributions.
A lump sum equal to 1/12 of annual insurable earnings immediately before retirement times the number of contributory years (including credited periods) up to a maximum of 10 years.

Permanent Disability Benefits
The insured is assessed as disabled and permanently incapable of work by a medical doctor and has at least 1 year of contributions. The disability must not be work related.
The pension is equal to 3.4% of average insurable earnings multiplied by the number of years of contributions up to 10 years, plus 4.5% of monthly insurable earnings multiplied by the number of years of contributions from 10 years up to 30 years, plus an additional 3.4% of monthly insurable earnings multiplied by the number of years of contributions beyond 30 years.

Disability grant
Payable if the insured has less than 1 year of contributions.A lump sum equal to 1/12 of insurable earnings in the year immediately before the onset of disability times the number of years of contributions (including credited periods).

Survivor benefit
The deceased was receiving or met the qualifying conditions for the old-age or disability pension at the time of death.The insured met the qualifying conditions for the retirement grant or disability grant.

Eligible survivors (in the order of priority) are the widow(er), children younger than age 18 (age 25 if a student, no limit if permanently disabled), parents, and other dependents. If there is no widow(er), dependent children are paid through the legal guardian.

Funeral grant
The deceased must have contributed for at least 1 year. The grant is paid to the person who pays for the funeral. A lump sum is paid for funeral expenses, up to a maximum.

Survivor Benefits
Survivor pension: A lump sum equal to 40% of the deceased’s old-age pension or disability pension is paid for a widow(er), 40% for children until age 18 (age 25 if a student), 12% for parents, and 8% for other eligible dependents.A lump sum equal to 40% of the deceased’s retirement grant or disability grant is paid for a widow(er), 40% for children until age 18 (age 25 if a student), 12% for parents, and 8% for other eligible dependents.

Administrative Organization
Ministry of Public Service, Labor, and Social Welfare provides general supervision.

National Social Security Authority (http://www.nssa.org.zw) administers the program.

Sickness and Maternity
No State statutory cash benefits are provided.
The labor relations act requires employers to provide a maternity benefit. The maternity benefit is 100% of wages for 45 days before and 45 days after the expected date of childbirth.

A health care program provides free primary health care for low-paid workers.

Government and mission hospitals serve rural areas; government and private hospitals and doctors are available in urban areas.

Administrative Organization
Ministry of Public Service, Labor, and Social Welfare provides general supervision.

National Social Security Authority (http://www.nssa.org.zw) administers the program.