Terms and Conditions health and parental insurance for doctoral students with stipends 2016

This is an insurance for stipend-funded doctoral students. It provides compensation when doctoral students stipends are reduced due to absence from studies in the case of illness, parantal leave or temporary parental leave.

Document information

Type of document: Terms and Conditions

Valid from: 01/07/2016

Sender: Insurance Department

Pages in print: 11

1 Summary

To improve the welfare of all stipend-funded doctoral students who have been admitted to a Swedish state university or university college, it is the Government's opinion that higher education institutions should provide insurance cover with Kammarkollegiet for those cases doctoral student stipends are reduced due to absence from studies in the case of illness or parental leave. Such insurance should apply in those cases the doctoral student does not enjoy the equivalent insurance cover from another source (Govt. Bill 2012/13:30 p. 174).

In 2013, Kammarkollegiet was instructed by the Government to develop an insurance policy that provides compensation when doctoral student stipends are reduced due to absence from studies in the case of illness, parental leave or temporary parental leave.

2 Content of the insurance

The insurance consists of three parts:

  • Sickness benefit

  • Parental benefit

  • Temporary parental benefit

Where possible, the regulations and concepts of the Social Insurance Code are applied in the policy. The structure of the insurance policy in part also follows that of the Code.

The insurance does not confer entitlement to compensation if the doctoral student is entitled to equivalent compensation under any other insurance cover.

For those whose studies are partially funded through stipends, the benefits in this insurance are limited to that proportion which consists of stipends.

Compensation under the policy is not taxable.

The insurance utilises Compensation Qualifying Income – EGI (Ersättningsgrundande inkomst) – rather than SGI (Sjukpenninggrundande inkomst, Sickness Benefit Qualifying Income). EGI corresponds to the stipend annually received by the doctoral student.

2.1 Compensation Qualifying Income

The amount of compensation is dependent on the insured's Compensation Qualifying Income (EGI) and the extent to which his or her work capacity is reduced.

An insured person's EGI also constitutes the basis for calculating parental benefit at the sickness benefit level and temporary parental benefit.

Compensation Qualifying Income is the annual income in money that an insured person will receive in the form of a stipend. This does not include compensation for literature, insurance, accompanying family members, etc.

The Compensation Qualifying Income may not exceed 7.5 price base amounts for sickness benefit and 10 price base amounts for parental benefit at the sickness benefit level.

In order for it to be possible to establish a person's Compensation Qualifying Income, it is necessary for him or her to have been admitted as a doctoral student at a state university or university college in Sweden and not be a full-time employee.

In order for it to be possible to establish the Compensation Qualifying Income, it is also necessary for some portion of the insured's annual income to derive from stipends for the pursuit doctoral studies.

3 Sickness benefit

An insured person is entitled to sickness benefit in the event of illness that reduces his or her work capacity by at least one quarter.

Sickness benefit is granted as a full, three-quarter, half or one-quarter benefit.

Sickness benefit is not paid for any period before the illness has been notified to Kammarkollegiet. However, this does not apply if there has been anything to prevent such notification or there are special reasons for the benefits nevertheless to be granted.

Sick leave longer than 7 days requires a Swedish doctor's certificate showing that there is a reduced work capacity amounting to full-time work, three quarters, half or one quarter of full-time work.

Sickness benefit is granted at the:

  • Normal level,

  • Continuation level

The insured's sickness benefit shall be calculated on a basis (calculation basis) that for:

  • Sickness benefit at the normal level is equivalent to 80 per cent of the insured's Compensation Qualifying Income after this has been multiplied by 0.97, and

  • sickness benefit at the continuation level is equivalent to 75 per cent of the insured's Compensation Qualifying Income after this has been multiplied by 0.97.

  • Sickness benefit can be granted for days in a sickness period as long as the insured fulfils the requirements for entitlement to sickness benefit within the period specified below.

  • Sickness benefit at the normal level is granted for a maximum of 364 days.

  • Sickness benefit at the continuation level is granted for a maximum of 550 days. For days in a sickness period, sickness benefit calculated per whole calendar day is to be equivalent to the ratio between the calculation basis according to 1 or 2 above and 365.

  • Sickness benefit is rounded to the nearest whole krona, whereby 50 öre is rounded up. The insurance has a waiting period for which sickness benefit is not paid. The insurance does not provide compensation after day 914.

3.1 Reduced work capacity

Equated with illness is a state of reduced work capacity caused by illness for which sickness benefit is granted.

In assessing whether the insured is ill, circumstances relating to the labour market, finances, social factors and the like should be disregarded.

In assessing whether work capacity is reduced, consideration is to be given to whether insured persons have such capacity due to the illness that they are able to continue pursuing their doctoral studies.

3.2 Rehabilitation

During the period of ongoing rehabilitation, there is consultation between the supervisors at the higher education institution, the sick-listing doctor and Kammarkollegiet in order to provide support to the doctoral student aimed at enabling the doctoral student to resume their studies.

4 Parental benefits

Parental benefits are granted in the following forms:

  • parental benefit to take care of a child in connection with the birth or adoption of a child and

  • temporary parental benefit in special situations in which a person refrains from doctoral studies in order to take care of a child or in connection with the death of a child and

  • parental benefit for care of a child during a continuous period of at most 30 days.

These parental benefits apply only to the insured doctoral student and cannot be transferred to another person. The benefits are paid on condition that it is the insured doctoral student who withdraws parental benefit from Försäkringskassan when such is possible.

4.1 Levels for parental benefit

Parental benefit can be granted at the following levels:

  • Sickness benefit level,

  • basic level, or

  • minimum level.

For the first 180 days of entitlement to parental benefit to take care of a child, the benefit can be granted at either the sickness benefit level or the basic level.

After 180 days, parental benefit can be granted for 210 days at either the sickness benefit level or the basic level and for 90 days at the minimum level.

Parental benefit at the sickness benefit level can be granted to a parent who is insured if it is possible to establish a Compensation Qualifying Income for that parent.

For full parental benefit, the sickness benefit level is equivalent to the parent's calculation basis for sickness benefit at the normal level.

If full parental benefit at the sickness benefit level does not exceed SEK 250 per day, parental benefit at the basic level is instead granted as described below.

Parental benefit is paid out for a maximum of 480 days per child, and the number of days is coordinated with that taken out by the other parent.

Parental benefit is paid up to and including the day the child has completed their fifth year of compulsory school or when the child turns 12 years old, if this date falls after the end of the school year.

4.2 Calculating the number of days of entitlement to parental benefit

When calculating the number of days of entitlement to parental benefit, the following applies:

  • One day of full parental benefit corresponds to one day.

  • One day of three-quarter, half, one-quarter or one-eighth parental benefit corresponds to three quarters, half, one quarter and one eighth of one day, respectively.

4.3 Basic level

Parental benefit at the basic level can be granted to a parent who is insured if it is possible to establish a Compensation Qualifying Income for that parent.

For full parental benefit, the basic level is SEK 250 per day.

4.4 Minimum level

Parental benefit at the minimum level can be granted to a parent who is insured and concerns periods when parental benefit may not be granted at the sickness benefit level or the basic level.

For full parental benefit, the minimum level is SEK 180 per day.

4.5 Deduction of compensation from another source

If a parent has received a benefit under foreign legislation, which corresponds to parental benefit in connection with the birth of a child, the period for which that foreign benefit has been granted is deducted from the maximum number of days for which parental benefit can be granted.

The following applies with respect to this deduction:

  • If the foreign benefits are based on income from employment or from other gainful activity, the deduction is to be made in the first instance from the days for which parental benefit can be granted at the sickness benefit level.

  • If the foreign benefits are granted at an amount that for all beneficiaries is uniform and independent of income from employment or from other gainful activity, the deduction is to be made in the first instance from the days for which parental benefit can be granted only at the minimum level.

5 Temporary parental allowance

Entitlement to temporary parental benefit is enjoyed by an insured parent who refrains from carrying out doctoral studies and whose stipend is reduced in connection with the birth of a child or its need of care or in connection with the death of a child.

Temporary parental benefit is granted only to the parent who is a doctoral student (the insured) and cannot be transferred to another custodian.

Compensation is paid for a maximum of 120 days per child and year.

5.1 Benefits

Temporary parental benefit is granted according to the following benefit levels: Full, three-quarter, half, one-quarter or one-eighth temporary parental benefit is granted for a day when a parent has completely refrained from studies and whose stipend has been fully reduced in a corresponding amount (full, three-quarter, half, one-quarter or one-eighth).

5.2 Care of children under the age of 12

A parent is entitled to temporary parental benefit to take care of a child under the age of 12 if the parent needs to refrain from gainful employment in connection with:

  • Illness or contagious infection in the child,

  • illness or contagious infection in the child's ordinary carer,

  • a visit to the community preventive child health services or

  • a care requirement arising as a result of the child's other parent visiting a doctor with another child of either parent, provided that the latter child is covered by the provisions of temporary parental benefit.

5.3 Special rules for children under the age of 8 months

In the case of care for a child younger than 240 days, temporary parental benefit as above is granted only if childcare arrangements are of a permanent nature. Beyond this, compensation is granted only if the child is being cared for in hospital or is receiving equivalent care in the home.

In the case of care for a child 240 days or older, temporary parental benefit as above is not granted for any period for which parental benefit would otherwise have been granted. However, this does not apply if the child is being cared for in hospital.

Equated with hospital care is temporary care in transitional housing for children covered by Section 1 of the Act (1993:387) concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments.

5.4 Children under the age of 12 with special needs

A parent of a sick or disabled child under the age of 12 is entitled to temporary parental benefit when the parent needs to refrain from gainful employment in connection with:

  • A visit to an institution in order to participate in the child's treatment or in order to learn how to take care of the child,

  • participation in a course arranged by a healthcare authority for the same purpose as stated in 1),

  • a visit to a doctor because the child suffers from a serious illness,

  • a visit to a doctor as part of the child's treatment or

  • participation in treatment that is prescribed by a doctor for the same purpose as stated in 4).

Temporary parental benefit is granted for a total of no more than 60 days for each child and year.

If the parent needs to refrain from gainful employment for reasons stated above, temporary parental benefit is granted in addition for no more than 60 days for each child and year.

5.5 Children aged 12 or over, but under the age of 16

A parent is entitled to temporary parental benefit to take care of a child aged 12 or over, but under the age of 16, if it has been confirmed that the child is in need of special supervision or care due to:

  • Illness

  • cognitive disability or

  • other disability.

A parent is entitled to temporary parental benefit only if he or she needs to refrain from gainful employment for reasons stated in 5.3 above.

In the case of a period for which parental benefit would have otherwise been granted, a parent is entitled to temporary parental benefit only if the child is being cared for in hospital.

5.6 Care of children covered by LSS

Parents of a child covered by the Act concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments (LSS) can receive compensation for care of a child aged 16 or over but under the age of 21, and in some cases up to 23 years of age.

Parents of a child under the age of 16 who is covered by LSS may be granted contact days. Contact days are paid for at most ten days per child and year. The contact days may, for example, be used for visits to preschool and school.

5.7 Care of a seriously ill child

Parents of a seriously ill child under the age of 18 are entitled to temporary parental benefit when they need to refrain from gainful employment to take care of the child.

A child is considered to be seriously ill when there is a significant danger to the child’s life, or when the child is receiving treatment for their illness and their life is in danger without this treatment.

Temporary parental benefit is granted for an unlimited number of days.

The days that are taken out for care of a seriously ill child do not affect the 120 days per year that parents are entitled to for care of sick child.

5.8 Calculating temporary parental benefit

Temporary parental benefit is calculated in accordance with the provisions on sickness benefit at the normal level and Compensation Qualifying Income, but with the exception of the provisions on waiting days and the calculation basis for sickness benefit at the continuation level.

For full temporary parental benefit, the level of compensation corresponds to the parent's calculation basis for sickness benefit at the normal level based on a Compensation Qualifying Income calculated as follows (the calculation basis).

Temporary parental benefit calculated per whole calendar day is equivalent to the ratio between the calculation basis above and 365. Temporary parental benefit is rounded to the nearest whole krona, whereby 50 öre is rounded up.

6 Application for compensation

The claim form for personal injury is available on the Kammarkollegiet website www.kammarkollegiet.se.

A claim shall be signed by both the insured and the Swedish higher education institution. In addition to this, the claimant shall do the following:

  • Report the illness or withdrawal of temporary parental benefit to Kammarkollegiet at forsakring@kammarkollegiet.se no later than the day after the first day of sick leave or withdrawal of temporary parental benefit.

  • Attach a Swedish certificate of sick leave for illnesses entailing a period of sick leave exceeding 7 days.

  • Attach a Swedish certificate of illness for a child when temporary parental benefit is withdrawn for a period exceeding 7 days.

  • In the case of care of a seriously ill child, a special doctor’s report is to be submitted with information on the diagnosis and a description of the child’s illness and treatment, as well as an indication of how much time the parents need to be with the child during the treatment.

  • Attach a certificate with the stipend amount from the stipend issuer, and prove that the stipend is not being paid due to illness or parental leave.

  • Details of the child’s Swedish personal identity number or date of birth and registration number.

6.1 Disbursement

Disbursement of compensation takes place around the 25th of the month after the illness or parental leave occurred, provided that the stipend is not paid for the corresponding period.¨

6.2 Reduction of stipend

The insurance shall apply when the doctoral student's stipend is reduced due to absence from studies in the case of illness or parental leave, or when the studies are extended for the same reason without the stipend being paid out during this period.

If the doctoral student is employed during the doctoral studies, compensation is only granted for the stipend that the student has lost, calculated month for month. Kammarkollegiet obtains a copy of a certificate of employment if needed.

6.3 Other insurance

This insurance policy provides compensation only to the extent that sickness benefit, parental benefit or temporary parental benefit cannot be compensated through other insurance cover.

A person entitled to compensation according to the above shall always apply for such compensation from Försäkringskassan.

6.4 Limitation period

Entitlement to compensation ceases one year after the first day of illness, parental leave or child's illness if notification has not previously been received by Kammarkollegiet.

6.5 Subrogation

To the extent Kammarkollegiet has paid compensation in an insurance case, Kammarkollegiet assumes the insured person’s rights in relation to a third party that can pay compensation.

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