Voluntary Contributions
What is Voluntary Insurance?
Voluntary Insurance is a provision which allows an insured person who is no longer employed, to maintain a contribution record during periods of unemployment. A certificate of Voluntary Insurance is issued to the successful applicant.
What benefits are available to Voluntary Contributors?
Who can apply to make Voluntary Contributions?
An Insured person who is unemployed and between the ages of sixteen (16) to sixty(60) may apply to contribute voluntarily. This does not include persons who have never been engaged in insurable employment under section 29(2) of the National Insurance Act.
When to apply for a Certificate of Voluntary Insurance
The insured persons must apply for the certificate within eighteen (18) months of the date of cessation of insurable employment.
How to apply for a Certificate of Voluntary Contribution?
You must complete the prescribed application form NI6 and submit it together with your birth certificate and statutory declaration (where necessary) to the Service Centre.
A Voluntary Insurance Card and certificate will be issued to the successful applicant.
See Table - Rates of Voluntary National Insurance payable from January 4, 2010.
How is the rate of Voluntary Contribution Determined?
The average rate of the contribution period, during the two years prior to the date of cessation of employment is determined. The earnings class to which this average belongs is the earnings class in which Voluntary Insurance will be paid.
For how long can Voluntary Insurance be paid?
These contributions can be paid for all periods of unemployment where the contributor is still unemployed. At age 60 years he may opt to continue paying these contributions until age sixty-five(65).
Where can Voluntary Contribution be paid?
The Insured person must pay Voluntary Insurance Contributions to the Customer Service Representative at the Board's Service Centres only.
Payments are due monthly or quarterly, but no later than December 31st of the year for which contributions are due.
Failure to pay contributions at the due date and time may result in the cancellation of the Certificate of Voluntary Insurance.
When payments are being made, the insured person must present the Voluntary Insurance card to the Customer Service Representative, where it will be updated, the payment received and the receipt issued.
Use of National Insurance Forms
Whenever you
perform National Insurance functions under the National Insurance Act or
Regulations, you must accurately complete the specific National Insurance
forms that are designed so that you can give all the information required.
All forms are available FREE of charge at any National Insurance Service Centre or are downloadable.
Registration
Definitions
