Rights to sickness benefits

Who is entitled to sickness benefits and how are they calculated?
The right to daily allowances from the Sickness Benefit Fund depends on premiums having been paid for at least 10 weeks before the Fund member loses her/his wages due to sickness or accident. Fund members are those whose employers have been paying the agreed premium out of wages.

Other factors which affect the benefit payment term
When a member has belonged to the Fund for fewer than six consecutive months, her/his payments shall nevertheless be divided by six to calculate the entitlement to benefits.
Anyone who has become entitled to sickness and accident payments from the sickness benefit fund of another union in the Icelandic Confederation of Labour shall acquire the same entitlement from a new fund (according to the rules in effect there) once s/he has paid into the new fund for one month, provided that s/he would then have earned such entitlement through the previous fund.

When do daily allowance payments start?
In the wake of sickness and/or accident, the right to daily allowances starts as soon as the wage payments stop that are required by law or collective agreements.

For how long does the Fund pay daily allowances?
The Sickness Benefit Fund makes payments for a limited period, i.e. for up to 120 days to those who, due to sickness or accident, receive no wages and are not entitled to other payments than the Fund's sickness benefits and the daily allowances of the Social Security Administration.

Sickness allowances due to a child and/or spouse
In the case of a child suffering from a chronic illness or serious disability, daily allowances are paid for a limited period, i.e. for up to 120 days.
Chronic illnesses in children refer to those under the age of 18 who have been diagnosed with a serious, chronic illness and are in need of special care.
In the case of a seriously ill spouse, daily allowances are also paid for a limited period, i.e. up to 120 days.
Based on the fund member's percentage of full-time, the payments shall be no lower than 85% of the average overall wages for which her/his premiums were paid over the past 6 months.

Entitlement to sickness benefits and allowances expires if they are not requested within 12 months from when the right to payment began.

Please note: The Fund does not pay sickness allowances due to occupational diseases and accidents (including car accidents) for which compensation must be paid, since that compensation is based on the Damage Compensation Act.

Find out more in the Sickness Benefit Fund Rules (in Icelandic).

You can applay on Mínar síður, you need to send in a medical certificate, pay statement, tax card and confirmation by the employer.