Estonia - Survivor's pension
This chapter covers the survivor's pension (toitjakaotuspension).
In what situation can I claim?
The following people have the right to receive a survivor’s pension:
- permanent residents of Estonia;
- foreigners residing in Estonia on the basis of temporary residence permits or temporary right of residence.
Upon the death of a provider, family members who were dependent on them have the right to receive a survivor’s pension. Survivor’s pension is granted to the children, parents and the widow or widower irrespective of whether they were dependent on the provider or not. They will be assigned a survivor's pension under the conditions set out in the State Pension Insurance Act.
What conditions do I need to meet?
Survivor's pension is assigned if the provider had accumulated the following required pension qualifying period in Estonia:
Age Required pension qualification period
16-24 years No pension qualification period
25-26 years 1 year
27-28 years 2 years
29-30 years 3 years
31-32 years 4 years
33-35 years 5 years
36-38 years 6 years
39-41 years 7 years
42-44 years 8 years
45-47 years 9 years
48-50 years 10 years
51-53 years 11 years
54-56 years 12 years
57-59 years 13 years
60-64 years 14 years
If the provider died as a result of a work injury or an occupational disease, the survivor's pension is assigned without applying the pension qualification period requirement.
What am I entitled to and how can I claim?
Survivor's pension is calculated on the following basis:
- the old-age pension calculated on the basis of the provider’s accumulation period and insurance and solidary components;
- the old-age pension, if the person had completed 30 years of pensionable service.
The amount of the survivor's pension depends on the number of family members.
The amount of the survivor's pension is:
- for three or more family members, 100% of the old-age pension that served as a basis for calculation;
- for two family members, 80% of the old-age pension that served as a basis for calculation;
- for one family member, 50% of the old-age pension that served as a basis for calculation.
Forms you may need to fill in
To claim survivor's pension, you must contact the Estonian National Social Insurance Board, and you must submit the following:
- a standard application;
- a passport (with a valid residence permit, in case of foreigners) or an identification card (ID-card);
- the death certificate;
- a document proving the provider's age;
- documents proving the pension eligibility and the accumulation period of the provider (employment record book; a diploma from a vocational school, secondary specialised educational facility or a higher educational facility; a military ticket and other documents);
- the birth certificate of any children, if the family members include children;
- 1 photo (3 x 4 cm);
- the relevant account number, if the applicant wants to transfer the pension to their bank account.
The application form is available from the client service offices of the Estonian National Social Insurance Board (the addresses and reception hours of the client service offices are available under the Client service http://www.sotsiaalkindlustusamet.ee/et/klienditeenindused-loeteluna ) section of the homepage.
You can file the pension application:
- At the customer service of the Social Insurance Board;
- By email (digitally signed);
- By regular mail.
Know your rights
About survivor’s pension
Estonian National Social Insurance Board
Publications and webpage of the European Commission
Who do you need to contact?
The Estonian National Social Insurance Board has 17 client service offices across Estonia that deal with requests and applications in person, as well as via mail.
The Estonian National Social Insurance Board can also be contacted by telephone.
Information is available on telephone number 16106 (in Estonia) or +372 612 1360 between the hours of 9:00-17:00 on all working days and the general phone numbers of the Estonian National Social Insurance Board's offices (please see http://www.sotsiaalkindlustusamet.ee/et/klienditeenindused-loeteluna )
Visit us at our regional offices on any working day (please see http://www.sotsiaalkindlustusamet.ee/et/klienditeenindused-loeteluna )