The MEL pension insurance also provides financial security to the family members of the insured party in case of death. Survivors' pension is paid as a widow's pension and as a child's pension.
A widow is entitled to a widow's pension if:
- they were married to the insured party before the deceased had turned 65 and the couple has or has had a child together
- they were married to the insured party before the widow turned 50 and the deceased turned 65 and the marriage had continued for at least five years, and
- at the time of death of the deceased, the widow was aged 50 or older, or
- at the time of death of the deceased, the widow had received disability pension in accordance with the employee pension legislation or the National Pensions Act for at least three years.
A previous spouse of the deceased may also be entitled to a widow's pension if the deceased was liable to pay them alimony.
A widow refers to both male and female widows and the other party of a registered partnership. Domestic partners are not entitled to a widow's pension.
A child's pension is paid to
- children and foster/adopted children of the deceased if/when they are under the age of 18
- to the widow's child under the age of 18 who lived in the same household as the deceased and their widow at the time of death of the deceased.
