Q. What type of benefits can one receive from NIC?

A.The benefits offered by the NIC to insured persons can be divided into two groups:

Short Term Benefits

• Sickness
• Employment Injury
• Maternity Grant
• Maternity Allowance and
• Funeral Grants.

Long Term Benefits

• Invalidity Grants/Pension,
• Retirement Grants/Pension and
• Survivors Grants/Pension.

Q. Why are some benefits called short term?

A. An insured person need only contribute for a short period to qualify and benefits are paid for a relatively short period.

Q. What is a long term benefit?

A. This is a benefit which is paid over a long period and an insured person should have contributed for a longer period in order to qualify.

Q. What is the difference between a Grant and a Pension?

A. A Grant is a lump sum payment which a contributor would receive if he/she has insufficient contributions for the payment of a pension. A pension is paid when a contributor has met the required number of contributions. It is a monthly payment and can be paid for life and upon death to dependents of the deceased pensioner.