Social Insurance Law
PART 4: MINISTERIAL ORDERS
MINISTERIAL ORDER NO. 1 of 1994 WITH RESPECT TO VOLUNTARY INSURANCE
The Minister for Labour and Social Affairs, Having reviewed the Social Insurance Law promulgated by Legislative Decree No. 24 of 1976, and particularly Article 44 thereof; And Order of the Minister for Labour and Social Affairs No. 8 of 1988 with respect to voluntary Insurance for the Insureds; And upon the proposal of the Board of Directors of the General Organisation for Social Insurance at its meeting held on 27.12.1993; And upon the submission of GOSI's Director General, Hereby orders :
Article 1
Every worker who has contributed compulsorily to the insurance against old age, disability and death for at least five years and no longer fulfils one of the reasons for being subject to the aforesaid Social Insurance Law, shall have the right to continue enjoying this insurance cover on a voluntary basis unless has otherwise acquired the right to a pension owing to the completion of one of the contribution periods entitling him to a pension in accordance with Article 34 of the above-mentioned Law provided that he shall submit to GOSI an application for such purpose using the prescribed form within the six months after ceasing to become subject to such insurance on a compulsory basis.
Article 2
The insured's contribution to voluntary insurance shall be based on the average contributed wage to the compulsory insurance during the last twelve months of the actual contribution period and shall undertake to pay a 12% monthly contribution of thereof to GOSI.
Every one who previously contributed to voluntary insurance according to the above-mentioned Ministerial Order No. 8 of 1988 shall remain a subscriber according to the current contributed wage and shall abide by the provisions of Article (3) of this Order whenever he requests increasing the voluntary contribution.
The contributions shall be paid according to the terms, conditions and dates set forth in the Social Insurance Law and the Ministerial Orders issued for implementing it. The same applicable provisions shall be enforced with respect to the payment of contributions to the compulsory insurance.
Article 3
An insured may request increasing the wages on the basis of which he was insured voluntarily by a percentage not exceeding 5% annually of this wage, provided that such amendment shall be effective from the first day of the month of January in every year, provided that the amendment request shall be submitted before the end of January.
The percentage shall not be increased in every time the insured requests increasing the wage for which he makes his contribution above the above-mentioned percentage.
Article 4
When calculating the old age, disability and death pension, the contribution period in the voluntary insurance shall not be less than one full year. A fraction of a year resulting from the voluntary insurance, shall not be considered in calculating the pension.
With the exception of the provision of the preceding paragraph, an insured may voluntarily contribute to the Social Insurance Scheme under its special terms for a period of less than one year for the purpose of completing the fraction of a year falling within the period of his contribution to the compulsory insurance to one full year whether the contribution period is less than the minimum level qualifying for the pension or exceeds it.
Article 5
An insured who was previously subject to the voluntary insurance and then became subject to the compulsory insurance and no longer fulfils the conditions for being subject thereto shall submit and application requesting contributing to the voluntary insurance during the period provided for in Article (1) of this Order.
Article 6
Voluntary contribution to the insurance against old age, disability and death shall be automatically considered cancelled without a written notice by GOSI in the following events :-
- a. In the case where the insured ceases to pay the monthly contribution to GOSI for a period exceeding six months. The cancellation shall be effective from the end of the last month, for which the contribution was paid.
- b. In case where an insured joins the service of a government authority from the date of joining the employment.
Article 7
Subject to the provisions of Articles (34, 38, 39, 40, 41 and 42) of the Social Insurance Law, the compulsory contribution period or periods in the insurance and the period or periods of the voluntary contribution pursuant to this Order shall be considered continuous in calculating the eligible periods for old age, disability or death pension and in calculating the lump sum compensation.
Article 8
An insured benefits upon calculating the old age, disability and death pension or lump sum compensation in the case where the voluntary insurance is terminated for any reason in the manner and under the terms stated in the provisions of the Social Insurance Law.
Article 9
An insured shall be eligible for the old age, disability or death pension if the disability occurred within one year from the date of termination of the voluntary insurance and before the insured reached the age of sixty and before a female insured reaches the age of fifty five or if the death takes place regardless of the age within one year from the expiry date of contribution to the voluntary insurance provided that the minimum limit of the contribution periods referred to in Article (37) of the Social Insurance Law is fulfilled.
Article 10
An insured and his heirs may request dividing the contribution period to the insurance when calculating the pension or the lump sum compensation under the term and conditions set forth in Article 42 of the Social Insurance Law whether for the period of the compulsory insurance, the period for the voluntary insurance or both periods together.
Article 11
The death and funeral expenses grant shall be payable when the voluntary insurance is terminated due to the insured's death in accordance with the terms, procedures and value indicated in the provisions of the Social Insurance Law and the Ministerial Orders for implementing it. In the case of the insured's death within one year from the termination date of the voluntary insurance, the death grant which shall be paid in a sum equivalent six times the pension suppose to be paid to the insured in addition to the funeral expenses grant herein above referred to.
Article 12
Ministerial Order No. 8 of 1988 with respect to voluntary Insurance for the Insured, shall be revoked.
Article 13
The Director General of the General Organisation for Social Insurance shall implement this Order which shall come into force from the beginning of the month following the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
Isa bin Ali bin Hamad Al Khalifa
Minister for Labour and Social Affairs
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the
General Organisation for Social Insurance
Issued on : 10 Safar, 1415 Hijra
19 July, 1994 A.D.