Survivors' pensions from other payers than Kela
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Survivors' pensions, i.e. spouse's pensions and orphan's pensions, can also be available from other sources than Kela and the authorised pension providers.
Survivor’s pension from an authorised pension provider
Spouse’s pension: Authorised pension providers can pay a spouse’s pension with no upper age limit. The amount of your pension will depend on the amount of pension rights accrued by your late spouse under the pension schemes for employees and self-employed persons. Spouse's pensions from Kela and from the earnings-related pension scheme can be paid at the same time.
Orphan’s pension: The authorised pension providers pay orphan's pensions to persons aged under 20 years. The amount of your pension will depend on the amount of pension rights accrued by your guardian under the pension schemes for employees and self-employed persons.
For information on the survivors’ pensions available from the authorised pension provider, please contact your pension provider. Go to the e-service of the pension provider (elakepalvelut.fi). Log in to the service with your online banking credentials.
Pensions available from employment accident and motor insurance plans
The surviving spouse and child can also receive a survivor’s or assistance pension from the following insurance schemes:
- workers' compensation insurance
- motor insurance
- military accident insurance
- military injury insurance
- patient injury insurance.
If such pensions offer adequate economic security, Kela will not pay an additional amount to the survivor’s pension.
Further information about such pensions is provided by the insurance companies and the State Treasury (valtiokonttori.fi).
Survivor’s pension on the basis of the deceased’s employment
Surviving spouses and children may also be entitled to a lump-sum compensation from a group life insurance policy, if the deceased was employed when he or she died.
Nearly all employees have group life insurance financed by their employer. Farmers have a comparable compensation included in the compulsory MYEL insurance.
Persons employed by the State and the municipalities also have equivalent insurance coverage.
For further information, contact the deceased's employer or the Farmers' Social Insurance Institution (mela.fi).
Survivor’s pension from abroad
If the deceased had at some point lived or worked in another EU/EEA country, in Switzerland or in Great Britain (About Kela section), or in a country that has a social security agreement with Finland (About Kela section), the surviving spouse and children may also be entitled to a survivors’ pension from these countries.
If you apply for a pension from some other country than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, Great Britain or a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, you must apply for the pension directly from the pension provider in the country in question.
More detailed instructions on how to apply for a pension from abroad.