Social Security

Everyone living in Sweden who is over 16 years of age is registered with the Social Insurance Office (Försäkringskassan). You can receive compensation from this office when anything happens to prevent you from working. If you have to stay at home from work because you are ill, you can draw sickness allowance (sjukpenning). When you have a baby or if the children are ill so that you cannot go to work, you can draw a parental allowance (föräldrarpenning). If you have to stop working due to illness or disability you can draw a disability pension. A widow/widower can draw a surviver’s pension and a child who loses one or both parents can draw a child’s pension. When you reach 65 years of age you get a retirement pension.

Försäkringskassan also pays part of the costs when you visit a doctor or dentist. This is important to remember when you are traveling to the U.S. or most other countries. You should call both Försäkringskassan and your private home insurance company to acquire certificates (intyg) which you take with you on your trip. You can get reimbursed for doctor/hospital stays, medicines, treatments, and even for part of the lost vacation time.