National Insurance Scheme (NIS) Death Benefit Barbados

Organization : National Insurance Scheme (NIS)
Facility : Death Benefit
Country : Barbados
Website : https://www.nis.gov.bb/employee-injury/#elementor-toc__heading-anchor-12

What is Death Benefit?

Death benefit is payable to the dependents of a person who dies as a result of an employment accident or a prescribed disease, in the following order of priority.

Related / Similar Facility : NIS Barbados Maternity Benefit

1. Where the deceased is survived by a spouse who was wholly or mainly maintained by the deceased at the time of death;

2. All unmarried children, including adopted children and step-children of the deceased who, at the time of death were living with or were wholly or mainly maintained by the deceased;

3. Any other person, including a spouse or children not qualifying under (i) or (ii) adjudged by the Directorto have been wholly or in part dependent upon the earnings of the deceased.

Note:
In the case of (i), benefit is payable for life; in the case of (ii), it is payable until the children concerned reach their sixteenth birthday. However, if the child is in full time education in an approved educational institution, the benefit is payable until that child attains the age of 25 years. In the case of invalid children, this benefit may continue beyond the sixteenth birthday and for so long as invalidity lasts; in the case of (iii) it is payable for a maximum of 52 weeks commencing from the date of death of the deceased.

When Does Death Benefit Cease in Barbados?

** This benefit ceases if the beneficiary marries or remarries as the case may be or cohabits as the spouse of another person.
** Where a death benefit payable to a spouse ceases because of remarriage or cohabitation, that person is entitled to a gratuity equal to a year’s pension.
** In the case of invalid children, benefit may continue beyond the sixteenth birthday and for so long as invalidity lasts.

How is Death Benefit Computed in Barbados?

** The Death Benefit available for distribution to dependents is equivalent to the weekly amount of disablement pension which would have been payable to the deceased person had he been alive and 100% disabled.
** A widow/widower receives one-half of the amount which would have been payable. A common-law spouse may be treated as a widow/widower where no legal spouse exists.
** Children receive each one-sixth (1/6) of the amount which would have been payable; however, a child who is an orphan or an invalid may receive one-third (1/3).
** Other dependents receive one-sixth (1/6), but the amount may be fixed at one-half (1 /2) of the available pension in certain circumstances.