Benin
Mandatory employee benefits in Benin as part of the country’s social security system include a variety of pensions, and medical, disability, and death insurance. Employer-sponsored benefits include healthcare which is the most important benefit and defined contribution retirement, medical, death, and AD&D.
Country Insight
Supplementary employee benefits in Benin
Healthcare
The Benin government mandated private sector employers to provide and pay for compulsory health coverage to their employees under the ARCH scheme, effective January 1, 2022. Benin citizens rely heavily on the public healthcare system. However, expansion in the private healthcare system has been observed as urbanization accelerated.
Healthcare is the most important employee benefit to offer in Benin. Employers provide health insurance to their employees in Benin by subscribing to group health policies. Expats are advised to obtain coverage of international medical health plans before arriving.
A pioneer in health insurance with its third-party payment system, ASCOMA has a number of showcase products. With the ASCOMA Health Card, companies and individuals can cover current medical expenses, including optical, dentistry, pharmacy, consultations, and hospitalization. Today, Ascoma’s third-party care network has expanded throughout the country, enabling clients’ employees to have optimal access to healthcare.
Retirement
The prevalence of employer-sponsored voluntary occupational pension schemes is low in Benin. A few employers provide retirement benefits through supplementary group retirement savings insurance. These contracts are established through collective bargaining agreements.
Short-term and long-term disability
These insurance products are not available in the country.
Death & AD&D
The prevalence of these insurance products in low.
Mandatory employee benefits
Pension
The social protection system for pensions in Benin comprises:
- National Social Security Fund (La Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale du Bénin – CNSS) for private and Para-governmental sector employees.
- National Pension Fund of Benin (Fonds national des retraites du Bénin – FNRB) for civil servants.
Employer-employee contributions fund the CNSS, which provides old-age retirement, disability, and survivors’ benefits under the supervision of the Ministry of Labor and Public Service. The employee contributes 3.6% of their payroll, while the employer contributes 15.4% of the payroll towards the social security system in the country (6.4% towards pension and 9% towards family allowance).
Medical
Employees are entitled to medical benefits by the CNSS for work-related accidents and illnesses. It also covers accidents sustained while going to or coming from work.
The Universal Health Insurance Plan –Régime d’Assurance Maladie Universelle, enabrégé (RAMU), the universal healthcare plan covering the entire population, was replaced by ARCH in 2019. The ARCH scheme is expected to be fully implemented by 2030.
Participation in the plan is compulsory, and formal and informal sector workers contribute to the system. The government contributes on behalf of the people without any income source. The services may require co-payment. Apart from the health-related benefits, it also provides rehabilitation support and transportation expenses to avail of the services.
Disability
The employer contributes 1–4% of the payroll towards workers’ compensation. Employees are entitled to cash benefits for work-related injuries that result in disabilities.
Death
Death benefits are available for spouses and dependant children. A funeral grant is available to the person who paid for the funeral.
ASCOMA provided this information about employee benefits in Benin. Should you need support with your benefits in the country, contact Asinta, and we will put you in touch with the experts at ASCOMA.