Serbia
[Updated 8/15/24] Health insurance is the number one benefit employees in Serbia care about. This gives them access to private health clinics, which provide better service and care than the national health service.
Country Insight
Average Cost
The average cost of employee-sponsored benefits is €5 per month.
Mandatory employee benefits in Serbia include retirement (State Pension Plan), healthcare (state scheme), work-related injury, and occupational diseases. Common supplementary employee benefits include private health insurance, group life insurance, and voluntary pension plans.
Mandatory Employee Benefits in Serbia
Employers and employees are required to contribute to the country’s social security system which includes pension, disability, health, and unemployment insurance. Employers must also insure employees against work-related injuries, occupational diseases, and work-related diseases and provide compensation for damages.
Old-age pension — age 65 (men) or age 63.5 (women), gradually rising by six months a year until reaching age 63 in 2020 and then by two months a year until reaching age 65 in 2032) with at least 15 years of coverage.
Early pension — age 60 or 59 and 6 months with at least 40 years of coverage. The old-age pension is payable abroad under a reciprocal agreement.
Disability pension — must be younger than the normal retirement age, be assessed as incapable of all work (total disability), and have one year of coverage if younger than age 20 when the disability began; two years if aged 20 to 24; three years if aged 25 to 29; and at least five years if aged 30 or older.
Disability pensions – are calculated by the number of contribution years, the ratio of the individual’s gross earnings to the national average annual wage in each year of contributions, and the value of the general point.
Survivor pension — received if the deceased was a pensioner or had at least five years of coverage.
Survivor pension — 70% of the old-age pension the deceased received (or was entitled to receive) is paid for one survivor (140% for an orphan); 80% for two survivors (160% for full orphans); 90% for three survivors (180% for full orphans); or 100% for four or more survivors (200% for full orphans). The pension is split equally among all eligible survivors.
Supplementary Employee Benefits
Private Medical Insurance – The most valued benefit by employees. Managed care schemes are the most common. Employees access the carrier’s network with their insurance ID card.
Life Insurance – Typically, group life insurance schemes include lump sum benefits in the case of death due to natural causes.
Pension Plans – Supplemental pension plans are not common in Serbia. If one is offered, the plan is a defined contribution scheme funded through an insurance contract.
Personal Accident – Provides death and disability coverage due to professional or extra-professional accidents. Additional coverage for daily compensations, bone breakages, etc., can be added.
Related government websites
- Ministry of Health
- Republic Fund of Health Insurance
- Tax Administration under the Ministry of Finance
- Institute for Social Insurance
This information about mandatory and supplemental employee benefits in Serbia comes from Asinta’s Central and Eastern European Partner, the GrECo Group.