Pensions

2.1. Calculation of pensions
 
The informative pension calculation can be requested at the competent regional service or local office of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO) by presenting personal ID card and a deposit slip in the amount of HRK 70.00  – see (http://www.mirovinsko.hr/default.aspx?ID=11552 )
 
You can find addresses and phone numbers on the website of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute –
Contacts(http://www.mirovinsko.hr/default.aspx?id=20)
 
E-services
Informative pension calculation Informative calculation https://ssl.mirovinsko.hr/izracun.aspx)
 
You can request it via e-Citizens login, and after obtaining your username and password you can also access the user pages of the Croatian pension Insurance Institute. The informative calculation is free of charge.
 
Calculation method
Information on the method of calculating the old-age pension and early retirement pension, the lowest and the highest pension as well as special features of the calculation of the survivors’ and disability pension is available at the website of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute.
 
Determination of pensions. (http://mirovinsko.hr/default.aspx?ID=76)

 
2.2. Types of pensions
Subject to the conditions to be met, pensions may be:
  • Old-age and early retirement pension
  • Disability pension, temporary disability pension and occupational rehabilitation
  • Survivors’ pension.
  • Certain groups of insured persons realise their right to pension under more favourable conditions and according to the provisions of the Compulsory Pension Insurance Act. These more favourable conditions are prescribed by special regulations
     
2.2.1.    Old-age and early retirement pension
To exercise the right to an old-age and early retirement pension, two conditions must be met:
  • Years of service (qualifying periods)
  • Age requirement
 
Old-age pension
According to the Act, the right to an old-age pension is acquired by an insured person who has reached 65 years of age and completed 15 years of qualifying periods.
As exception, transitional period was established for insured women (1 January 2014 to 31 December 2029).
In 2014, insured women could realise the right to an old-age pension if they reached 15 years of qualifying periods and 61 years of age. Every subsequent year, the age requirement increases by 3 months until the end of transitional period.
In 2030 conditions for insured men and women shall be equalized.
In the period from 1 January 2031 to 31 December 2037, the age requirement shall be increased by three months each year, for both men and women.
As of 1 January 2038, the right to an old-age pension shall be acquired by an insured person who has reached 67 years of age, provided that he or she completed 15 years of qualifying periods, regardless of gender.
 
An old-age pension for a long-term insured person is acquired by an insured person aged between 60 and 41 years of age.
 
Early retirement pension
The right to an early retirement pension may be acquired by an insured person who has reached 60 years of age and completed 35 years of qualifying periods.
As exception, transitional period was established for insured women (1 January 2014 to 31 December 2029).
In 2014, insured women could realise the right to an old-age pension if they reached 31 years of qualifying periods and 56 years of age. Every subsequent year, the requirement regarding years of service (qualifying periods) and age requirement shall be increased by 3 months until the end of transitional period.
In 2030 conditions for insured men and women shall be equalized.
In the period from 1 January 2031 to 31 December 2037, the age condition is increased by three months each year.
As of 1 January 2038, the right to an early retirement pension shall be acquired by an insured person who has reached 62 years of age, provided that he or she completed 35 years of qualifying periods, regardless of gender.
 
2.2.2. Disability pension and occupational rehabilitation
The following requirements must be met in order to qualify for a disability pension:
  • Partial or complete loss of working capacity
  • Years of service (qualifying periods).
 
Partial or complete loss of working capacity
Partial loss of working capacity exists when an insured person experiences a reduction in working capacity, and in terms of his or her age, health condition, education and abilities cannot be retrained for other jobs by means of occupational rehabilitation but can still work at least 70% of full time on adapted tasks with the same or similar professional skills, and if such adapted tasks correspond to the tasks he or she previously performed.
Complete loss of working capacity exists when an insured person experiences permanent loss of working ability with no remaining working capacity.
Reduction in working capacity exists when an insured person’s working capacity decreases by more than half when compared to the capacity of a healthy insured person with the same education level, due to permanent changes in health condition which cannot be treated.
 
Requirement regarding years of service (qualifying periods)
If the partial or total loss of working capacity is caused by non-work related disease and/or injury before reaching the age of 65, the right to a disability pension may be acquired by insured persons whose completed qualifying periods cover at least one third of their working life, i.e. at least one third of the period between reaching the age of 20 (23 for insured persons with higher (vocational-school) professional qualifications and 26 for insured persons with university-level qualifications) and the day the disability occurred. Covered period is reduced by the period of military service and unemployment periods.
If disability is the result of an injury at work or occupational disease, the insured person has the right to disability pension regardless of the length of qualifying periods (years of service) completed.
 
 
2.2.3.  Survivors’ pension
Family members of a deceased insured person are entitled to a survivors’ pension (family pension) if the deceased insured person:
  • Completed at least 5 years of insurance periods or at least 10 years of qualifying periods (working and special periods, for example in case of Croatian home defenders)
  • Met the requirements relating to the length of qualifying periods for acquiring the right to a disability pension or
  • Was a beneficiary of an old-age, early retirement or disability pension or
  • Was a beneficiary of the right to occupational rehabilitation.
If the death of an insuree or insured person occurred as a result of an accident at work or occupational disease, his or her family members have the right to a survivors' pension regardless of the length of qualifying periods completed.
 
Family members of the deceased insured person who are entitled to a survivors’ pension, under special conditions are:
• A widow or widower
• An extramarital partner who lived with the deceased insured person or pension beneficiary until his or her death in the joint household for at least three years.
• Divorced spouse with granted right to support
• Children (born in marriage and outside marriage, adopted children) supported by the
insured person
• Parents supported by the deceased insured person until his or her death, under special conditions.
 
 
 
Special conditions for family members of a deceased insured person
 
Widow and widower, extramarital partner or divorced spouse with granted right to support
• If, before the insured person's death, he or she reached the age of 50 or
• If he or she is younger than 50 but experienced a complete loss of working capacity before the death of the deceased insured person
• Regardless of completed years of age, if he or she performs parental duties towards the child/children who are entitled to a survivors’ pension.
If a widow / widower / extramarital partner / divorced spouse with granted right to support has not reached the age of 50 until the death of the deceased insured person, but has reached the age of 45, he or she may acquire the right to a survivors’ pension when he or she reaches 50 years of age.
 
A child
• Before reaching the age of 15; after 15 years of age if in regular
schooling, up to 26 years of age at longest
• A child older than 15 years of age who is not in regular schooling up to the age of 18, in periods of unemployment; a child may acquire the right to a survivors’ pension after the said age if he or she experiences the complete loss of working capacity and was supported by the deceased insured person or pension beneficiary until his or her death
• A child who during the entitlement to a survivors’ pension experiences the complete
loss of working capacity reserves the right as long as such loss exists.
A parent
• If, before the insured person's death, he or she reached the age of 60 or
• If younger than 60 but has experienced a complete loss of working capacity at the
time the insured person died, for as long as such disability lasts.
The provisions on acquiring, determination, use, redefinition and loss of the right to survivors’ pension shall also apply to insured family members of an insured person or beneficiary who has concluded a life partnership with a person of the same sex: a life partner, a child under partners’ care, a child of the deceased life partner and a parent of the deceased life partner.
 
 
Relevant links
 
More information on applying for pension is available on the website of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute


Application – initiating the procedure ( http://www.mirovinsko.hr/default.aspx?id=226
 
When can I retire?( http://www.mirovinsko.hr/default.aspx?id=224 )
 
Application forms (http://www.mirovinsko.hr/default.aspx?ID=1382#opcezakonodavstvo)
How to enter into the insurance system?(http://www.mirovinsko.hr/default.aspx?id=3)
 
Documents and forms
Forms (http://www.mirovinsko.hr/default.aspx?id=752)
 
FAQ
Frequently asked questions (http://www.mirovinsko.hr/default.aspx?id=215)