Widow’s, Widower’s and Orphan’s Pension (AWW)
This is a general insurance that guarantees financial support to the widow(er) after the passing away of his/her spouse and to the children of an insured mother/father after death.
1. When are you insured?
Everyone who is 15 years of age or older and a resident of Curacao, or a non-resident, but subject to paying income tax, is insured.
2. When are you entitled to a Widow’s or Widower’s Pension?
When your spouse, at the time of death, is insured and has not yet reached the age of 65, you are entitled to a Widow’s or Widower’s Pension.
3. When are children entitled to an Orphan’s Pension?
At the death of the man or woman insured, the legitimate, legitimized, illegitimate and acknowledged children will qualify for an Orphan’s pension.
Children from 15 to 24 years of age are entitled to an orphan’s pension if they are disabled, or if they are receiving full-time education or if they are receiving education during the greater part of their time (in this case the orphan has to submit a school statement every year, from which it appears that he/she is attending school). For illegitimate children it is important that a maintenance proof (proof from the Guardianship Board, a judicial sentence or an authentic deed) can be presented or that it can be shown that he/she lived in a family relation with the deceased man.
4. What is the amount of the Widow’s, Widower’s or Orphan’s Pension?
The amount depends on the age of the beneficiary.
5. When does the pension take effect?
The pension is granted on request and takes effect on the first day of the month following the one in which the right to a pension took effect. This right cannot take effect sooner than twelve months before the first day of the month following the one in which the application was submitted or in which the grant took place officially.
6. When are you not eligible to receive a Widow’s or Widower’s Pension?
If the marriage took place after the spouse had reached the pensionable age.
If your wife or husband, before reaching the age of 65, was never insured.
7. When will the Widow’s or Widower’s Pension be cancelled?
The pension will be cancelled when the widow or widower remarries, reaches the age of 65 or dies. In case of remarriage he or she will receive a lump sum payment equal to twelve times the monthly pension benefit.
8. How is the Widow’s, Widower’s or Orphan’s Pension paid out?
The pension is paid out through the Bank. The installments of the pension which are not collected within two years after the first day on which they could have been collected, will not be paid out.