If you take time off from work due to sickness

"Injury and Sickness Allowance" is paid when an insured person unable to earn a salary or other income while unable to work due to a nonoccupational sickness or injury.

Injury and Sickness Allowance

Amounts paid

Average standard monthly remuneration over the most recent 12 months ÷ 30 × 77%, per day off work, aggregating the days paid up to the total payment period of 18 months from the date on which payment begins
Injuly and Sickness Allowance
Amount equal to two-thirds of the average standard monthly remuneration over the most recent 12-month period ÷ 30
The society's additional benefits
Amount equal to 10% of the average standard monthly remuneration over the most recent 12-month period ÷ 30

** For individuals who have been insured persons for less than 12 months, the lesser of i. or ii. below:

  • i. Individual's average standard monthly remuneration over the most recent continuous months prior to the month payment of the allowance begins
  • ii. Society's average standard monthly remuneration for all insured persons as of September 30 of the preceding fiscal year

Provisional measure

Aggregating the days paid up to the total payment period of 18 months from the date on which payment begins will apply to the Injury and Sickness Allowance (payment of which begins on or after July 2, 2020) for which the payment period based on calendar days is less than 18 months as of December 31, 2021. The payment period will continue to be the period of 18 months from the date on which payment begins if 18 months from the date on which payment begins have passed as of that date.

When an insured person is unable to earn a salary or other income while taking time off work due to a nonoccupational sickness or injury, insurance will pay him or her an amount equal to two-thirds of his or her average standard monthly remuneration over the most recent 12-month period ÷ 30 per day off work, to help protect the livelihood of the insured person and his or her family. This is called "the Injury and Sickness Allowance". Even if the insured person receives a salary or other income from his or her place of work, if the amount of such income is less than the Injury and Sickness Allowance then the difference in amounts is paid as Injury and Sickness Allowance.

The society's additional benefits

Injury and Sickness Allowance Additional Sum

The Health Insurance Society also provides its own independent benefits (additional benefits) in addition to the Injury and Sickness Allowance.
The amount of the Injury and Sickness Allowance Additional Sum is the amount equal to 10% of the average standard monthly remuneration over the most recent 12-month period ÷ 30, per day off work.

Additional Extended Injury and Sickness Allowance

In the case of an employed person whose legally mandated injury and sickness allowance benefits are no longer available and who cannot take time off from work to receive vacation pay, etc., that person will be paid an Additional Extended Injury and Sickness Allowance for a period of six months that is "equivalent to two-thirds of the average standard monthly remuneration used as a basis for calculating the injury and sickness allowance / 30 for each day off."

Conditions for payment

This benefit is paid when all four of the following conditions are met.

  • You are recuperating under treatment for sickness or injury (recuperation at home is acceptable).
  • You are unable to perform your previous job because you are recuperating from sickness or injury.
  • You have taken at least three consecutive days off.
    • ** Payment of this benefit begins on the fourth consecutive day off.
    • ** The first three days are referred to as the waiting period, and no benefits are paid for those days.
  • You are unable to receive salary or other income
    • ** Even if you are receiving a salary or other income, if the amount of such income is less than the Injury and Sickness Allowance then the Society will pay the difference.

Adjustment with other benefits

Adjustments are made if any of the following benefits are received in addition to salary or other remuneration from employers.

Benefit type Adjustment method
Adjustment with disability employees’ pension If 1/360th of the amount of the disability employees’ pension (if disability basic pension is also received, the combined amount) is less than the daily amount of the injury and sickness allowance, the difference will be paid.
Adjustment with old age retirement pension If 1/360th of the amount of the old age retirement pension is less than the daily amount of the injury and sickness allowance, the difference will be paid.
Adjustment with maternity allowance Priority will be given to the maternity allowance benefit, and payment of the injury and sickness allowance will be suspended. However, if the amount of the maternity allowance is less than the injury and sickness allowance, the difference will be paid.
Absence from work compensation benefit paid by worker’s accident compensation insurance If the daily amount of the absence from work compensation benefit is less than the daily amount of the injury and sickness allowance, the difference will be paid.

Cases in which you are eligible to receive the Injury and Sickness Allowance and Maternity Allowance concurrently

If you become eligible to receive the Injury and Sickness Allowance and Maternity Allowance concurrently, payment of the Maternity Allowance will be granted priority. However, if the Maternity Allowance paid is less than the Injury and Sickness Allowance, the difference between the two amounts will be paid.

If you become eligible for Disability Employees' Pension

If you become eligible to receive Disability Employees' Pension under Employees' Pension Insurance (including the Disability Basic Pension under the National Pension program), payment of the Injury and Sickness Allowance will end.

Injury and Sickness Allowance benefits will not be paid after retirement if you receive Old-Age Employees' Pension or similar benefits.

Reference link

However, the Society will pay the difference if the amount paid by the pension or other program in any of the above cases is less than the amount of the Injury and Sickness Allowance.

Information for those receiving Injury and Sickness Allowance or undergoing treatment for illness or injury

POINT
  • If you have a disability pension grade, you are eligible to receive a disability pension after 18 months have passed since the date of the first examination.
  • If you have a disability pension grade, you are eligible to claim a disability pension at any time until you reach the age of 65 years after 18 months have passed since the date of the first examination.

Many people receiving the Injury and Sickness Allowance or undergoing treatment for an illness or injury file claims for a disability pension late because they do not understand the structure of the disability pension system or how to file a claim for any subsequent exacerbation of a disability (claim filed by a person who did not have a disability pension grade at the date of certification of the disability but does qualify later due to worsening condition).

Be sure to file claims promptly. Filing late may reduce the total pension amount you are eligible to receive.

Reference link

Contact your local pension office or pension consultation center if you have any questions.
[Addresses of pension offices and pension consultation centers]
https://www.nenkin.go.jp/section/soudan/index.html

If the cause is a workplace accident

If the cause is an accident at the workplace or while commuting, Worker's Accident Compensation Insurance applies instead of health insurance. Check with the person responsible at your establishment for more information.

  • * When even illnesses and injuries on-the-job are not targeted for benefits of the Worker's Accident Compensation Insurance, benefits of the health insurance are provided except the duties as the officer of the corporation (except for a corporation less than five employees).

Caution:

The right to claim health insurance benefits expires in two years.