Insurances

Most SULF members have comprehensive insurance cover through both their employer and their trade union membership, and they can also supplement this themselves with affordable private insurance policies through SULF’s partnership with the insurance company Folksam. Here is an overview of what is available.

Insurance through your employer – collectively agreed insurance

When you are employed at a workplace covered by a collective agreement, you are covered by several insurance policies agreed through negotiations between trade unions and employers. Everyone working in central, regional and local government is covered by this protection, as are most people working in the private sector. If you work in the private sector, it is important to check whether there is a collective agreement in place at your workplace. Under Section 6c of the Employment Protection Act (LAS), you are entitled to receive written information about this from your employer. For example, it may be stated in your employment contract. If you are unsure, ask your employer.

You can read about which insurance policies are included in the collective agreement here.

Insurance through the union – SULF membership benefits

Your SULF membership fee includes two highly appreciated insurance policies at no extra cost. You do not need to do anything to activate them.

Income insurance

SULF’s income insurance in the event of unemployment supplements the compensation paid by the unemployment insurance fund (a-kassa). The insurance therefore requires that you are a member of the unemployment insurance fund and that the fund has approved your application for unemployment benefit. The income insurance pays out additional compensation above the unemployment benefit ceiling and is a much-needed supplement to reduce loss of income during unemployment.

The SULF income insurance is specifically tailored to the challenges that SULF members face in their academic careers. In other income insurance schemes, periods spent on scholarships or in full-time doctoral studies without employment can cause problems. In the SULF income insurance, such periods are counted as ‘excludable’, which makes it easier for you to fulfil the criteria to receive benefits.

We also maximise your opportunities to combine support from the Job Security Foundation (Trygghetsstiftelsen) with the SULF income insurance. For example, if you are entitled to 44 days’ benefit from the Foundation, you can top this up with 150 days from the SULF income insurance.

As you need to be entitled to income-related compensation from the unemployment insurance fund in order to receive benefits, this means you need to be a member of both SULF and the Akademikernas a-kassa unemployment insurance fund, (or another Swedish unemployment insurance fund), to be able to claim compensation from the SULF income insurance.

You can read more about the SULF income insurance here.

Health insurance

Your SULF membership also automatically includes health insurance from Folksam at no extra cost. The insurance covers working members.

The health insurance provides greater financial security in the event of inability to work, as it compensates you for lost income during a prolonged period of sick leave in addition to the benefits paid by the Swedish Social Insurance Agency.

Compensation from the insurance is payable if you are 25–100 per cent unable to work. After a qualifying period of 90 days, the health insurance pays compensation of SEK 2,100 per month for up to two months in the event of total incapacity to work.

The SULF health insurance also provides compensation if you are unable to work for the following reasons: preventive care, caring for a close relative, and caring for a seriously ill child.

You can read more about the SULF health insurance here.

Additional insurances at discounted rates – supplementary private insurances

As an additional benefit for SULF members, we have negotiated group discounts on other insurance cover through our insurance partner Folksam, including life insurance, lump-sum benefit insurance and critical illness insurance. You can also take out Folksam’s supplementary income insurance, which extends the compensation period of the SULF income insurance.

You can find more information about these insurances here.

You can take out supplementary insurance through Folksam here.