NIS Life Certificates Must Be Completed Properly Before Submission

Pensioners must ensure that their life certificate is completed correctly before submitting it to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), says Acting Director at the National Insurance Division at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Amin Fagan.

Life certificates are issued through the Post Office by the NIS office for pensioners to complete and return as proof that he or she is alive. Speaking with JIS News, Mr. Fagan said it is important that the certificate be completed properly.

When filling out the life certificate, pensioners should ensure that it is signed by themselves, and where he or she is incapable of signing, a medical doctor must certify that this person is unable to sign because of medical reasons. The life certificates must also be countersigned by persons such as a Justice of the Peace, Principal, or Bank Manager.

A list of persons who may certify is attached to the life certificate. For NIS pensioners residing overseas, a Notary Public must sign the certificate.

The completed life certificate is to be returned by the due date stated to any NIS office convenient to the pensioner or mailed to the Life Certificate Unit, Ministry of Labour, 14 National Heroes Circle, Kingston 4, Jamaica.

“It is important to note that certificates will not be accepted if they are not completed properly. When the NIS electronic pension system does its check, if it recognises that a certificate is not submitted by the return date, pension payment will be suspended, and will remain suspended until the NIS receives the most current life certificate,” Mr. Fagan explained.

“A life certificate guarantees continued payment and I’m sure no one wants to have their payments suspended,” he added.

He stressed the importance of ensuring that the address on the Life Certificate is current. Therefore, if pensioners have changed address and contact information, they must inform the NIS office immediately.

Life certificates are issued three times per annum (every four months) to persons who access their pension locally.

For persons living overseas, these are issued two times per year (every six months). In the event they choose to access their pension in Jamaica, they will also receive their life certificate three times per year.

Mr. Fagan pointed out that for persons living and collecting pension overseas, life certificates are sent to the overseas address that is given. However, there are instances where pensioners live overseas and opt to receive their pension in Jamaica, either through agent or through direct deposit.

If it is through direct deposit, the life certificate can be sent directly to an overseas address or locally. If they opt to get their pension through an agent, the life certificate will be sent to the last known address of the pensioner that is on the NIS record. Life certificates will not be sent to an agent but directly to the address that is on the NIS record for the pensioner.

“It is important that the address that you wish the life certificate to be sent to is the one that is on record, whether you live overseas or in Jamaica,” Mr. Fagan reiterated.

He pointed out that life certificates are not downloadable or available electronically. They are system generated, which means that when a pensioner’s due date approaches, it is generated automatically and then mailed. However, the Ministry is presently working on having the life certificates available electronically to pensioners on request.

For further information persons may contact the NIS at 876-922-2800-14 or visit the website at www.mlss.gov.jm.