social insurance
Government benefit programs
Social insurance is a government program that pools risk across a population, providing benefits for circumstances like unemployment, disability, retirement, or illness.
Workers and employers typically contribute through payroll taxes, and benefits flow to those who qualify: Social Security is America's largest social insurance program.
The "insurance" framing emphasizes that contributors earn future claims rather than receiving charity.
Retiree's ongoing benefit
- unemployment benefitsState aid for jobless workers
- disability benefitsPayments for those unable to work
- sick leaveAuthorized absence when unwell
- maternity leaveJob-protected time for childbirth
survivors benefits · retirement benefits · workers compensation · death benefits · old-age benefits · family allowance · severance · healthcare coverage
Government-funded citizen support system
- universal healthcareGuaranteed medical access nationwide
- public pensionGovernment retirement benefit
- means-testedContingent on financial status
- pay-as-you-goImmediate settlement required
defined benefit · universal basic income · single-payer · superannuation · FICA · NHS
Payments for insurance coverage
- contributionsThings given to help
- payroll taxWithholding from worker wages
- eligibilityState of meeting criteria
- enrollmentAct of registering officially
claims processing · beneficiary · entitlements · actuarial · underwriting · deductibles · co-payments · reimbursement
Protection against failure
- income protectionInsurance replacing lost wages
- poverty alleviationReducing extreme economic need
- economic securityReliable access to resources
- mutual aidCooperative community support
collective responsibility · redistribution · financial stability · risk sharing
pension
Retiree's ongoing benefit
- unemployment benefitsState aid for jobless workers
- disability benefitsPayments for those unable to work
- sick leaveAuthorized absence when unwell
maternity leave · survivors benefits · retirement benefits · workers compensation · death benefits · old-age benefits · family allowance · severance · healthcare coverage · parental leave
welfare state
Government-funded citizen support system
- universal healthcareGuaranteed medical access nationwide
- public pensionGovernment retirement benefit
- means-testedContingent on financial status
pay-as-you-go · defined benefit · universal basic income · single-payer · superannuation · FICA · NHS
premiums
Payments for insurance coverage
- contributionsThings given to help
- payroll taxWithholding from worker wages
- eligibilityState of meeting criteria
enrollment · claims processing · beneficiary · entitlements · actuarial · underwriting · deductibles · co-payments · reimbursement · adjudication
safety net
Protection against failure
- income protectionInsurance replacing lost wages
- poverty alleviationReducing extreme economic need
- economic securityReliable access to resources
mutual aid · collective responsibility · redistribution · financial stability · risk sharing
- benefitsadvantage, healthcare coverage, benefit, health screening, 401k
- labor lawlabor code, labor law, labor laws, labor standards, labour law
- Nordic welfareuniversal healthcare, welfare state, Sweden, Denmark, Norway
- public bodiespublic bodies, public corporations, public institutions, federal agencies, state agencies
- Social Democracydemocratic socialism, welfare state, mixed economy, Labour Party, reformism
- social insurancesafety net, workers compensation, disability benefits, retirement benefits, public pensions
social insuranceprivate insurance
Non-state risk protection
commercial insurance · private health insurance · private pension · self-insurance · 401(k)
social insuranceself-reliance
Depending on oneself alone
individual responsibility · self-insurance · personal savings · rugged individualism · bootstrapping
social, society, insurance, sociable, assurance, insured, antisocial, ensuring, unsocial