Pensions and Retirement Training Course on Disability and Survivor Benefits

Module 1: Introduction to Disability and Survivor Benefits
Purpose and principles of disability and survivor protection in pension systems
Integration of disability and survivor benefits in defined benefit and defined contribution plans
Historical evolution and global trends in survivor pensions
Overview of common plan provisions: lump-sum vs. annuity, short-term vs. long-term disability
Role of social insurance vs. occupational pension arrangements
Case study: Comparing survivor benefits in public and private sector schemes

Module 2: Legal, Regulatory, and Policy Frameworks
National and international legal standards governing disability and survivor coverage
Eligibility criteria and certification processes for disability benefits
Dependents’ definitions, entitlement hierarchies, and benefit duration rules
Coordination between pension law, labor law, and social security systems
Compliance, audit, and disclosure requirements for survivor and disability benefits
Workshop: Reviewing policy language for compliance with regulatory standards

Module 3: Benefit Design and Calculation Methods
Defining accrual rates, replacement ratios, and eligibility conditions
Calculating disability income replacement and survivor pensions
Partial vs. total disability benefits – design considerations
Integration of other income sources (insurance, social security, severance)
Inflation and indexation of ongoing disability and survivor payments
Practical exercise: Designing benefit formulas for a multi-tiered pension plan

Module 4: Funding, Risk Management, and Insurance Arrangements
Actuarial valuation of disability and survivor liabilities
Risk pooling, reserves, and contingency funding methods
Insurance solutions: group life, disability insurance, and reinsurance structures
Balancing affordability, adequacy, and long-term solvency
Stress testing disability and survivor assumptions under demographic and economic shocks
Simulation: Modeling the cost impact of increased disability claims on plan funding

Module 5: Administration, Communication, and Claims Management
End-to-end claims handling: documentation, verification, and payment procedures
Managing disputes, appeals, and grievance redress mechanisms
Recordkeeping and data quality for dependents and disability claims
Transparent member communication strategies during crises and bereavement
Integrating technology into claims tracking and approval workflows
Group project: Developing an operational manual for survivor and disability benefit processing