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Life partnership
You can insure your partner with PUBLICA. For those living in a life partnership, the survivor’s benefits are equivalent to those of married people. You must notify us of your life partnership during your lifetime.
The same survivor’s pension as a spouse
When an active member dies, their surviving partner is entitled to a life partner’s pension if one of the following conditions is met:
- the partner is at least 40 years old and was in a life partnership with the active member on a continuous basis for at least the last five years before the active member’s death; or
- the partner is financially responsible for one or more children of the partnership who are entitled to orphan’s pensions.
The entitlement only applies if you have notified us of the life partnership in writing during your lifetime. The best way to do this is via the myPublica portal for active members or using the form linked at the bottom of this page.
The amount of the life partner’s pension is equal to that of a spouse’s pension.
The life partner’s pension can be paid either wholly or in part as a one-off lump sum, provided the deceased was not already drawing a retirement pension.
Under the terms of the pension plan regulations, members of the Confederation pension plan who are paid through fees cannot notify us of a life partnership.
Fact sheets
Also worth knowing
- Notify us of your existing life partnership via myPublica as soon as you join PUBLICA to ensure you don’t forget it later.
- If you enter a new partnership and want your partner to be a beneficiary, tell us straight away.
- If you and your partner work for the same employer, both of you must notify PUBLICA to ensure you are entitled to a life partner’s pension.