Health insurance benefits are administered by the National Insurance Board of Trinidad and Tobago (NIBTT). Employees who contribute to the National Insurance System are eligible for benefits. Those earning $200 or more each week must register and contribute, although employees earning less may still participate. Employers also make a proportionate contribution.
Sickness payments under the NIBTT reimburse individuals who are unable to work due to illness. These may be paid for up to 52 weeks. Employees who are unable to work due to personal injuries are compensated via employment injury benefits. They provide many unique advantages:
Injury benefit: This is provided for up to 52 weeks as the individual heals from their injury.
Disablement benefit: If a person becomes disabled, this benefit is provided either monthly or as a lump amount.
Medical costs: The individual may get a cash payout to cover medical bills.
Death benefit: This is a monthly payment made to a person's dependents in the case of his or her death.
Public health services in Trinidad and Tobago are provided free of charge to both citizens and non-residents. However, public institutions often face equipment and medication shortages, as well as lengthy wait periods. Private facilities provide better treatment but at a premium expense, thus the majority of private facility patients are expatriates.
Residents of Trinidad and Tobago may also receive additional benefits under the NIBTT, such as retirement and burial benefits.
Retirement pension: Residents who have made 750 payments to the National Insurance System and retire between the ages of 60 and 65 are entitled for a retirement pension. They are automatically eligible at the age of 65, whether or not they have retired. The amount of the pension is determined by the amount of contributions made.
Grants for retirement: Residents who have made less than 750 payments to the National Insurance System, on the other hand, may get a one-time lump amount in the form of a retirement award. The grant must be at least $3,000 in value.
Funeral benefits: Funeral benefits pay for the costs of a funeral. Residents who have made at least 25 payments to the National Insurance System or were receiving work injury benefits at the time of their death are eligible for funeral benefits.