Social Security in Andorra (CASS)

The andorran Social Security system it is centralized in a single public institution, in charge of the administrative, financial and technical management of the entire system: the Andorran Social Security Fund, also designated with the initials CASS.

The objective of the Andorran system is to make prevail Article 30 of the Andorran Constitution of 1993: «The right to health protection and to receive benefits to meet other personal needs is recognized. To these ends, the State will guarantee a Social Security system ». That is to say, guarantee protection, in its contributory and non-contributory modality, of insured persons, direct or indirect, through the appropriate benefits.

CASS

CASS is a parapublic entity created in 1966 with the mission of ensuring the administrative, technical and financial management of the Andorran social security system, under the control of the Government. Its operation is governed by Law 17/2008 on social security and has as its main missions:

Formalize registrations, registrations, cancellations and data variations. Receive social contributions.
Make benefits effective
Assume the inspection and control tasks inherent to its mission
Manage the contentious until the collection of the sums due and / or until the application of the corresponding sanctions
Cite and claim debtors and offenders through the courts
All those functions provided by the Social Security Law or by any other regulations

For the fulfillment of its mission, the CASS has its own legal personality and full capacity to act, with the full range of inherent rights and obligations. This institution is empowered to apply the technical and administrative norms of the international treaties and conventions related to social security and can create the commissions that are deemed necessary for the development of its functions.

Branches of Social Security

Social security is made up of two different branches or strands of protection:

The general branch: Covers reimbursement benefits, temporary disability, maternity, paternity, risk during pregnancy, disability, capital due to death and orphan's pensions.
The retirement branch: Covers the situation of loss of income due to cessation of work or economic activity derived from age and is made up of the retirement pension and temporary and lifetime widowhood pensions.

System composition

In turn, the system is made up of the general regime, which is the one that most people adhere to, and the special one designed for those who cannot be included in the general regime.

General scheme

The pastors
Salaried people
People who work in public service
People who hold paid public and / or political positions
Paid athletes, in accordance with the provisions of the regulations
Company administrators according to established requirements
People who have a sharecropping contract
People who carry out an economic activity on their own in the Principality of Andorra
People who receive a social security or government pension.

Special regime

Orphans of father and mother and other persons the guardianship or guardianship of which the State is entrusted
People interned in prisons
People with disabilities
Students from 25 to 30 years old
Voluntary insured persons to the general branch and in the retirement branch
Voluntary insured persons to the general branch
Early retirees
Wage earners who receive a salary below the minimum wage and are indirect insured

Social Security contributions

The Andorran legislation establishes that all active persons must contribute to Social Security with an amount of 22% of the gross salary. Based on this and according to the type of activity, it is quoted in one way or another.

Workers' contributions

Andorran law establishes that for wage earners employed by the CASS must collect the 22% of your gross monthly salary. This amount is shared between the worker and the business contractor:

Workers must allocate 6.5% of his gross monthly salary to the coffers of the CASS distributed in 3% to the general branch and 3.5% in the retirement branch
The company must contribute 15.5% salary (7% for the general branch and 8.5% for retirement)

However, it is the company that is responsible for paying monthly amounts directly to the CASS, and for this reason some companies decide to assume a higher percentage of contributions in order to partially free their workers.

Self-employed worker contributions

The self-employed workers in Andorra, (including businessmen who perform functions within their society such as those related to its administration) as they are considered workers are also subject to the Social Security regime. The difference is that they have their own system in which all quotes are on their own.

To achieve the initial purpose that the contribution is 22% of the salary, it is established as a minimum contribution base the average Andorran salary of the previous year the current year in which it is contributed. On this basis, the percentage of 22% is applied. of the salary that Andorran legislation considers that the social security contribution should represent.

As the average salary in Andorra every year is around €2,000-€2,500, the quota or contribution for self-employed workers is €480-€550 per month. every year. For example, the average Andorran salary during 2021 was €2,158.40, which means The social contribution in 2022 was €474.85 per month throughout the year. Finally, the average salary in 2022 was €2,186 per month, which means The social contribution for 2023 was €502.63.

Recently has been published in the BOPA the average salary of people contributing to the CASS, resulting in €2,426.70. Therefore, The social security fee for 2024 is €533.87, which is what corresponds to 22% of said figure. Although it should be noted that you can opt for reductions by meeting certain requirements.

Of this total amount, a 10% for the general branch and a 12% for retirement of the self-employed worker. However, it should be noted that those self-employed who meet certain requirements specified by the CASS itself may benefit from reductions and pay less monthly, for example self-employed workers with new contributions during the first year of their registration. In the case of Andorra, it should be noted that it is the CASS itself that decides who can have this condition and who cannot. May read more information here.

Health and health in Andorra

Healing is one of the strongest points of the Principality of Andorra. As we were commenting in the article dedicated to it, is a system that has entered numerous ranking tops and for several years, and that is based on the principles of co-responsibility, solidarity and freedom of doctor. Thus, it is a co-payment system with a full subsidy for the most disadvantaged and that works through agreements between the associations of health professionals and the CASS itself.

The costs, in addition, in most cases are borne first by the user, and then the CASS reimburses the unsubsidized amount by transfer or other similar method. The percentages applied are:

In outpatients or health centers, to inquiries or visits of specialists, CASS covers at least the 75% of the cost.
I case of hospitalization health coverage is 90% of expenses, also allowing direct payment of the percentage not covered by social security.
Expenses caused by occupational accidents or occupational diseases and births are 100% covered.
Finally, if your health expenses in Andorra are made before services not affiliated with Andorran social security, reimbursements can be up to 33% of the total.

Andorra-Spain social security and health agreement

Andorra has signed, in addition to non-double taxation agreements, also social security agreements with other countries. The most prominent are those relating to France and Spain. About him agreement between Spain and Andorra can be read in this article.

Although we would have to see each agreement point by point, in general these agreements are based on reciprocity, in such a way that a person can obtain social security care in the other country and this charges the cost to the state of the country of which they are resident . Thus, a person residing in Andorra who visits Spain is insured and can receive assistance in that country, and the costs are charged to Andorran social security.

Frequent questions

❓ What are the Social Security contributions in Andorra?

As a general rule, a 22% is applied to the gross salary, of which 6.5% is paid by the employee and the remaining 15.5% by the employer. Applied on the minimum basis of self-employed workers (autonomous) turns out to be about €500 per month.

❓ Can I reside in Andorra collecting a benefit or pension for retirement from Spain?

Yes, you can, and it is regulated by the Social Security Agreement between Spain and Andorra. Each country pays its own outstanding benefits directly to the beneficiary. You can read more in our article about it.

❓ Does Andorra cover all health expenses?

One of the principles of Andorran healthcare is co-responsibility through co-payment. Thus, the CASS covers from 75% to 100% of subsidized healthcare expenses depending on the case, as we explained in our article on health.

❓ Does Andorran health cover incidents abroad?

According to the country to which we refer and the agreement that Andorra has with it. In Spain specifically, the beneficiary is served at the expense of the Andorran administrations.

He would like live in Andorra? Contact us and tell us your case. We resolve all issues and accompany you throughout your establishment process in the country, as well as creation and opening of your company. We offer you comprehensive support.