The 2024 disability study by PK Rück paints a clear picture: the risk of disability has increased significantly since 2017, driven in particular by mental illness. For occupational benefits insurance, this trend is more than just a statistical anomaly. It is a structural warning signal.
The consequences are already being felt. Small and medium-sized pension funds in particular are coming under pressure, as increasing levels of disability can affect their financial stability more quickly. At the same time, they often lack the necessary resources and structures to take countermeasures at an early stage, for example through systematic case management or targeted reintegration measures.
At the same time, premiums for daily sickness benefits insurance have risen sharply in recent years. This development acts as an early indicator of what is now increasingly manifesting itself in the second pillar: rising risks, rising costs and growing pressure to act.
Particularly affected: the upper income segment
One particularly relevant finding of the study concerns the upper income segment. For salaries above CHF 78,000, IV pensions from occupational pension schemes exceed those from state disability insurance on average. This makes it clear that increasing cases of disability in this segment in particular have a direct financial impact on pension funds.
Companies under cost pressure
For companies, this means The burden is increasingly shifting from wages to non-wage labor costs. Higher risk contributions for occupational pensions as well as accident and daily sickness benefits insurance are becoming the new reality. Without targeted investment in prevention and occupational health management, there is a risk of longer absences and rising pension rates.
Early action determines the outcome
The timing of the intervention is crucial. The earlier support is provided, the greater the chances of a successful return to work. Particularly in the case of mental illness, early action has been shown to make a significant contribution to avoiding long-term absence and permanent dependency on a pension.
Risk assessment and intervention in practice
According to Andreas Heimer, CCO Member of the Executive Board of PK Rück, this is where the practice comes in. Based on many years of experience in dealing with complex benefit cases, disability risks can now be assessed in a differentiated manner, for example on the basis of diagnosis, age or duration of incapacity for work. This risk assessment is particularly crucial in the early phase: in many cases, targeted measures can prevent disability if they are introduced in good time.
However, this requires cases to be reported at an early stage. In practice, this often happens too late. Many pension funds only find out about a case when a decision has already been made by the disability insurance fund and at a time when reintegration is only possible to a limited extent.
Service case management as a bottleneck
Professional service case management thus becomes a central control instrument. At the same time, it places high demands: It is resource-intensive, requires specialized know-how and puts a strain on the already scarce administrative capacities of many pension funds. This is precisely where a growing gap arises between need and implementation.
PK Rück meets this challenge with modular services that can be flexibly adapted to the needs of pension funds. Depending on the size, structure and degree of autonomy, different service modules can be combined: from early detection to case management and reintegration.
Prevention pays off
The economic benefits are obvious: early intervention is cheaper than later pension payments. Investments in prevention and reintegration pay off several times over, both for the insured persons, the affiliated companies and the stability of the second pillar as a whole.
New role for brokers
Brokers also have a strategic role to play in this context. In view of the increasing disability risks, they can no longer just accompany their clients, but must actively manage them. Collaboration with specialized partners such as PK Rück provides deeper insights into risk structures and developments.
Data-based evaluations make trends visible at an early stage. Anomalies can be identified more quickly, risks can be addressed in a more targeted manner and premiums can be stabilized in the long term. This creates clear added value for brokers: they position themselves as forward-looking advisors who not only react, but actively shape.
Structural change requires active action
The central message of the study is clear: rising disability is not a short-term development, but an expression of profound structural change. Those who act early can manage risks. Those who wait will pay.
Binci Heeb
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