Membership in UNSMIS is not compulsory; however, active members of staff are required to have a health insurance coverage similar to that provided by the United Nations, particularly with respect to the geographic area of coverage and benefits provided.  

Any paying member of UNSMIS, other than holders of a temporary appointment or short-term contract of less than three months, may opt for health insurance coverage for eligible family members, as outlined in paragraph 2 and 3 in Rule IV of our Internal Rules. For details on applicable time frames and the eligibility of your family members for UNSMIS health insurance coverage, please see the articles ‘Dependents and SPPs’, ‘Secondary Dependents’ and ‘Annual Enrolment Campaign’.

For applicable premium rates, which depend on the number of members in the coverage, please see the article ‘Premium Contributions’. 

You may submit your claims online, either on the eClaims portal or in the UNSMIS mobile application. The application be downloaded from Google Play or Apple Store. 

For the transfer or reimbursements, if you have not done so yet, please send a completed banking instruction form (available here) with a handwritten or certified digital signature to unsmisaffiliations@un.org so we can record your bank account for future payments. This account does not have to be the one recorded for payroll. Should you wish to make any modifications to your previously recorded banking information, you may simply send us the same form with the details of a different account. 

If your employment contract ends in the near future, or you are considering taking Special Leave Without Pay (SLWOP), you may consider extending your UNSMIS health insurance coverage beyond the end date of your active service. For further information, please see the articles ‘Separating Staff’ and ‘Staff on Special Leave Without Pay’. 

UNSMIS usually serves as primary insurer. Reimbursement rates are defined by the Internal Rules and usually make up a set percentage of the amount submitted for reimbursement. In most cases, this rate is not 100%, and members must cover a given share of their medical expenses. This is known as the insured member’s out-of-pocket or co-share. 

However, if you are in possession of another primary medical insurance plan or are covered by a national health insurance scheme of any country, UNSMIS may act as a complementary insurer. For further information, please see the article ‘National Health Systems and Other Insurances’. 

If you are not in possession of any health insurance coverage other than UNSMIS but wish to have complementary insurance, please see the article ‘Complementary Insurance - GPAFI’. 

Pursuant to Rule VI/2 of the Intenal Rules, should you not wish to continue insurance cover for yourself or the members of your family, you must inform UNSMIS in writing, giving three months’ notice.