What is disability in the sense of social security?

Verified 31 July 2023 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

You are considered disabled within the meaning of Social Security if, after an accident or illness in your private life (non-professional origin), your ability to work or earn is reduced by at least 2/3 (66%).

For example, you are considered disabled if you are unable to earn more than 1/3 (33%) of the normal wages of workers in your category and working in your region.

Warning  

The concept of invalidity must not be confused with that of unfit, which is evaluated by occupational medicine. An unfit employee is not systematically entitled to an invalidity pension. Similarly, an invalid insured person is not systematically unfit for work.

For example, if your job was heavy lifting and you had an accident causing you chronic back pain, you could be declared unfit without receiving a disability pension. You can no longer work in your original occupation, but your earning capacity remains intact in another occupation (e.g. office occupation).

People with disabilities are categorized by Social Security according to 3 categories following:

  • Invalids able to engage in gainful employment
  • Invalids absolutely unable to practice any profession
  • Invalids who are absolutely incapable of practicing a profession and who are forced to resort to a third party to perform the ordinary acts of everyday life

The recognition of disability by Social Security allows you to receive a pension for replace lost wages driven by your health.

To receive a disability pension, you must complete several conditions (medical, age and entitlement).

The demand must be addressed to your social security body :

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

You depend on CPAM

You live in Paris, Yvelines, Essonne, Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, Val-de-Marne, Val-d'Oise

It is the regional health insurance fund of Ile-de-France (Cramif) that is responsible for the processing of your disability pension application.

You reside in another department

It's the CPAM: titleContent who is responsible for processing your disability pension application.

Who shall I contact

You depend on the MSA

It's the MSA: titleContent who is responsible for processing your disability pension application.

Who shall I contact

Please note

The invalidity pension may, under certain conditions, be cumulable with other allowances or allowances.

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