What your contributions cover compared with an employee's

Terms used

• Cese de actividad — Cese de actividad is the benefit for autónomos whose business closes involuntarily for set causes.
• Paro — Paro is the unemployment benefit employees receive after enough contributions.
• Mutua — A mutua is a private body working with Social Security that handles work-accident cover and cese de actividad for autónomos.
• FOGASA — FOGASA is the state fund that pays employees' wages and severance when an employer cannot.
• Alta — The alta is the registration form that enrols you in Social Security as an autónomo.

Key rules

• Up to date: You must be current with quota payments to claim any benefit.
• No paro: Autónomos get cese de actividad, not paro, and it pays less for a shorter time.
• Work accidents: Cover for work accidents and occupational disease is mandatory and included in the quota.
• Mutua: You choose a mutua when you register, and the legal benefits are the same with each.
• Healthcare: Being registered and paying gives you public healthcare, and your dependants can be covered.

The short version

Your quota buys real protection, but not the same package an employee gets. Most benefits are included automatically. Unemployment cover works differently, and several employee protections do not exist for you at all.

What the quota covers

Paying the quota automatically covers:

• Sickness leave from a common illness.
• Maternity and paternity benefit, risk during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and care of a child with a serious illness.
• Retirement and permanent disability.
• Death and survivors' benefits for a spouse, orphans and family.
• Work accidents and occupational disease. This cover is mandatory for all autónomos, and the quota includes it.
• Cese de actividad, the benefit for autónomos whose business closes involuntarily.

Some special schemes, such as certain agricultural autónomos, have their own rules. You can also add a private top-up policy if you want more than the public benefits.

How long you must have paid first

You must be up to date with your quota payments to claim any benefit. After that, each benefit has its own contribution test:

• Sick pay from a common illness: 180 days contributed in the previous 5 years. Accidents have no minimum.
• Birth and childcare benefit: it depends on your age. Under 21, nothing is required. From 21 to 25, you need 90 days in the last 7 years or 180 days in your career. Over 26, you need 180 days in the last 7 years or 360 in your career.
• Retirement: 15 years contributed, 2 of them in the last 15.
• Permanent disability from a common illness: the requirement depends on your age. Accident or work-related causes have no minimum.
• Survivors' pension: 500 days in the last 5 years if the death was from illness.
• Cese de actividad: at least 12 months contributed continuously in the previous 24 months, with cese cover.

Check the exact thresholds for your case with the Seguridad Social before you rely on them.

Where you are less protected than an employee

• No paro. Employees get unemployment benefit (paro) after 360 days contributed. You get cese de actividad instead. It only applies if the closure is involuntary for set causes, such as economic losses, a court order or force majeure. It pays less, and for a shorter time.
• No dismissal protection. There is no severance, and no FOGASA wage guarantee if a client fails to pay.
• Sick pay starts later. It starts on day 4, and no employer tops it up.
• No automatic holidays or working-hour limits. No collective agreement sets them for you.

Public healthcare

Registered autónomos who pay into Social Security can use the public health system. You get a health card from your regional health service. Your dependants can be covered as beneficiaries. Keep your payments up to date, because access generally depends on it.

The mutua

A mutua is a private body that works with Social Security. Because work-accident cover and cese de actividad are mandatory, you must choose a mutua when you register, usually on the alta form. Sick pay can be handled by the mutua or by the public Social Security institute.

The legal benefits are the same whichever mutua you choose. Services, processing speed and nearby offices vary, so compare those. You can change mutua once a year by applying to the new one. The change usually starts the following 1 January. Check the current deadline with the mutua you want to join.

The timeline and checklist below carry the key dates and the steps to follow.

Timeline and deadlines

• Build up contributions for sick pay from a common illness: 180 days contributed in the previous 5 years; none needed for accidents

• Compare: an employee qualifies for paro, the unemployment benefit, on 360 days contributed: 360 days of contributions

• Ask a new mutua to take you on if you want to change: once a year; it usually starts on the following 1 January

Checklist

• Keep your quota payments up to date, since you must be current to claim any benefit.

• Check your contribution record against the 180 days needed for sick pay from a common illness.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to have paid for a while before I can claim sick pay?

Yes, for sickness from a common illness you need 180 days of contributions in the previous 5 years. For an accident there is no minimum, and you must be up to date with your quota payments in both cases.

Does paying the autónomo quota give me access to public healthcare?

Yes, if you are registered with Social Security and up to date with your payments, you can use the public health system. You get a health card from your regional health service, and your dependants can be covered as beneficiaries.

Is cover for work accidents and occupational diseases mandatory for autónomos?

Yes, this cover has been mandatory for autónomos since 1 January 2019, and your quota already includes it. A few special schemes, such as some agricultural ones, have their own rules.

Can I change my mutua after I register?

Yes, you can change mutua once a year by applying to the new one, which handles it with Social Security. In most cases the change starts on the following 1 January. The legal benefits are the same, but service and speed vary.