ausgleichskasse des kantons bern

What ausgleichskasse des kantons bern does

Ausgleichskasse des Kantons Bern (AKB) is an autonomous public-law institution of the Canton of Bern in Switzerland, established to administer first-pillar social insurance and related statutory benefits for residents and employers in the canton. Its mandate includes old-age and survivors' insurance (AHV), invalidity insurance (IV), loss-of-earnings compensation (EO) covering military service, maternity, paternity, and care leave, family allowances (FZ), unemployment insurance contributions (ALV), supplementary benefits (EL) for low-income elderly and disabled individuals, health insurance premium reductions (IPV), and transitional benefits (ÜL) for older unemployed persons. As one of the largest compensation funds in Switzerland, AKB serves 141,100 contributors, 320,000 employees, 159,500 AVS/AI pension recipients, and 50,000 supplementary benefit recipients across the canton.

The institution operates through a headquarters at Chutzenstrasse 10 in Bern and approximately 130+ branch offices (Zweigstellen) distributed across the Canton of Bern, supported by digital service platforms including the ePortal (employer self-service for salary declarations and employee registrations), the federally managed ALPS web application for international social insurance cases, the eHeim portal, eBill for digital invoicing, and a suite of online calculators for pension, maternity, paternity, and contribution estimation. Technology is procured in partnership with web agency Artionet Sàrl and integrated with the Federal Office for Social Insurance's (OFAS) systems, including Siteimprove for web analytics. The organization is led by Director Dòra Makausz and structured into four divisions: Contributions and Allowances, Supplementary Benefits, Pensions and Daily Allowances, and Support and Services.

AKB's revenue model is non-commercial: it collects statutorily mandated social insurance contributions at federally set rates (AHV at 10.6% of pensionable salary for 2024, split between employer and employee) and disburses benefits under federal and cantonal law. Participation is compulsory for all employers and residents within the Canton of Bern, making customer acquisition effectively automatic and churn non-existent. The institution operates under the supervision of a cantonal Supervisory Council chaired by the Director of Interior and Justice, Aline Trede, and under federal oversight from OFAS. Recent strategic activity centers on the phased implementation of the AHV 21 reform through 2024-2026, including the launch of flexible retirement-age products, updated paternity calculators for self-employed persons (2025), and the progressive digitalization of APG claims beginning 02.02.2026 for Youth+Sport.

Name

ausgleichskasse des kantons bern

Legal name

Ausgleichskasse des Kantons Bern

Website

https://akbern.ch

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Autonomous public-law compensation fund of the Canton of Bern that administers mandatory Swiss first-pillar social insurance (AHV/IV/EO), family allowances, and supplementary benefits for 141,100 contributors, 320,000 employees, and 159,500 pension recipients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Insurance Administration

NAICS

Pharmacy Benefit Management and Other Third Party Administration of Insurance and Pension Funds (524292), Health and Welfare Funds (525120), Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251)

SIC

Life Insurance (6311), Accident & Health Insurance (6321), Hospital & Medical Service Plans (6324)

akta.pro primary industry

Flexible Benefits Administration (FSA/HSA/HRA) (HLAEALAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Ancillary Employer Benefits (Life/Disability/Accident/Critical Illness) (HLAEAAAK)

Keywords

• Social insurance administration
• Pension fund management
• Family allowance services
• Disability insurance services
• Supplementary benefits

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Social Insurance Contributions: AKB collects statutory social insurance contributions (AHV/IV/EO) from employers and employees as mandated by Swiss federal law. These contributions fund old-age pensions, disability insurance, income replacement schemes, and family allowances.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AKB administers statutory first-pillar Swiss social insurance schemes on behalf of the Canton of Bern, including old-age and survivors' insurance (AHV), disability insurance (IV), loss-of-earnings compensation (EO), family allowances, unemployment insurance contributions, and supplementary benefits. It collects mandatory contributions from employers and employees, manages individual accounts, and disburses pensions and benefits to eligible residents of the Canton of Bern. Service is delivered through approximately 130+ branch offices, digital self-service portals, and a headquarters in Bern.

Product overview

Ausgleichskasse des Kantons Bern operates as a cantonal compensation fund providing comprehensive Swiss social insurance administration. The organization offers a unified platform of insurance products and online services centered on first-pillar social security (AHV/IV), family allowances, and complementary benefits. The product portfolio includes core insurance services (AHV pensions, disability insurance, family allowances, unemployment insurance, health premium reductions, transitional benefits) supported by digital service platforms including the ePortal for employer services, ALPS for international social insurance management, eHeim for home-related services, and various online calculators for pension projections and benefit estimations. The organization serves 141,100 contributors, 320,000 employees, 159,500 pension recipients, and 50,000 complementary benefit recipients as one of Switzerland's largest compensation funds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AHV/IV Insurance Services Core social insurance services including old-age and survivors' insurance (AHV), disability insurance (IV), individual account management, income splitting for divorces, care credits, contribution collection, pension payments, helplessness allowances, survivor benefits, and AHV aids and appliances. For employers, employees, self-employed, and non-employed persons in Canton Bern.
• Family Allowances (Familienzulagen) Family allowance services for employees, self-employed persons, non-employed persons, agricultural workers, and farmers, including registration and management of family allowance entitlements. For families with children in Canton Bern.
• Loss-of-Earnings Compensation (EO/MSE/EAE) Compensation for loss of earnings including military service, civil defense, civil service, maternity allowance, paternity/parental allowance, care allowance, and adoption allowance. For employees and self-employed individuals in Canton Bern.
• Unemployment Insurance (ALV) Unemployment insurance services for employers and employees in Canton Bern, including contribution collection on behalf of the federal unemployment insurance scheme.
• Health Insurance Premium Reductions (IPV) Premium reductions in compulsory health insurance for eligible individuals in Canton Bern. For low and middle-income residents meeting cantonal eligibility criteria.
• Transitional Benefits (Überbrückungsleistungen) Transitional benefits for older unemployed persons who have exhausted unemployment benefits and meet certain conditions. For older job seekers in Canton Bern.
• ALPS (Application Legislation Platform Switzerland) A web application managed by the Federal Social Insurance Office (OFAS) that facilitates the management of social insurance for employees and self-employed persons engaged in international activities. For employers and self-employed individuals handling cross-border employment, detachments, and EU/AELE activities.
• ePortal Electronic portal for employers affiliated with the compensation fund to contact the fund, announce changes, and transmit salary data. Each user receives a personal identification number ensuring data separation and secure processing. For employers in Canton Bern.
• eHeim Online service portal for home-related administrative matters, accessible at eheim.akbern.ch. For insured individuals managing home-related administrative services.
• Online Calculators (Various) Suite of online calculators including AHV/IV pension calculator, maternity allowance calculator for employees and self-employed, paternity/parental allowance calculator for employees and self-employed, retirement advance calculator for women (AHV21), flexible retirement tool, contribution calculator for self-employed and non-employed persons, and salary data calculator for employers. For employers, employees, and self-employed individuals planning benefits and contributions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Processes contributions for 141,100 contributors and 320,000 employees
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Federal Office for Social Insurance (OFAS/BSV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal supervisory authority responsible for material supervision of AKB. Sets national policy and regulations for Swiss social insurance schemes that AKB administers at cantonal level.
• Canton of Bern (Kanton Bern)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCantonal government that establishes AKB as an autonomous public law institution. Provides administrative supervision through the Supervisory Council chaired by the Director of Interior and Justice.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• SVA Luzern: Lucerne cantonal social insurance office delivering identical statutory services (AHV/IV/EO, family allowances, supplementary benefits) to AKB, with a similar employer portal and branch network. Directly comparable in product set and target population.
• IV-Stelle Kanton Bern: Cantonal disability insurance office for Bern handling IV claims and assessments. Operates under the same federal IV law as AKB's IV contributions and pension functions and shares the same client base.
• Ausgleichskasse Basel-Stadt: Basel-City cantonal compensation fund administering the same federal first-pillar insurance schemes as AKB within an urban canton. Comparable in mandate and product breadth, with a more urban employer base.
• Ausgleichskasse Kanton Zürich: The Zurich cantonal compensation fund, structurally the closest peer to AKB—it administers the same federal AHV/IV/EO, family allowances, and supplementary benefits under the same legal framework, but serves a different canton. Comparable in scope, regulatory mandate, and operational model.
• Familienausgleichskasse Bern (FAK Bern): Cantonal family compensation fund serving the same Canton of Bern and operated in conjunction with AKB for disbursement of family allowances (Familienzulagen). Direct operational and statutory peer.
• Sozialversicherungsanstalt Thurgau: Thurgau cantonal social insurance institution operating under the same federal legal framework as AKB, providing AHV/IV/EO, family allowances, and supplementary benefits to a smaller but structurally identical population.
• SVA Aargau: Aargau cantonal social insurance agency that administers federal AHV/IV/EO and cantonal family allowances—directly comparable to AKB in mandate, products, and employer/citizen service model.
• SVA St. Gallen: St. Gallen cantonal social insurance agency performing the same AHV/IV/EO, family allowance, and supplementary benefit administration as AKB but for Canton St. Gallen. Directly comparable in mandate, products, and digital service model.

Others

• Pro Senectute Kanton Bern: Swiss foundation providing complementary services to elderly citizens in Canton Bern (advisory, subsidies, social support). Adjacent to—but not directly competing with—AKB's statutory pension and supplementary benefits administration.
• Compenswiss (Federal Social Insurance Fund): Federal fund vehicle managing AHV/IV/EO reserve assets. Adjacent to AKB's compensation-fund operations—handles asset management at the federal level while AKB handles contribution collection and benefit disbursement at the cantonal level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ausgleichskasse-des-kantons-bern

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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