The Insurance Court is an independent and impartial special court functioning in the administrative branch of the Ministry of Justice. The Court deals with income security matters. The purpose of the Insurance Court is to provide effective, high-quality legal protection to appellants in income security matters. Appeals against decisions made by appeals boards are to be lodged with the Insurance Court, which is the supreme appeals body with the exception of certain matters under the Employment Accidents Insurance Act, Act on farmers' employment accident insurance and the Military accidents act. In these matters, it is possible to apply for leave to appeal at the Supreme Court. The Insurance Court has jurisdiction in matters concerning for example a person's right to earnings-related pension, national pension, unemployment benefit, wage security, housing allowance, financial aid for students and disability benefits paid by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland. The Court also deals with matters concerning benefits under the Health Insurance Act, rehabilitation, and the right to compensation on the grounds of occupational accidents and diseases, criminally caused injuries, military injuries and military accidents.
The Insurance Court is situated in Helsinki and it has jurisdiction in the entire country. The Court has approximately 110 employees.
The Insurance Court is led by a Chief Judge. In addition to the Chief Judge, the judicial personnel consists of Senior Judges, Judges of the Insurance Court, Assistant Judges, Insurance Court Clerks and the Secretary General. Notaries prepare the matters, i.e. work as referendaries. Office personnel take care of the administrative and office tasks. Moreover, there are part-time physician members and part-time members with expertise in working conditions or business activities and military injuries.
The Chief Judge, Senior Judges and Judges of the Insurance Court must have a higher academic degree in law and fulfil the other qualification requirements set out for judges in the law. The Secretary General, Assistant Judges and Insurance Court Clerks must have a Master of Laws degree. Most of the Notaries have an academic degree. The office personnel often have upper secondary or lower third level education. The part-time physician members must be certified physicians.
