Ragnar Þór Ingólfsson, Minister of Social Affairs and Housing and Alma Möller, Minister of Health, both addressed the conference, discussing, among other things, the importance and scope of the subject as a safety net in society. The directors of the three institutions that organised the conference then gave presentations, discussing the history and development of social insurance and the activities of the institutions, as well as looking to the future. In a panel discussion with stakeholders, the great importance of consultation and cooperation was reiterated. It is clear that the implementation of a new system for disability pension and medical and rehabilitation allowance just over a year ago was a major challenge for all parties, and it is important to have good consultation and dialogue between parties in such a process of change.

Three presentations were given on the interplay between working life and social insurance, which included a discussion on the importance of pension funds and the support they provide within the pension system. The involvement of the trade union movement and employers in the pension system was also discussed.

A study conducted by the Social Insurance Administration in 2025, together with the Administration of Occupational Safety and Health, the Welfare Watch and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing, on the experiences and circumstances of women on disability pension was presented. It revealed, among other things, that over 20% of women from the age of 60 are on a disability pension, and many of them have worked in physically demanding jobs and been responsible for caring for their children. Further research in the field of social insurance is encouraged.

International guests from the OECD, the International Social Security Association (ISSA) and the Ministry for the Family of Malta discussed the current state of social insurance and the future vision. There was a consensus between the presentations and the talks in the first half of the conference, such as certain concerns about demographic trends, as it is known that people are living longer and having fewer children than before, not just in Iceland but as part of an international trend. Consequently, more manpower is needed to care for the ageing population. The question of the future sustainability of the systems was also discussed, as the impact of technology on the labour market and social insurance is unclear. Finally, the long-term effects of climate change on societies were pointed out.

In a panel where CEOs and directors from Finland, Sweden, Norway and Iceland discussed the Nordic model, its status and future vision, it was noted, among other things, that all the institutions place great emphasis on serving customers in the best possible way. One of the challenging tasks is to create and maintain trust and be able to show flexibility in line with the ever-changing demands of the present day.

Last on the agenda was the presentation of the Social Insurance Administration's anniversary gift to young people in secondary schools in the form of teaching material on social insurance and welfare. The gift was accepted by representatives of the Association of Life Skills Teachers in Secondary Schools. We will provide a more detailed account of the gift here on tr.is in the near future.

Around 400 people attended the conference, which was considered very successful.

The full agenda and other interesting material can be found here on the website almannatryggingar.is