Abstract:The international pension insurance system falls into three types: payasyougo system, partial accumulation system, and full accumulation system. For the purpose of enhancing social welfare and economic development, a country should select an appropriate pension system model with consideration to its specific situations, demographic characteristics and social income composition, etc. This paper made a comparison of different parameters of these three types and analyzed the impact of each parameter on the ultimate effect of the pension system respectively. It provided theoretical support for China moving from a payasyougo system to a partial accumulation system. Key words:models of pension insurance system; parameter comparison; optimal decision [编辑:李芳]保险研究2008年增刊2