INAS is a social institution promoted by CISL (confederazione Italiana Sindacati Lavoratori - Italian Confederation of Workers' Trade Unions), set up to provide a free service with regard to state insurance, welfare assistance and healthcare.

It is a charitable institution and as such it is controlled in its activities and fuctions by Italian state laws.

It provides a safeguard without distinction and free of charge to all the workers and thier families, for the protection of rights under European, national and regional laws, through work contracts and through international agreements on social security.

It has a network structure over the whole national territory and abroad, with over 1,000 full-time employees who work in almost 700 offices in Italy and over 100 countries of Italian emigration spread.

It is financed through a fund derived from a direct contribution of te workers and it is run by the Ministry of Labour, which controls its activity.