Health coverage for the self-employed

Being self-employed has its pros and cons, and health insurance is one of the aspects, which makes potential freelancers think a lot about switching to this form of working. Some state that it's hard to find appropriate health insurance if you are self employed, advocating against freelance jobs. But as with any other form of employment, there are ways you can get good coverage even when you're on your own. It only takes time, patience and dedication to find good deals. And there are different options a freelancer can take to obtain health insurance coverage.


Be independent
There are many independent insurance agents who are ready to give you an unbiased advice on your health insurance option, and this might be quite a good way to get insurance coverage in your situation. Having a real person to talk with will make your shopping efforts really easy. Another way is searching the Internet for companies that are willing to sell coverage to independent workers and contacting them directly.

Group with other freelancers
If you are a worker in a professional field like writing, you can join a professional guild, club or league for group insurance options. There is also the National Association for the Self Employed, for a less specific determination of your activities, which also provides health insurance benefits to freelancers. It all depends in the field of your work and your professional level. Some will find it easier to join such a guild, others will have hard time applying.

Consider a high risk pool
In many states you can find special high risk pools that are designed to provide health insurance coverage to individuals with increased risks (pre-existing conditions, no employment status, low income, etc.). Some companies won't be willing to provide you with health insurance because you aren't employed with a legal company. And having rejections in insurance coverage can make it even harder to find a company that will cover you. That is why some freelancers have no other choice but to go with high risk pools. However, keep in mind that this is not cheap health insurance as the rates will be higher than through typical employer-sponsored group plans. Use this option only as your last resort.

Think about COBRA coverage
COBRA is a federally regulated option for health coverage that imposes the employer to provide group health coverage benefits to employees for a specified period of time that can exceed the actual working contract duration. This is a good thing to consider if you are at the phase of quitting your full time job for freelancing because it ensures you with health coverage during the transition period before you can find more suitable cheap health insurance options. Speak with your employer about your personal COBRA rights and start researching your cheap health insurance options online before quitting.

As you can see, there are many ways you can get decent health insurance coverage while working on a freelance basis. So if you really want to go that road, health insurance should not be the factor stopping you from doing so.