Do Freelance Writers Need Insurance?

You may run your freelance writing business from home and take care of all expenses yourself. Your focus is probably on sending pitches, getting clients, making sure your work is excellent, meeting deadlines, and cultivating repeat clients – among many other things a freelance writer has to deal with.

Have you ever thought of taking out insurance for yourself and/or your business? Maybe you haven’t because your spouse has insurance that covers the family to a certain degree, so why would you have the need for insurance as a freelance writer?

Here are some factors to think about, which may help you decide whether you need insurance as a freelance writer.

Liability Insurance

The first thing that may come to mind is that you work at home and you have no employees. Why should there be a need for liability insurance, which covers injuries that happen in your work premises?

While that is a valid point, Phoenix injury attorney Benjamin Wright brings up the scenario wherein you meet clients or contractors at your home office.

What if they get injured while at your home? A fall? A dog bite? Anything that results in a client getting injured.

This is a good case for the argument that freelancers need insurance – especially if the situation gets nasty and you have to go to court.

Indemnity Insurance

Indemnity insurance is usually associated with malpractice insurance for professionals, but it also covers “errors and omissions insurance“.

Do you need this type of insurance?

Perhaps more so than the first type.

Indemnity insurance protects you if a client becomes unsatisfied with your work to the degree that he files a case against you (say for breach of contract) or demand monetary compensation from you (say because of sub-par work).

Health Insurance

Health insurance has been one of the most controversial topics in the US in recent times, and while everyone wants changes for the better, you can’t really wait till that happens. If there is one type of insurance that freelancers shouldn’t have second thoughts about, it’s health insurance.

You may be the healthiest and fittest person you know, but who’s to say you won’t fall over and get a heart attack for an unknown reason? Who’s to say you won’t get a serious illness that will keep you in the hospital for weeks or months? How do you pay for the medical bills then?

Health insurance may be an additional cost, but IF something does happen, you won’t regret having one.

Home Insurance

You probably already have this type of insurance, but have you thought about its coverage? Is your home office and its assets covered by your existing home insurance policy?

This may very well be the case, but what if it isn’t? What if – God forbid – your house burns down or you have a break-in? Are you sure that your current home insurance policy includes your home office?

This is a common oversight among freelancers, so it is a good idea to check your current home insurance policy. If your office is covered, then you have lost nothing but time. If it isn’t, then you do need to scout around for a policy that will make sure your home office and all your work-related tools are protected from any untoward incident.