Do freelancers need insurance?

As freelancers you’re putting yourself out there more than ever.

There are about 2 million freelancers now in the UK and, for the most part, you’re loving it.

A happiness survey reported that you are ‘3x more likely to be extremely happy if you’re self employed’.

Freelancers fully embrace the challenges and independence of working hard, networking, juggling and retaining existing clients whilst acquiring new ones.

But with this independence comes the stress of managing your accounts, signing contracts, getting paid on time and even defending your work from unhappy clients… this admin can be overwhelming.

That’s why finding good solutions for all of your pressure points, including insurance, will position you to become even happier with the path you’ve chosen.

Finding the right insurance provider to protect yourself against potential risks and safeguard your all-important reputation doesn’t need to be a hassle.

That’s why Ben, Rob and Ed built Dinghy online insurance for freelancers - to make your lives easier in a matter of seconds - so you can get on with what you do best.

In fact, a recent US survey reported that ‘those [freelancers] with insurance seemed to be the happiest’, so getting the right insurance really is a win-win.

What insurance do freelancers need?

Whether you’re a developer, creative, influencer, consultant, IT contractor, photographer, editor, marketeer, designer, (the list goes on…!), there are 4 insurance policies that freelancers typically need.

1. Professional Indemnity

“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new”. - Albert Einstein

You may never imagine you’ll ever make a mistake, but let’s face it, we’re all human.

From design errors such as leaving a copyright protected placeholder image in a flyer, to writing code that ultimately doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to, your mistakes can cost your client money to get right; and that’s where Professional Indemnity insurance comes in.

Even if you don’t believe you have done anything wrong, the cost of defending yourself, including the time to find the right lawyers, can spell disaster for a freelancer. Especially if your client has more clout than you and is willing to look for compensation using their own lawyers.

Dinghy’s Professional Indemnity insurance will provide your defense with expert lawyers ready to fight your corner and clear your name. And if you ultimately lose out, the costs are still covered as part of your claim.

‘I think I need this’ - No problem, learn more about what it covers here

[block]10[/block]
2. Public Liability

If you meet with clients, work in a shared workspace, or interact with anyone else while working, then you should consider Public Liability insurance.

It covers you if you do something that accidentally harms them or damages their stuff.

For instance, if you’re sat in a café and you plug your laptop in, and someone trips over your cable and gets hurt, Public Liability insurance is there to help them get back on their feet.

‘I think I need this’ - No problem, learn more about what it covers here

3. Business Equipment Insurance

For most freelancers, contractors and self-employed professionals, your laptop is your modern workhorse. Without it, you simply can’t work.

Combined with your phone, camera, tablets and other business equipment you are a mobile office.

What would happen if it was all stolen? What would happen if you were abroad at the time?

Insurance should ensure you are back up and running as soon as possible, whether that’s by sending you a physical replacement or via an instant cash transfer.

Dinghy’s equipment insurance claims handlers are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and will aim to deliver you your replacement equipment within 24 hours of your claim being accepted.

If that’s not possible, then they will offer an instant cash transfer.

‘I think I need this’ - No problem, learn more about what it covers here

4. Cyber Insurance

For freelancers and the self-employed, who regularly travel with portable laptops and emails on their phones holding data about their customers, and even customer’s customers, the risk of losing that data has increased.

At the same time, cyber criminals are becoming more aware of the value of this data and increasingly looking for easy targets.

The costs and time involved in a breach response, should one happen, quickly add up.

From having to notify everyone affected to responding to their questions to even paying regulatory fines - all of these are covered by your Cyber insurance.

‘I think I need this’ - No problem, learn more about what it covers here

What to look out for when choosing an insurance provider?

Some providers, like Dinghy, have introduced Zero admin fees to their policies. So whether you want to change your address, or change your policy, you pay nothing more in admin.

Dinghy is the only insurance provider to offer on-demand policies to freelancers so that you can maintain your full insurance protection when you are working and save money when you are not; without cancelling your insurance and losing all the insurance you’ve just paid for.

You also don’t have to spend hours on the phone listening to jargon, or waiting for an operator. With an online self-service area, you can change your insurance policy whenever you like.

Insurance, for the first time, is now geared toward freelancers with flexible hours operating from changing work environments. It’s a game-changer for freelancers so take advantage!

Dinghy is a good option for providing all of your freelancer insurance needs, so if you are doing your research or thinking about getting a better deal, check out getdinghy.com.