The Hidden Cost of Being Self-Employed
February 4, 2026
If you’re an Independent Contractor, Freelancer, or self-employed professional, you might assume your basic health needs are taken care of through Canadian healthcare. After all, we live in a country with universal coverage. So what’s the risk?
Here’s the part no one tells you: when you’re self-employed, you don’t automatically get the same protections as traditional employees. Not because the law excludes you, but because without employer benefits, anything beyond basic medical care becomes your responsibility to manage.
Those healthcare gaps aren’t just inconvenient—they’re risky. They affect your income, your ability to work, and the stability of your business. And most workers don’t even notice these gaps until they fall through them. Let’s take a closer look at the health gaps and risks most self-employed professionals don’t even realize they face.
RELATED: How “free” is Canadian healthcare?
What are the risks?
While traditional employees have employer-sponsored benefits that cover the gaps in provincial healthcare, independent workers don’t. Here’s why that puts your business, and income, at risk.
1. Provincial Health Plans Don’t Cover Everything
Across Canada, provincial healthcare plans cover medically necessary doctor and hospital services. Everything else—the services most people rely on regularly—sits outside the public system. In a traditional job, an employer benefits plan typically fills these gaps. For independent workers, that safety net doesn’t exist.
This includes essential services like:
- Basic and major dental care, such as cleanings, fillings, and restorative procedures
- Vision care, including routine eye exams and prescription glasses or contacts
- Most prescription medications, unless they’re administered in a hospital setting
- Paramedical services, such as physiotherapy, chiropractic care, massage therapy, counselling, and more
These routine and unexpected costs fall entirely on you. Even small procedures or regular appointments can become costly.
2. Your Health Affects Your Income
When a traditional employee gets sick, they can stay home while their income continues and their benefits support their recovery. If that illness or injury keeps them out of work for an extended period, they might have short-term and/or long-term disability insurance through their employer that provides a monthly income benefit to help cover ongoing bills.
But for Independent Contractors, none of that exists, and our healthcare system doesn’t make up the difference. When you’re self-employed:
- A day off work is a day without income
- An injury means missed deadlines and paused projects
- Recovery, prescriptions, and therapy services are personal expenses
Access to preventive care, mental-health support, and necessary medications becomes essential not just for well-being but for business continuity. A single health setback can disrupt your workflow and more importantly, your income.
How can you protect yourself?
Independent Contractors can access private Health & Dental Insurance on their own, plans that supplement provincial healthcare, follow you between jobs or contracts, and can be tailored to what you actually need.
1. Get a Private Plan
Private Health & Dental Insurance gives independent workers access to the same types of support that traditional employees receive through their employers. These plans:
- Help cover the services that provincial healthcare doesn’t provide
- Give you predictable healthcare costs instead of surprise bills
- Follow you regardless of client, contract, or career changes
- Can be tailored to fit your lifestyle, budget, and needs
2. Customize For Your Needs
You can also bundle your Health & Dental plan with additional protection, such as:
- Life Insurance for long-term family protection in the event of an unexpected death.
- Critical Illness Insurance for financial support after a serious diagnosis.
- Disability Insurance to replace income during recovery periods following injury.
Together, these benefits help create a safety net that aligns with both your everyday needs and long-term stability.
You Don’t Need to Figure It Out Alone
Health & Dental Insurance gives Independent Contractors stability in a system that doesn’t always account for their needs. Without employer-sponsored benefits, you’re the one responsible for covering both routine care and unexpected expenses. A tailored plan ensures you have access to essential services without putting your financial well-being at risk.
Don’t stress over choosing the right plan, PROLINK offers flexible Health, Dental, and Life Insurance solutions designed specifically for independent professionals. We’ll help you protect your health, your ability to work, and your financial well-being. And because every independent worker is different, our team will take the time to understand your lifestyle and how you work, and match you with a plan that fits, so you’re only paying for what you need and getting the most value from your coverage.
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PROLINK’s blog posts are general in nature. They do not take into account your personal objectives or financial situation and are not a substitute for professional advice. The specific terms of your policy will always apply. We bear no responsibility for the accuracy, legality, or timeliness of any external content.