How the Gig Economy is Reshaping Insurance Needs
WHAT IS A GIG ECONOMY?
A gig economy is an economy where short-term and freelance jobs take more prominent space within the labor market, or a labor market system, over permanent jobs. People work as free-lancers, contractors, or outside workers on temporary jobs, projects, or assignments referred to as “gigs.” Most of these gigs are gotten online or through smart phone apps that serve as online platforms that allow companies to easily hire or otherwise demand labor for a specific task or service. The gig economy becomes more important in the face of technological advancements, a change in work preferences, and an overall shift toward creating more flexible and on-demand workforces. It raises controversy, however, for job security, benefits, and workers’ rights.
The boom of the gig economy is significantly transforming the business landscape of insurance as it produces new challenges and demands for coverage. Traditional employment provides so-called benefits, such as health insurance, workers’ compensation, and unemployment insurance. All are provided by employers. Gig workers, technically categorized as independent contractors, typically miss these benefits. This has brought on a shift in types of insurance products needed for gig workers and new ways of structuring policies by the insurance providers.
How the Gig Economy is Reshaping Insurance Needs:
Key Ways the Gig Economy is Changing Insurance Needs:
Health Insurance
Issue: Generally, the health insurance product is not offered by employers to their gig workers. The gig workers will need to find individualized health plans.
Shift: The demand for flexible, affordable health insurance products that are easier to adapt to the variable, or spasmodic, income of the gig worker is emerging. Governments and companies are also doing new, emerging models for portable benefits.
Liability Insurance
Issue: Most gig workers, especially those in the delivery business, ridesharing, or freelance work, stand the risk of being sued when performing services. For example, an Uber driver can sue for damages if involved in an accident on a job.
Ripple Effect: It’s difficult for traditional liability insurance to cover activities related to gig work. Insurers are developing new, gig-liability insurance that covers workers while at work, on a pay-per-use basis, or on policies tied to particular jobs.
Workers’ Compensation
Challenge: Gig workers are typically not covered under traditional workers’ compensation; and they have no protections if they are injured on the job.
Shift: There is growing demand for compensation models focused on gig workers. More companies are providing optional insurance or accident coverage for workers on their platforms. New models, such as “portable benefits,” that could provide protections for gig workers tied to the work they do rather than the employer.
Income Protection and Disability Insurance
Challenge: Gross income instability is often experienced by gig workers because gigs are temporary. When they fall ill or are injured, no safety net is provided.
Shift: Insurance providers now provide short-term income protection or disability insurance plans customized for freelancers. The plans provide pay when a worker has episodes of illness or disability and cannot perform gigs.
Commercial Auto Insurance
Challenge: Many gig workers, such as rideshare drivers and delivery couriers, use personal vehicles for work. Personal auto insurance typically does not cover commercial use.
Shift: Insurance companies are evolving hybrid or gig-specific auto policies that combine the elements of personal and commercial auto coverage, or “rideshare insurance,” that will be in force while workers are driving for platforms like Uber or DoorDash.
Unemployment and Retirement Benefits
Challenge: Gig workers have no access to traditional unemployment benefits, and retirement savings plans are typically not offered by gig platforms.
Shift: Some fintech companies and platforms have begun exploring the development of retirement savings programs or gig-specific unemployment benefits. Tax-advantaged retirement accounts are highly widespread, generally allowing for flexibility in contributing whenever the worker can.
Cybersecurity Insurance
Challenge: Cybersecurity threats to remote or online freelancing-IT consultants, digital marketers, etc.
Shift: Gig-based workers are now being provided with insurance to cover data theft and ransomware. Moreover, liability from client’s data is also covered.
Emerging Trends in Gig Economy Insurance
On-demand and Micro-insurance: Insurers now offer short-term on-demand coverage which gig workers can turn on for the period of their gig. Micro-insurance can even extend as far as providing special health, auto, and liability insurance for unique tasks.
Portable Benefits Platforms: There is a rising interest in so-called “portable benefits.” Gig workers would be able to accumulate benefits such as health coverage, retirement savings, or vacation time across multiple platforms or employers.
Digital Insurance Platforms: Insurtech firms provide easy-to-use platforms for customizing gig insurance policies, in some cases through mobile apps offering pay-as-you-go methods of operation.
CONCLUSION
The development of the gig economy demands unique flexible insurance solutions. The industry has begun developing policies that account for the unique risks and needs of these kinds of workers-from income protection and liability to health insurance. This action is poised to bridge the gap between established traditional full-time employment benefits and the emerging concept of work in the gig economy.