Why Independent Barber Should Have Health Insurance
Whether you’re a freelancer, contractor, mobile barber, salon suite renter, or beyond, there are a ton of amazing benefits to being an independent barber. No matter which way you slice it, you’re giving yourself freedom, authority, autonomy, and plenty of room for your own version of creativity. And those advantages are just the start of it.
But like with any career, there are definitely some disadvantages, too. One of the most notable is the whole health insurance situation.
When you work in a traditional barber setting, the onus is typically on your employer to provide you with healthcare options and plans. In an independent setting, that ball is totally in your court.
On one hand, this is potentially great. Not only can you pick a potentially better plan, but also, you can choose a plan that covers exactly what you need to cover—this isn’t always the case when you’re on an employer’s health insurance plan. Still, doing it on your own often means that you’ll be dealing with healthcare challenges, pricier options, and plenty of seemingly endless plans to sort through.
The kicker here? Health insurance isn’t one of those “that’d be nice” perks—it’s a total necessity. And while this is true for everyone, it’s especially true for independent barbers. Why? Well, we’ll tell you. This blog is going to dive into a few reasons that you should absolutely invest in health insurance.
Keep reading to learn all about it!
As an Independent Barber, You Need Health Insurance—Here’s Why
Annual Appointments Are a Must
Whether you like it or not, annual doctor appointments are vital to your overall well-being. For optimal health and wellness, you need to get check-ups, do regular check-ins, and always make sure everything is all right with your health. Sure, it’s important from a career standpoint, but it’s also just important for your general health and wellness.
But without health insurance, let’s face it, you’re more than likely to opt-out of these visits. Why? Well, because if you’re not covered, they can be pricey—and even though it shouldn’t be this way, it can be challenging to spend money on our health. With the right insurance, you can get your appointments covered and ensure you’re getting routine check-ups as needed.
Things Happen, You Need to be Prepared
We’d never wish anything bad on you, but here’s the reality—sometimes, stuff happens. Having health insurance, dental insurance, vision, etc., can ensure that you’re going to be A-OK financially if you ever need to make an emergency hospital run.
Because you don’t have an employer’s health insurance to rely on, this needs to be something you tackle on your own to ensure that you’re properly covered and prepared if that time ever comes.
You Need to Be Healthy for Your Career
Being sick, unhealthy, injured, or ill can directly impact your ability to work. In other words, not having health insurance can have an effect on whether or not you can do your job, in some cases.
You need to make sure you’re giving yourself the tools to guarantee health and wellness in every area possible to keep your career goals on track. If you think health insurance is an additional, stressful expense, we challenge you to think about how expensive your life could get if you were unable to work.
It’s Sometimes Considered Illegal to NOT Have Health Insurance
Unless you qualify for an exemption, it’s likely that you’ll be subject to a tax penalty if you don’t have coverage under a qualified health plan.
While it’s definitely a necessity for your own health and wellbeing, if you’re anything like us, you’ll want to avoid that tax penalty, right? (We’re sure that’s the case).
Guess What? NAOB Has Your Back with Health Insurance
The National Association of Barbers (yep, that’s us) is all about safeguarding you, your career, and your future—that’s actually the entire basis of our professional liability business. But we also want to make sure that you’re as healthy as can be.
We genuinely want you protected—so much so that we offer you dental, health, and vision telehealth insurance as part of our exclusive, members’-only benefits deal.
Want to learn more about NAOB, what we offer in terms of insurance, and even our long (always growing) list of member benefits? Yeah, we figured so. Check us out right here to see how we can fit your independent barbering career.
