The self employed get the shaft when it comes to health insurance. We don’t receive the group rates insurance companies offer to employees of larger businesses. Luckily for myself, I’m able to get good coverage through my wife’s work plan, but if you’re one of the many who don’t have this privilege, you’re left with only pricey options and no guidance when it comes to choosing the right plan.
Fortunately strides apparently are being taken to improve this situation for independents. Just announced today, Dribbble (an inspiration and hiring website for designers) mentioned they’ve teamed up with “Stride” to offer freelance graphic designers better health insurance options. Stride is a company (run by ex freelancers and independents) that helps self employed find less expensive coverage. They also simplify the insurance finding process and offer support for choosing the plan that’s best for you.
What’s appealing with Stride is they are a no cost service. They only get paid if they team you up with an insurance plan, and it’s the insurance company who pays them, not you. Stride’s Facebook page averages a 5 star rating, as does their Glassdoor account (at the time of this writing). Oh, and they offer a low price guarantee, plus vision / dental plans are also available. And if you run an Etsy shop or are an Uber driver, Stride has teamed up with those companies too.
As more and more of the workforce becomes self employed (1/3 Americans), it’s more important then ever that we continue to not pay much higher rates than corporate workers do. It’s a shame that so many people get sick and die unnecessarily because of inability to pay for proper healthcare. Hopefully services like Stride can improve this situation, even if just a little.
Learn more about the Dribbble / Stride collaboration here. The deadline for next enrollment is December 15th. If you’ve tried Stride, please share your experience with them by commenting below. For example… were you able to save money on your insurance? … Was the process simple? … How was their support?