My position on this issue is very simple: dental insurance is important if you cannot cover your dental costs out-of-pocket.

Imagine a common situation and apply it to your own life:  What would happen tomorrow if you suddenly discovered that you had a cavity, you need a root canal, and your dentist recommends a new crown on one of your molars?  How would you handle this situation?  How much money will all of this cost out-of-pocket and how much would it cost if you had proper dental coverage?

This might be extreme, but I would actually suggest visiting or calling a local dentist to ask him or her for a quick quote on this exact scenario.  Once they give you the numbers, then start shopping around for self employed dental insurance online.  Then you can perform a basic cost-benefit analysis to find out if it would be worth it for you to invest in the insurance over time.

I think the question of whether or not to get small business dental coverage usually involves much more than you alone.  You should really think seriously about the other people in your life.  If you have a family and small or young children, this should be a no-brainer.  Kids need dental care, and if mom and dad don’t have proper insurance one cavity bill can turn into three or four very quickly.  In my humble opinion, you have a responsibility as a parent to provide proper health and dental coverage for your children if you have the means to do it.

At the end of the day, this is all about how much risk you are willing to take or prepared to take in your life.  You do not want to put your business or profession on the line if you are worried about health and dental costs.  Self employed insurance is a tricky thing that depends largely on the individual.  Think carefully about it and research your options online.

Fortunately, many options are available in the self employed dental insurance world.  On one extreme, you’re likely to find very expensive dental plans that charge a high monthly premium.  These fees could run you $100 or more per month but are likely to include a high level of dental coverage.  On the other hand, you can also find low cost dental insurance providers that will charge you the same fee but only once per year.  These low cost dental coverage plans are often just as good as the high cost options.  The important point to remember here is to do your homework!  Lots of dental plans online research can really pay off down the road.

Dental insurance for self employed individuals is a tricky thing because you’re typically only going to be interested in standard, preventative dental coverage.  Getting a root canal, for example, is not something that most self employed individuals are going to worry about.  Still, you should assess your own situation to determine whether or not you’re going to need a high degree of coverage or not.

Before I quit my full-time day job, I made completing my expensive dental work a top priority to avoid this very problem.  But down the road you never know what’s going to happen so dental coverage for self employed is something to think about for extra protection.  The real key is to find affordable dental insurance by doing research online and searching through many different dental provider websites.  Before you buy dental insurance, you want to be absolutely sure the premiums are cost effective and not going to make keeping your insurance difficult.

First, it is important to address the question of why you feel like you cant afford self employed health insurance. You may just be jumping to conclusions or letting other people influence your decision. I remember leaving my job and speaking with my company human resources officer. She gave me a pretty big scare and told me that I would have to pay hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, for monthly self employed medical insurance coverage. (I think she was just trying to keep me on the job.)

Let’s be honest here: self employed insurance coverage is not going to be cheap, but it is still an important part of the equation for your professional life. Just as you would not stop investing in your advertising or marketing, you should look at self employed health insurance (or self employed accident insurance) in the same light. Insurance is an investment in your health, well being, and peace of mind.

If you really think you cant afford self employed health insurance it may be necessary to review your business budget and update your finances. Sometimes other expenses may need to be cut to make your life easier and to bring better results so you can afford self employed health insurance. Consider this comparison: would you not drive a car just because you had to get auto insurance to do it? Of course not. You should look at your health and assets in the same way. Protection and prevention are always the best strategies for life and insurance is no exception.

Most self employed dental insurance plans will require a monthly fee to stay active.  If you are in the state of California, you can opt to continue your employee benefits at a premium but lower cost under COBRA.  When I became self employed, my COBRA coverage made it possible for me to continue receiving quality dental benefits at a mere $28 per month.  Of course, before you choose any self employed dental insurance plan, you’ll want to be sure it includes the necessary coverage for your unique situation.  Some self employed individuals will find it necessary to opt for more dental coverage if they have a background and history of recurring dental problems such as cavities, tooth sensitivity, etc.  Others will not find it as necessary to secure so much coverage and may just want to pay for the minimum dental insurance plan available.

Fortunately, many discount dental insurance programs are available even for the self employed and small business owner.  Some discount dental plans will even allow you to pay an annual fee and still receive standard dental benefits and receive a 10% - 75% discount on most procedures.  If you do enough research and are persistent, you can find a good self employed dental insurance plan that fits your needs without high costs and excessive fees.

Why should you opt for self employed dental insurance?  Many medical studies show a direct link between dental hygiene and general health.  If you care for your teeth and maintain regular cleanings and exams, you can help protect your general health too.  In addition, you never know when you will need an unexpected dental procedure such as a root canal, extraction, or even braces.  Most self employed dental insurance plans can help you secure good coverage for these unanticipated but routine procedures.

Do you have crowns on any of your teeth?  Do you have old cavities lurking? Are you a candidate for periodontal disease or other gum diseases?  Do you experience regular tooth pain and discomfort in your sinuses?  Do you have a family history of regular dental problems?

These are just some of the reasons you’ll want to strongly consider securing good self employed dental insurance before your next surprise dental visit.  Despite all of these options, you may just consider paying out-of-pocket for your one or two annual visits.  Who knows - you may even be able to work out some kind of service trade with your dentist if possible.  For example, an accountant may offer her services in exchange for routine dental care, check-ups, and exams.

For example, if you are young and in good health, you are not likely to require expensive self employed health insurance plans that provide a wide range of coverage from doctor office visits to the most extreme emergency care coverage.  On the other hand, if you are older and in need of higher risk coverage, it may be more difficult to find low cost or inexpensive health care coverage if you are self employed.

Today, most health insurance websites offer a free quote feature so you can get an immediate sense for how much you will need to pay for health insurance as a self employed professional, business owner, or contract worker.  Most free quote features will also allow you to view a variety of options for coverage - from personal self employed coverage to full family coverage.  The most common companies - Kaiser Permanente, Anthem, Aetna, Blue Cross, etc. - are usually featured as providers so you can compare and contrast your options.  Once you provide the necessary information - age, gender, etc. - these free quote websites will allow you to sort your options by price so you can see your options right away.

When I left my job to become self employed, my employer provided the necessary COBRA information.  Although COBRA coverage is a nice benefit in California, it is not always cheap.  To continue my coverage, I was going to have to pay nearly $400 per month to continue a basic HMO plan with Blue Shield.  Since I am in good health and wanted to pay much less for the most essential benefits, I started looking online for low cost, affordable health insurance for the self employed.  After visiting several websites that offer a free quote, I found a wide range of options for less than $100 that still provided quality health insurance coverage.

At the other end of the spectrum but still quite affordable for self employed health insurance, I found another plan called the $25 Copayment Plan.  This plan does not have a high deductible, but does allow for $25 doctor visits.  This health care plan is probably a better option for someone concerned about monthly doctor visits.  These days, a visit to your primary care physician could run you fifty to one hundred dollars or more.

Just as an example, one plan I found had a $2700 individual deductible, no charge for prescription drugs, and an unlimited lifetime maximum benefit.  This is an HMO plan but it should serve as a good example of what to expect.  Affordable health insurance for the self employed is definitely available, though you do have to research and determine what’s best for your situation.

The classic example of a liability issue is the customer who slips and falls on your wet floor. There’s even a very popular story about Donald Trump once firing a hotel manager for not immediately cleaning up a bathroom spill after his initial request. As an experienced business professional, Donald Trump was very well aware of the costs an unattended wet floor could create. Whether the story is true or not, it definitely illustrates the point.

As a self employed individual or business owner, you may be involved in a high risk type of work or work-related activity. Suppose you decide to become a construction contractor. Your daily work may directly or indirectly impact the lives of others who could be hurt or even killed as a result of your activities. Unlike a typical construction employee, the self employed contract worker will need to think very seriously about the importance of protecting personal and business assets to avoid an unexpected loss. Liability insurance for self employed individuals is the ideal solution for these common types of problems.

You might also want to consider your business structure when becoming self employed (or even if you’re established and already self employed). Remember that most individuals who leave a job to become self employed usually opt to create a sole proprietorship and never even consider other possibilities for business organization. You may very well want to consider creating an LLC or Limited Liability Company. This may help defer some of the issues that could arise in terms of professional and business liabilities.

When considering your self employed liability insurance, you’ll want to look for a number of important features:

• Legal Cost Coverage
• 24-Hour Protection/Service
• Medical Fee Coverage
• Property Damage Payments

Of course, there are many other possibilities to consider in liability insurance for self employed individuals. You’ll want to think about your own self employed arrangement to make the very best decision about what liability insurance coverage to select for you. A self employed computer technician will have very different liability issues than a self employed dentist, for example.

Fortunately, in the state of California, you can obtain COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) coverage as you enter your self employment experience and start your new business. COBRA insurance coverage allows a newly self employed individual the freedom to begin working on a new business or professional project without worrying about the consequences of losing coverage. When you embark on your new self employment venture, you’ll automatically become eligible for COBRA coverage, though it is still a good idea to sit down with your employer’s Human Resources Officer to seek help and advice for making a smooth transition.

If, for example, you fall ill during your COBRA coverage period, then you can still maintain your original coverage by making back payments. COBRA health insurance policies simply reinstate what your employer was providing and then allow you to make up the difference. If you were paying $100 per month to cover your part of the insurance premium and your employer was paying $400 per month for health insurance, then you will be required to pay the full $500 of health insurance coverage per this California law. As a COBRA benefits holder, you are effectively getting access to the cheaper rate your employer has been paying during your regular employment.

There are also many health insurance options available for the self employed in California even if you do not opt for COBRA coverage or if your COBRA period has elapsed. Be prepared to pay a much higher deductible than usual for these types of insurance plans, though you can find affordable premiums if you are healthy, young, and fit. Health Savings Plans or Health Savings Accounts (HSA) are another option to consider. Essentialy, a Health Savings Account will allow you to tuck away a portion of your self employed earnings and earmark the funds for health expenses only. The money can be deducted from your earnings tax free, helping to defray the overall costs of coverage.

Group health coverage is another option to consider for the self employed living in California. Unfortunately, many newly self employed individuals do not qualify for affordable individual plan health coverage because they already have what health insurance companies call a pre-existing condition. In these cases, you may need to locate a group, organization, or other network to purchase insurance at a discounted rate and to avoid problems with pre-existing medical conditions that may disqualify a self employed individual for proper health coverage.

For the newly self employed, you will want to consider how to manage your former benefits from your original employer. Health, dental, and vision are just a few of the common types of coverage that the self employed will want to secure before going full time away from a standard employment arrangement.

It takes a lot of work to be self employed and successful because you have to wear many hats. Before starting out on your own, your former employer likely managed all or most of your health insurance, dental insurance, and other benefit plans. As you are already discovering, acquiring secure insurance coverage is not so easy when you are self employed.