There are numerous reasons why a person decides to become their own boss. Some people have an ‘entrepreneurial spirit,’ and shrink at the thought of having to work for anyone else. Others fine-tune their skills in an industry for years until they decide to spread their wings and try their hand at offering their services on their own. 

While being self-employed can have significant perks, such as tax benefits and increased time freedom, there can be drawbacks as well. As an employee in Canada, you are usually covered by some form of employment standards laws that guarantee you standard employee protections such as overtime pay, vacation entitlements, and some form of termination pay. These protections usually evaporate if you are self-employed as a freelancer or small business owner.

The other major comfort of being an employee that is often sacrificed in self-employment is extended benefits. If you are working for a large employer, you are more likely to receive some level of extended health benefits along with coverage for short term and long term Disability should you require them. While employers are not legally required to provide these extended benefits, and many employees may never use them, the coverage offers employees an added level of protection should they encounter a serious illness.

Just because you are self-employed though, it does not mean that this benefits coverage is not available. Benefits providers are increasingly offering packages that cater to the self-employed and small business owners, but there are some caveats to these benefit plans. They can be more expensive than plans offered to larger companies, and receiving benefits during your illness may be more difficult if you are able to work in an occupation other than your own. 

If you’re self-employed and have purchased a disability insurance plan or policy, it is important to complete any application for benefits in a careful manner, and consulting an experienced disability Lawyer is an idea worth considering. When entrepreneurs apply for benefits the process can be daunting, and even the simplest error in the paperwork could potentially leave someone ineligible to receive benefits. When you are already dealing with serious health issues, and stressed about the future of your business, stressing over your benefits coverage will only serve to make things worse. 

The right long term disability lawyer will advocate for you through your benefits application process. They understand that your business is crucial to your livelihood, and if you are too sick to continue then you may be left with no other source of income. They know that if your application for LTD benefits is denied, you may not know where to turn next.

At Share Lawyers, we regularly work with self-employed clients who may be new to working with a disability lawyer. We walk you through our process step-by-step, and explain what your options look like in the event of a denial. We have helped thousands of clients successfully appeal or pursue their benefit denials, and know what it takes to recover your benefits. Let us fight for you, while you focus on getting healthy and getting back to business.

If you have had your claim for long-term disability denied, contact the long-term disability insurance lawyers at Share Lawyers. Our experienced team of long-term disability (LTD) lawyers can help.   We have recently settled cases against Canada Life, Desjardins, Manulife, RBC Insurance, Sun Life, and many more. We offer free consultations and there are no fees unless we win your case. Find out if you have a disability case.

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