Protect my income

Without an employer, your income can stop overnight. Finwise helps you protect your billing in case of illness, accident or lasting incapacity.

What is it?

Replace income when you can no longer work

Protecting your income means covering illness, accident and lasting incapacity so your personal and professional charges continue to be paid.

Mandatory?

No for a self-employed person without staff

Basic health insurance pays for care, not your billing. Accident insurance and sickness loss of earnings remain optional, but often essential.

Key point

Cash flow dictates the waiting period

The longer you can hold without income, the longer the waiting period can be and the lower the premium. The opposite is true if your charges are high.

Priorities for securing my income

Without an employer, loss of earnings and disability come before savings.

  1. Family Death Protect dependents
  2. Long term Disability Lasting income
  3. Short term Loss of earnings Work stoppage

Turnover does not pay bills during a stoppage.

Self-employed: income is not maintained automatically

Unlike an employee, you do not benefit from salary continuation under the Code of Obligations. From the first day of stoppage, turnover can fall to zero while rent, OASI, insurance, leasing and family charges continue.

Une bonne protection de revenus combine souvent trois horizons : court terme (indemnités journalières), accident (LAA facultative ou couverture accident privée) et long terme (incapacité de gain / invalidité).

Cover
Role
To check
Sickness loss of earningsShort term
Daily allowances after a waiting period, often for 720 to 730 days.
Daily amount, incapacity threshold, health questionnaire, exclusions.
Optional accident insuranceAccident
Care and loss of earnings in case of accident or occupational disease, depending on the formula.
Insured earnings, ceiling, waiting period, possible complement to basic health insurance.
Incapacity / disabilityLong term
Private pension to fill the gap after daily allowances and before/with DI.
Definition of incapacity, duration, indexation, coordination with voluntary occupational pension.

The logic of income protection

Fixed charges + Income to replace + Sustainable waiting period = Calibrated cover

The right contract is not the most expensive: it is the one that covers the amount you really need, at the right time.

Illness and accident: two different risks

La perte de gain maladie intervient quand une maladie vous empêche de travailler. La LAA facultative, elle, traite l’accident. Compter uniquement sur la LAMal laisse une lacune majeure : elle rembourse surtout les soins, pas votre revenu.

Many self-employed people choose a more flexible ICA solution, with an incapacity threshold often lower than under LAMal, and an indemnity duration designed to bridge to a possible DI pension. The health questionnaire and exclusions must be read before signing.

Irregular income

Calculate the income to insure on a realistic base, not on the best month. Underinsuring to save a premium can cost more at claim time.

High charges

Business rent, leasing or dependants often justify a short waiting period and a high daily amount.

Good reserve

If you can hold for 30, 60 or 90 days, lengthening the waiting period generally reduces the premium without removing protection.

Family / mortgage

Ajoutez une vision long terme : incapacité de gain, décès et coordination avec le 3a ou une LPP facultative.

Common pitfalls

Mistakes are rarely visible when taking out the policy. They appear as soon as income really stops.

Basic health insurance = incomeIt pays for care, not your personal or business bills.
Accident onlyAccident insurance without sickness loss of earnings leaves illness risk uncovered.
Waiting period too longA low premium can leave several weeks without cash flow.
Underestimated amountInsuring income that is too low covers neither fixed charges nor standard of living.

You already have cover: what should you check?

Contrôlez le revenu assuré, le délai d’attente, la durée d’indemnisation, le seuil d’incapacité, les exclusions et la coordination avec l’AI. Reliez ensuite cette protection à votre activité, votre retraite et vos éventuelles couvertures décès-invalidité.

With Finwise

We calibrate sustainable income protection for your activity

We analyse your charges, cash flow, real income, declarable health and family priorities. Then we compare loss of earnings, accident and incapacity to build a coherent and affordable solution.

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Complete your safety net

These pages detail the covers that most often protect a self-employed person's income.

Loss of earnings Disability income Self-employed solutions Prepare my retirement

Protect my income View loss of earnings View disability income

Let’s talk about your needs

Tell us about your situation in a few lines. A Finwise adviser will contact you to clarify your options and compare suitable solutions.