A few days ago, I found a lump in my breast.

This blog post wasn’t on my content schedule. I had other topics lined up. But this experience felt important enough to write about right now, because it reminded me of something we often overlook as freelancers: our health.

It caught me completely off guard. No pain, no warning, nothing unusual leading up to it. I’ve always thought of myself as pretty healthy. No smoking, no drinking, I even try to get decent sleep. But in that moment, everything paused. I didn’t know what it meant, but I knew I had to act.

And one thought helped me stay calm: “At least I have health insurance.”

Freelancing Without Benefits

When I started freelancing many years ago, back when working from home wasn’t cool (yes, it’s been a while), there weren’t any individual health insurance options available.

Honestly, that was one of the big reasons I hesitated to leave my full-time job. Health insurance felt out of reach, hard to find, hard to apply for, and way too expensive unless it came with a corporate job.

But as many of you already know, life made that decision for me. I got laid off, and I shared that story in this post. That moment pushed me into full-time freelancing. It also forced me to take ownership of everything, including my healthcare.

This Health Scare Made It Real

Finding this lump shook me. It was a moment of fear and uncertainty. But because I had insurance, I didn’t have to second-guess whether I could afford to get it checked.

I just booked the appointment, and here’s the part that really surprised me: Using my insurance was simple.

• I went to my doctor right away (since it was urgent, I didn’t get an LOA for the consultation, so I paid that myself—about ₱500).
• My doctor gave me a request for lab tests.
• I requested a Letter of Authorization (LOA) for the tests, waited one day, and got the approval back.
• On testing day, I showed up, gave the paperwork, had the tests done, waited for the results, and went home. No additional payments. Everything else was covered.

I sent the results to my doctor, and thankfully, everything turned out okay.

But it made something click for me, and maybe it will for you too:

We often hesitate to spend on insurance because we think, “What if nothing bad happens? Isn’t that money wasted?”

But the truth is, we don’t know what will happen. And when something does, protection is the price we pay to move forward with clarity instead of panic.

Taking Care of Yourself Is Part of the Job

When you work freelance, no one is going to take care of these things for you. There are no built-in company benefits. No scheduled checkups. No team reminding you to look after your well-being.

And that’s why this moment mattered.

Even if you’re doing everything “right,” things can still happen. And when they do, it makes all the difference to know you’re covered. That kind of support isn’t just about the money. It’s about peace of mind and freedom to take action when you need to.

Health Insurance Is More Accessible Than You Think

I got my plan through Kwik.insure (provided by PhilCare). Kwik.insure is a platform where you can compare different health insurance options even as an individual. You don’t need to be employed by a big company. You don’t need to talk to an agent. You just find what works for your budget and lifestyle, and apply online.

It’s the most freelancer-friendly solution I’ve seen. And honestly, it felt like I had the same kind of coverage I used to get when I was employed full time.

You Deserve to Feel Protected Too

You don’t need to wait for a health scare to realize how important health insurance is.

If you’re working freelance full time or even thinking about it, ask yourself: “If something unexpected happened tomorrow, would I be ready?”

If the answer is no, this is your sign to take action.

Compare plans on Kwik.insure and find the right health insurance for you. It only takes a few minutes, but it can give you peace of mind that lasts for years.

Have a question or just want to connect? Feel free to send me an email or follow along on Instagram @virtualtita. Let’s talk freelancing, personal finance, or anything in between. And if you’d like tips and stories delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for the newsletter below.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links to Kwik.insure. If you sign up through my link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. But even if I weren’t an affiliate, I’d still be writing this post. Because I genuinely believe freelancers need this kind of protection, and I’m grateful I had it when I needed it most.