Did you know that illness, not accidents, is the cause of 90% of disabilities (according to the Council for Disability Awareness)? And did you know that you have a one in four chance of becoming disabled or sick for at least a year between age 20 and retirement? Let that sink in a moment.

While healthcare is a priority insurance for freelancers (and rightly so), it doesn’t fully protect you and your dependents from the financial havoc of prolonged illness or injury. No access to sick days means significant loss of income, and as the stats above show, luck is not a strategy. What you need instead is disability insurance.

Now for the better news! Freelancers have traditionally struggled in the disability insurance market, as many companies automatically disqualify applicants who don’t have “regular” income. But Freelancers Union has partnered with Guardian to provide disability insurance especially for the freelance community. Check it out here.

Here’s how it works:

• You suffer a serious illness or an accident and make a claim.

• You receive bi-weekly or monthly checks that replace approximately 60% of your income (dependent on your income and premium).

• Depending on your plan, the checks continue for months to years and stop when you return to work.

Remember, most long-term disability claims are not due to accidents, but back injuries, and serious illnesses like cancer and heart disease. You don't have to be unlucky to need disability insurance once day — just human. We've got your back.