Of all the self-employed in the Netherlands, over a third have no provision for incapacity for work, which amounts to more than 400,000 self-employed. Since 2019, that number has fallen by 3% to 37% To accelerate this trend, HR service provider HeadFirst Group in cooperation with insurtech Alicia is launching a unique new product for disability: Select iCommunity Crowdsurance (SiCC).
SiCC - a nod to sick - becomes part of the total package of services for entrepreneurs that HeadFirst Group has been offering for years, including benefits such as accelerated payment of invoices, various insurances and unlimited online learning in the Select Academy training environment. Florine Onderwijzer, Managing Director of Professionals & Partners services at HeadFirst Group: "Our aim is to compile the most ideal package of services that professionals primarily need to be entrepreneurs and to fully focus on their core business. Through the collective purchasing advantage, a self-employed person gets attractive and flexible products at a lower price than when everything is purchased separately from different service providers. The introduction of SiCC is the next step toward our goal."
Self-employed want to, but have nothing
Part of the self-employed deliberately chooses not to make any provision for incapacity for work, according to the most recent Self-employed Labor Survey (2021) of the CBS. For example, because they can bear the financial risk themselves (25.9%) and/or can rely on the income of a partner (20.5%). However, there is a large proportion who would like to make a provision, but find the costs outweigh the benefits (46.6%) and/or simply cannot afford it (30.7%). This group serves HeadFirst Group with its new product SiCC.
Onderwijzer continues, "In putting together our range of services, we listen explicitly to the wishes of affiliated professionals. With SiCC we are filling the most important, still unmet need. We are extremely proud of the fact that we are making a provision for disability available in such an accessible manner."
On-demand and embedded solutions
In early 2022, HeadFirst Group joined forces with platform Select. It provides embedded solutions for relevant insurance and services that are made available through connected platforms in an integrated way using APIs.
Marijn Moerman, CEO of Alicia: "Together with HeadFirst Group and crowdsurance specialist Tulpenfonds, we have developed an accessible and collective product for work disability, as an alternative to individual insurance. A solution that can be purchased in Select with one click. This renewed product prevents professionals from being faced with a surprise in the form of a variable contribution. Furthermore, the e-wallet always provides insight into the benefit to which the self-employed person is entitled. With this, it is perfectly in line with our conviction that modern work does not have to be at odds with good provisions for the self-employed.
SiCC is a donation-based facility. It is a net benefit for up to two years, in line with the need of professionals to have an affordable, flexible solution that does not pay out until retirement age, but for a framed period.