New Delhi, Sept. 22 -- For salaried employees, health insurance is often part of the employment package. But freelancers, self-employed professionals, entrepreneurs and gig workers have to arrange their own cover. The challenge is not just paying for hospitalisation. A serious illness can also mean losing income at a time when medical expenses are rising.

For people with irregular earnings, health insurance therefore serves a dual purpose. It can help protect savings from a large medical bill while providing continuity of cover even when work or assignments change.

"For a gig worker, therefore, health insurance is not only about paying hospital bills. It is about protecting savings and reducing financial stress during a period when earn...