How does TPD insurance work if I'm self-employed?

TPD insurance for self-employed individuals works similarly to employed people but with important differences. Self-employed people often need TPD more critically because they have no employer sick leave, disability benefits, or workers' compensation in many cases. When applying for TPD insurance while self-employed, you'll need to provide evidence of income through tax returns, business financial statements, and accountant letters. Coverage amounts should reflect your business income plus the value of lost business equity or business closure costs. For 'Own Occupation' policies, the definition applies to your self-employed role - if you're a plumber and can no longer perform plumbing duties, you may qualify even if you could do office work. For 'Any Occupation' policies, you must prove you can't do any work suited to your skills and experience, which is more difficult. Self-employed individuals may face higher premiums due to perceived income instability or higher risk occupations. Claim evidence is more complex - you need to demonstrate not just that you can't perform your work duties, but that you've actually ceased business operations due to disability. Insurers scrutinize self-employed claims more heavily, often conducting surveillance to ensure you're not continuing work in limited capacity. If you employ others, the question becomes whether you can continue in a management/supervisory role, which could defeat Any Occupation claims. Consider 'Business Expenses' insurance alongside TPD to cover ongoing costs while disabled.