Special enrollment in workers' accident compensation insurance has 4 categories; freelancers eligible since November 2024 (Reiwa 6)An injury insurance that company owners and one-man contractors can join too
Special enrollment in workers' accident compensation insurance covers four categories: owners of small and medium-sized businesses, sole proprietors such as one-man contractors (hitori oyakata), specified workers, and workers dispatched overseas. Since November 1, 2024 (Reiwa 6), freelancers have also been eligible. Applying through e-Gov's electronic application service is recommended.
- ○Applies: Owners of small and medium-sized businesses: eligible
- ○Applies: Sole proprietors such as one-man contractors: eligible
- ○Applies: Specified workers: eligible
- ○Applies: Workers dispatched overseas: eligible
- ○Applies: Freelancers: eligible since November 1, 2024 (Reiwa 6)
Key points
- The four categories are owners of small and medium-sized businesses, sole proprietors such as one-man contractors, specified workers, and workers dispatched overseas
- Since November 1, 2024 (Reiwa 6), freelancers have been eligible for special enrollment
- Electronic application is recommended for enrollment, and the procedure can be found by entering "special enrollment" in e-Gov's procedure search
- Changes to the basic daily benefit amount can also be applied for electronically, and paper forms can be downloaded
- The special enrollment premium rate table applying from November 1, 2024 (Reiwa 6) is published on the page
What to do in practice
- Check which category you fall under, and confirm the enrolling organization and where to apply
- Check the premium in the premium rate table
Workers' accident compensation insurance, which helps when you get hurt on the job, normally protects people who are employed by a company. But there is a special way for people who are not employed, such as company owners and one-man contractors, to join if they meet the rules. Freelancers have also been able to join since November 2024.
- 1. Owners of small companies, etc.Owners of small and medium-sized businesses
- 2. One-man contractors, etc.Self-employed people
- 3. People doing certain kinds of workSpecified workers
- 4. People working overseasWorkers dispatched overseas
Points
- People who are not employed can sometimes join in a special way
- The people who can join are split into 4 groups
- You can also do the paperwork over the internet
What the words mean
- Workers' accident compensation insurance
- Insurance that helps when you get hurt or sick at work or while commuting
- Special enrollment
- A special way for people who are not employed to join
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW): MHLW: Special Enrollment in Workers' Accident Compensation Insurance
This article summarizes and explains materials published by government agencies and is not advice on any individual case. Rules can change, so for actual procedures and decisions always check the latest original materials and consult professionals such as tax accountants or labor and social security attorneys. English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese versions are translations prepared from the Japanese articles for convenience. If anything differs, the Japanese text and the original source take precedence.