A gig economy is an economy where short-term and freelance jobs take more prominent space within the labor market, or a labor market system, over permanent jobs. People work as free-lancers, contractors, or outside workers on temporary jobs, projects, or assignments referred to as "gigs." Most of these gigs are gotten online or through smart phone apps that serve as online platforms that allow companies to easily hire or otherwise demand labor for a specific task or service. The gig economy becomes more important in the face of technological advancements, a change in work preferences, and an overall shift toward creating more flexible and on-demand workforces. It raises controversy, however, for job security, benefits, and workers' rights.

Key Ways the Gig Economy is Changing Insurance Needs:
1) Health Insurance
Issue: Generally, the health insurance product is not offered by employers to their gig workers. The gig workers will need to find individualized health plans.
Shift: The demand for flexible, affordable health insurance products that are easier to adapt to the variable, or spasmodic, income of the gig worker is emerging. Governments and companies are also doing new, emerging models for portable benefits.

Key Ways the Gig Economy is Changing Insurance Needs:
1) Health Insurance
Issue: Generally, the health insurance product is not offered by employers to their gig workers. The gig workers will need to find individualized health plans.
Shift: The demand for flexible, affordable health insurance products that are easier to adapt to the variable, or spasmodic, income of the gig worker is emerging. Governments and companies are also doing new, emerging models for portable benefits.

A gig economy is an economy where short-term and freelance jobs take more prominent space within the labor market, or a labor market system, over permanent jobs. People work as free-lancers, contractors, or outside workers on temporary jobs, projects, or assignments referred to as "gigs."