What life insurance do Nevada independent contractors and 1099 workers need?

Nevada has a large independent contractor workforce — across construction, real estate, entertainment, technology, and the gig economy. Independent contractors and 1099 workers do not receive employer-sponsored group benefits, making individual life insurance planning entirely their own responsibility.

Without an employer: there is no group life insurance, no automatic enrollment, and no payroll deduction option. The contractor must proactively establish individual coverage through a licensed agent.

Coverage calculation: 1099 income can be variable. Coverage amounts are typically based on the average of 2–3 years of documented income from tax returns rather than a single year. Schedule C or Schedule SE income, for sole proprietors, is used to document the insurable economic interest.

Nevada state contractor licensing: Nevada's State Contractors Board licenses contractors across trades. Life insurance does not factor into licensing, but professional liability and bond requirements sometimes prompt contractors to review all of their financial protection at the same time — an ideal moment to add life coverage.

Tax deductibility: self-employed contractors cannot directly deduct personal life insurance premiums as a business expense. However, if coverage is structured as a business key person policy (with the business as owner and beneficiary), different rules may apply. Consult a tax advisor.

Nevada independent contractors can work with agents in our network to establish individual coverage from A-rated (A.M. Best) carriers. Actual premiums vary by carrier, age, health status, and coverage amount.