Self-employed occupational healthcare in Finland

Editorial update 27.10.2026

A self-employed person’s own occupational healthcare is voluntary; arranging preventive care for employees is an employer obligation. Confirm your own status, insurance and entrepreneur reimbursement conditions separately from employee coverage. A founder pricing benefit does not determine Kela eligibility or sickness allowance.

Founder and employee decision table

Fictitious example: two founders and three employees

Three employees and two founders give five billable people in the current calculator. Basic is €179.60/month or €2,155.20 in 12-month recurring fees, before Kela, 0% VAT. When there are at least five employees, founders are free; the entrepreneur’s status and reimbursement route must still be confirmed separately. This is not a complete first-year bill: setup, assessment and usage items require the offer.

Arrange your own service without assuming employee rules

1. Tell the provider whether you need your own coverage, employee coverage or both, and confirm your actual status.
2. Describe work, locations, hours and workload factors rather than assumed health or age-based needs.
3. Agree prevention and optional medical care separately, including excluded services and fees.
4. Request separate entrepreneur and employer cost documentation where applicable.
5. Check the entrepreneur Kela conditions directly before assuming reimbursement.

Kela’s entrepreneur occupational-health guidance (Finnish) covers YEL/MYEL insurance, the written arrangement and separate category-specific ceilings. An entrepreneur applying personally without direct reimbursement must apply within six months after paying the costs. An employer-entrepreneur using the employer application follows that route’s timing and conditions. Confirm the applicable route with the provider. Check Kela’s current entrepreneur-specific ceilings before estimating your reimbursement.

Sickness absence and sustainable founder work

A consultation, assessment of inability to work, work-cover arrangements and a benefit decision are different matters. Do not assume an occupational-health subscription determines sickness-allowance eligibility or payment. Use Kela’s entrepreneur sickness-allowance guidance (Finnish) for your own circumstances, YEL allowance and required evidence.

For daily wellbeing, identify work that can be delegated, a backup role and ways to review workload and recovery. These are practical arrangements, not a treatment outcome claim. When recruiting, use small-company setup and contract review. View gross prices or request a quote.

Frequently asked questions

Is occupational healthcare compulsory for a sole entrepreneur?

Own occupational healthcare is voluntary. Hiring an employee creates a separate obligation to arrange that employee’s preventive care.

Does free founder coverage establish Kela eligibility?

No. StartHealth’s billing rule and entrepreneur reimbursement conditions concerning insurance, status and activity are separate.

When does the entrepreneur application period start?

An entrepreneur applying personally without direct reimbursement must apply within six months after paying the costs. An employer-entrepreneur using the employer application follows that route’s timing and conditions. Confirm the applicable route with the provider.

Does occupational healthcare guarantee sickness allowance?

No. Assessing inability to work and Kela’s benefit decision are separate. Check your circumstances against Kela’s entrepreneur sickness-allowance guidance.

What should a founder wellbeing preparation cover?

Workload factors, tasks to delegate, backup arrangements and a review method. A service package does not replace decisions about work organisation.

Sources and limitations

• Kela: organising occupational healthcare (Finnish)

• Kela: reimbursable occupational healthcare (Finnish)

• Finnish Institute of Occupational Health: planning (Finnish)

• Finnish Institute of Occupational Health: procuring services (Finnish) Official pages listed here checked 27 October 2026. Original editorial guidance, not individual legal or medical advice. Clinical review pending. Company examples are fictitious, not customer results.

• Kela: entrepreneur occupational health

• Kela: entrepreneur reimbursement application routes (Finnish)

• Kela: if an entrepreneur becomes ill

• Kela: sickness allowance, including YEL allowance Checked 27 October 2026.

Kela also allows an employer-entrepreneur to claim their own costs through the employer application alongside employee costs. Confirm the applicable route with the provider; the payment-based deadline for an individual entrepreneur claim does not describe every employer-entrepreneur arrangement.