All about the social protection of the individual entrepreneur
Verified 08 January 2026 - Entreprendre Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
As an individual entrepreneur, you can benefit from social protection by paying social security contributions. This protection includes health insurance rights, maternity/paternity insurance, retirement.
What applies to you ?
You are engaged in a craft or commercial activity
In case of sick leave, you can benefit of daily allowances if you meet certain conditions.
In particular, you must have been affiliated to the Social Security of the Self-Employed for your activity for at least 12 months without interruption. This means that you need to be attached to the self-employed social security in order for it to manage your basic health insurance benefits.
On the other hand, you cannot benefit from the daily allowances during the first 3 days of stoppage: this is the waiting period.
The amount of your daily allowances is calculated based on your annual income from work up to €48,060. For each sick day, you receive an allowance equal to your annual income divided by 730. If your annual income exceeds €48,060then your daily allowances are equal to €65.84.
Example :
You get sick on November 13, you can no longer work and you meet all the conditions for daily allowances. If you are on sick leave from 13 November to 25 November, you will receive daily allowances from 16 November. They are then paid until the end of your work stoppage (November 25).
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Maternity
When you stop work as part of a maternity leave, you can collect daily allowances and a lump-sum maternity rest allowance if you meet certain conditions.
In particular, you must be affiliated to the Social Security for at least 6 months on the expected date of your birth. You will be able to benefit from your allowances and the lump sum allowance for at least 8 weeks while you are not working.
The lump-sum maternity rest allowance shall be paid in 2 times : half to start of maternity leave and the other half to the end of the mandatory period of cessation of activity (8 weeks including 6 weeks after delivery). It is equal to €4,005.
The daily allowances are paid each day of maternity leave. They are up to a maximum amount €65.84.
Paternity
If you decide to take paternity leave within 6 months of the birth of your child, you can receive a flat-rate daily allowance. Its amount is €65.84 per day. However, when your income is less than €4,582per year, your benefits are reduced to 10% of the usual amount.
You must be affiliated to social security for your self-employment since at least 6 months at the expected date of delivery or at the start of your paternity leave.
Your health insurance plan does not compensate accidents at work or occupational diseases. You can, however, benefit from the coverage of your healthcare costs as is the case in the case of illness.
You can subscribe to a voluntary and individual AT/MP insurance against the risk of work accidents and occupational diseases with your health insurance fund. Voluntary AT/MP insurance is also open to collaborating spouses who are regularly employed in the company of their spouse without receiving remuneration.
As a self-employed worker, you contribute for your retirement it doesn't matter how much you earn.
If you don't have a turnover or the turnover is low, you still have to pay a minimum contribution equal to €960. This allows you to validate at least 3 quarters of retirement per year.
As a self-employed person, when you involuntarily cease your activity, you can benefit under certain conditions from a Allowance for self-employed persons (ATI) paid by France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi).
Its amount is between €19.73 and €26.30 per day.
The allowance shall be paid for a maximum period of 182 days.
You are a liberal
In case of sick leave, you can benefit Daily Allowance (DI) if you meet certain conditions.
You must be affiliated to the Social Security of the self-employed for your activity since at least 12 months without interruption. This means that you must be attached to the Social Security of the Self-Employed in order for it to manage your basic health insurance benefits.
The total duration of the shutdown may not exceed 90 days.
On the other hand, you will not be able to benefit from the daily allowances during the first 3 days of stopping: this is the waiting period.
The amount of your daily allowances is calculated based on your annual income from work up to €144,180. You can receive an allowance equal to your average annual income divided by 730 per sick day. If your annual income exceeds €144,180then your daily allowances are equal to €197.50.
Example :
You get sick on November 13, you can no longer work and you meet all the conditions for daily allowances. If you are on sick leave from 13 November to 25 November, you will receive daily allowances from 16 November. They are then paid until the end of your work stoppage (November 25).
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Maternity
When you stop work as part of a maternity leave, you can collect daily allowances and a lump-sum maternity rest allowance if you meet certain conditions.
In particular, you must be affiliated to social security for at least 6 months on the expected date of your birth. You will be able to benefit from your allowances and the lump sum allowance for at least 8 weeks while you are not working.
The lump-sum maternity rest allowance shall be paid in 2 times : half of the start of maternity leave and the other half to the end of the mandatory period of cessation of activity (8 weeks including 6 weeks after delivery). It is equal to €4,005.
The daily allowances are paid each day of maternity leave. They are up to a maximum amount €65.84.
Améli.fr provides you with a simulator to find out about your daily allowances.
Paternity
If you decide to take paternity leave within 6 months of the birth of your child, you can receive a flat-rate daily allowance. Its amount is €65.84 per day. However, when your income is less than €4,582 per year, your benefits are reduced to 10% of the usual amount.
You must be affiliated to social security for your self-employment since at least 6 months at the expected date of delivery or at the start of your paternity leave.
Your health insurance plan does not take into account the risk of accidents at work or occupational diseases. You can, however, benefit from the coverage of your healthcare costs as is the case in the case of illness.
You can subscribe to a voluntary and individual AT/MP insurance against the risk of work accidents and occupational diseases with your health insurance fund. Voluntary AT/MP insurance is also available to collaborating spouses who are regularly employed in the company of their partner without receiving any remuneration.
As a self-employed worker, you contribute for your retirement it doesn't matter how much you earn.
If you do not have a turnover or it is low, you must still pay a minimum contribution equal to €540. This allows you to validate at least 3 quarters of retirement per year.
As a self-employed person when you involuntarily cease your activity and fulfill certain conditions you can benefit from a Allowance for self-employed persons (ATI) paid by France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi).
Its amount is between €19.73 and €26.30 per day.
The allowance is paid for a maximum period of 182 days.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
Unemployment benefits
France LaborSickness, maternity and paternity
AmeliRetirement
Regional Pension Fund (Cnav, Carsat, CGSS or CSS)Retirement
Old-age insurance scheme for the liberal professions
By mail
cnavpl.info@cnavpl.fr
or
https://www.cnavpl.fr/contact/
By post
102 rue de Miromesnil - 75008 Paris
By phone
+33 (0)1 44 95 01 50
By fax
+33 (0)1 45 61 91 37
Health insurance, maternity
Old-age insurance
Liberal professions
National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)
National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)
National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)
National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)
France Labor