What is short-term health insurance?

• Short-term medical insurance is bridge healthcare coverage for individual temporarily in between permanent plans. All temp, short-term plans are indemnity (fee-for-service) plans.
• Short term plans last for a fixed period of time. This can be as short as 30 days or as long as six months. The policyholder selects the duration of temp coverage.
• Investing in temporary health insurance is a good idea if you are: 1) Temporarily out of work, 2) a new employee whose health benefits haven’t started, 3) losing dependent status on your parents’ health coverage, or 4) a recent college graduate.

Benefits of Individual Short Term Medical Coverage

• Short-term healthcare plans have low premiums.
• These temp insurance plans allow policyholders to choose their own doctor and specialists. As fee-for-service plans, they don’t require physician referrals or charge “out-of-network” penalties.

Tips to keep mind when evaluating personal short term health insurance:

• Although premiums are low, deductibles can be high.
• Benefits are limited and strict eligibility requirements apply. Specifically, you must be under 65, and preexisting conditions are not covered.
• Most policies are not renewable, so if your coverage runs out, you will need to apply for a new policy.
• Use the Internet to compare policies and request quotes. Often costs for similar plans from different carriers will vary.

Lastly, remember that temporary health insurance is just that–temporary. It is not a substitute for a permanent personal health plan.