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Short Term Health Insurance
Apply online for gap health coverage
Why Short Term?: Easier and quicker to apply for, usually costs less than permanent plans, ideal for gaps between permanent plans.
Period: Minimum 1 month, maximum 6 or 12 months depending on state law. Repurchase for another 6 or 12 months, if allowed by state law.
Choose Mode: Either pay month by month, or pay for the whole period at once (costs less than month by month but you need to know up front how long you need it for).
Choose from: 5 insurance companies, 8 plans.
Most other health insurance companies do not offer short term coverage. Availability varies by state.
Fast Issue:
If approved, short term health insurance can usually be in effect as soon as 12.01 AM of the day after the application is received by the health insurance company (done online or faxed), or the day after the postmark if mailed.
• After the insurance company's site opens, there will be a link to plan coverage information on the first or a following page, as well as quotes and an online application. You should read what is and is not covered.
• Short term health insurance does not cover any pre-existing conditions as defined by the insurer and allowed or specified by state law, e.g., anything diagnosed or treated prior to the effective date, usually the previous 12 months, but may be up to 5 years in some plans.
• Short term policies are typically designed to be temporary catastrophic coverage. Usually, you don't get any co-pays for doctor visits or prescriptions. Like other medical expenses in a short term policy, they are paid after you have first paid your chosen policy deductible.
• A pregnant woman or expectant father is not eligible for a short term policy, in most/all states.
• In some states, you can apply for up to three consecutive 12 month periods, so if approved, coverage could extend for up to three years.
• If your answers to the application questions result in an approval, you should recieve an email confirming your policy issue within an hour or two, if not minutes.
• If previously declined for insurance for health reasons, and the condition is still present, try this
• If short term coverage is not available in your state, apply for continuous coverage ('long term' or 'permanent' health insurance) as a substitute. Since continuous coverage is month to month, it can also be used for the short term if necessary.
HCC Life STM
Available in: AL, AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, DC, IA, IL, IN, KY, LA, ME, MI, MO, MS, NE, NH, NV, NM, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TX, UT, VA, WV, WI, WY.
• Urgent Care Center $50 copay, not subject to deductible!
(does not apply to emergency room treatment at a hospital - which is subject to deductible)
• Application does not ask for prior U.S. residency or for a Social Security number.
• A prior denial for health insurance does not cause a decline on the HCC Life short term application.
Read the "Review Coverage" summary before applying because certain procedures are not covered e.g., total or partial hysterectomy, unless it is medically necessary due to a diagnosis of carcinoma, tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, sinus surgery, etc.
Insurer: HCC Life Insurance Company rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best (checked 4-2009).
AAIC — Horizons
Available in: AK, AR, AZ, CO, DE, DC, FL, GA, IL, IA, IN, KY, MD, MI, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NM, NV, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI, WV AND WY.
• There is no question in the application that refers to prior denial for insurance for health reasons.
• Optional accident rider (designed to reduce your out-of-pocket cost for treatment of accidental injury).
Insurer: American Alternative Insurance Company rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best (checked 4-2009).
Assurant Health® maximum benefit $2 million
Available in: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, UT, TX, UT, VA, WV, WI, WY.
• In the application, the question "... been denied insurance due to any health reasons that are still present?" limits the disqualifying extent of prior denials.
• Optional riders - Accident Medical Expense (designed to reduce your out-of-pocket cost for treatment of accidental injury), Dental-Vision Savings, and Term Life Insurance
A Lower Priced Plan - HEALTHSAVERsmGet quotes - Apply
This plan has a lifetime maximum benefit of $100,000 which allows it to have a premium approximately 28% lower than the Assurant plan in the box above.
• Optional Dental-Vision Savings rider
Insurer: Assurant Health is the brand name for products underwritten and issued by Time Insurance Company rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best (checked 4-2009).
HPA — Secure STM
Available in: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, WV, WI, WY.
• In the application, the question "Has any person applying for coverage been declined for health insurance for a condition that is still present?", limits the disqualifying extent of prior denials. The application requires 12 months of legal U.S residency.
Read the coverage limitations (look for the link to Plan Details above the quote results). Items not covered may include: Participation in school or organized competitive sports or any high risk sport, over-the-counter medications and prescription drugs, surgeries such as hysterectomy (except for carcinoma), tonsillectomy, mental or nervous disorders, etc.
Prescription coverage is offered as a separate purchase.
A Lower Priced Plan — Secure Lite STMGet quotes - Apply
This is a limited benefit plan. There are maximum benefits for most/all medical services. Please read the Plan Details - look for the link above the quote results.
For both plans:
Pre-existing conditions not covered "includes any condition or complication that was treated or produced symptoms five years prior to your STM effective date" unless limited to a lesser period by state law (see Plan Details link in quote results).
Insurer: Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best (checked 4-2009).
Secure 12X3 STM
Up to 3 years of coverage in the following states: AL, AR, AZ, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, IL, MO, NE, NM, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, WI, WY.
• May be ideal for anyone in their 60's needing coverage until Medicare eligibility or for some applicants who cannot currently qualify for a permanent plan but do qualify for this one until permanent coverage is available.
• Optional Supplemental Accident Benefit
• In the application, the question "Has any person applying for coverage been declined for health insurance for a condition that is still present?", limits the disqualifying extent of prior denials. The application requires 12 months of legal U.S residency.
Read the coverage limitations (look for the link on the quote page). Items not covered may include: Participation in school or organized competitive sports or any high risk sport, over-the-counter medications and prescription drugs, surgeries such as hysterectomy (except for carcinoma), tonsillectomy, mental or nervous disorders, etc.
Pre-existing conditions not covered "includes any condition or complication that was treated or produced symptoms five years prior to your STM effective date" unless limited to a lesser period by state law.
Insurer: Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best (checked 4-2009).
Celtic Insurance Company
Available in: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NE, NM, NV, OH, OK, PA, TN, TX, VA, WI, WV, WY
• There is no question in the application that refers to prior denial for insurance for health reasons.
• Application requires Social Security number and 2 years U.S. residence.
Insurer: Celtic Insurance Company rated B++ (Good) by A.M. Best (checked 4-2009).
Short Term Health Insurance Quotes:
IF YOU HAVE BEEN DECLINED for health insurance for health reasons and the condition is still present (even if under control), try HCC Life, Celtic, or AAIC - Horizons which do not decline a short term application because of a prior decline for health insurance.
A second policy is not a renewal of the first, but is a new application for a new policy. In our experience, if any claims are made on the first policy, an application for a second policy would likely be declined by the same insurer.
However, provided no uninsurable condition has developed, another insurer may issue another short term policy. Some states may have limits on how many times you can immediately reapply for short term coverage.
NOTICE DISCLAIMER: The information on this page is merely a preliminary guide, is not comprehensive, and may have changed and is now inaccurate. See coverage description on the insurer page which appears when you click on the link, or in the brochure and policy for current coverage and more detail. Items listed above as items not covered are not the complete list of such items.
Licensing: The producer licences in AK, DE, DC, HI, ND, SD, MT, RI, VT, and WY will expire at various times and will not be renewed. At that time you may still be able to apply starting here but the producer in "Insurance Licensee" below will not be the producer of record (agent or broker) for you in those states.