Obtain Immediate Health Insurance Coverage   by Mell Calhoun

in Health    (submitted 2012-02-02)

Sometimes households find themselves in unforeseen circumstances that result in an abrupt end to their insurance coverage. If this happens, families often need to find new insurance coverage instantly in order to pay for regular expenses, such as prescription drugs.

It can, though, take several weeks for families to find a private insurance policy that fits their needs, and time is often short. Fortunately, there are short-term insurance policies that are ideal for situations in which a standard policy in unexpectedly cancelled. This form of coverage generally begins at midnight the day after the application was submitted. Short-term health insurance policies can be wonderful in certain circumstances, but there is still information you should research prior to applying.

Most insurance companies take two to three days to process an application for traditional insurance before informing the applicant if he or she was approved or denied. Often, the company wants to verify information provided on your application with your doctors. Corroborating your medical history with your physicians aids in determining your insurance premium. If discrepancies are found on your application, you may be denied insurance coverage entirely. All of these components work together to create the sometimes lengthy wait for an insurance company to give you their decision about conventional health insurance coverage.

The application process for short term health insurance coverage, however, is much less complex; the applicant need only successfully complete a brief medical history questionnaire in order to be approved. The questions are typically presented in a straightforward manner, and you should expect a portion in which you are read a list of health problems and must tell the representative if you suffer from any of them. If you suffer from any of the problems on the list, you will automatically be denied coverage. If you do not suffer from any of the health problems listed, though, you will automatically receive coverage.

Oftentimes, you will find that short term health insurance coverage has a higher deductible than conventional policies; be sure to find out your deductible when you sign-up for a short term policy. Short term health insurance policies have a stipulation that they must be active for at least thirty days before they can be cancelled. After the initial month, however, you are free to close the policy at any time for any reason. You must also keep in mind that affordable family health insurance policies usually expire after six months, so you need to obtain new standard coverage before that time period has ended. Short term health insurance plans can be a useful option for people who have abruptly lost coverage, are between jobs, or are experiencing other unforeseen circumstances, but they are not a replacement for family health insurance.

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