Divorce and Health Insurance:

One of the last things that people think about when they are getting a divorce is their health insurance. If you have joint health insurance with your spouse, this will be affected by your change in marital status. Dependants can further complicate the issue. If you are going through a divorce, here are some helpful tips to help you transition your health insurance.

1. Go through all of your existing policies. If you have only one health insurance policy, this will be easier, but spouses with more than one policy will need to carefully go through each one to determine what level of coverage they currently have, how the policy affects them and what protocol will need to be followed to change or cancel the policy. This should also include other insurance policy's you may have, such as automobile, life insurance, property insurance and any other policies you may hold.

2. Pick the best policy for your needs. Once you have gone through all of your existing policies, you can then determine which ones benefit you the most. You may to consider your change in income during this process, especially if a policy has a high monthly premium.

3. Figure out how your dependants will be covered. If you and your spouse are sharing the insurance needs for your dependants, you may each decide to have them covered with separate policies. However, if one spouse is to bear this burden solely, you will need to make sure that the policy will be effective and decide how best to implement your decision.

If both spouses will be providing insurance, you will then need to decide who will carry the primary policy. This will cut down on confusion should an emergency happen and one of your dependants needs to have medical care.

4. Start making decisions for any additional insurance needs. Now that you have gone through the first three steps, you will have a better idea of what areas are lacking in your current coverage. You may need to purchase additional policies to make sure that you can maintain your current level of insurance.

If you have coverage under your spouse's health plan and do not have coverage of your own, you may be able to qualify for COBRA coverage until you can set up your own policy. This is helpful during the transition to your new single life. If you cannot get COBRA, there are several different types of short-term coverage health insurance plans that can help you bridge the gap.

Even though this is a difficult time and health insurance may not be at the forefront of your concerns, it should be. You do not want to get caught unawares and face added costs of necessary health care on top of your current problems. By keeping a level head and following the above tips, you will be able to make an informed decision on the future of your health care.

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