Should I Stay In An Unhappy Marriage In Order To Keep My Health Insurance Coverage In Florida?

Health insurance can be complicated to figure out, but it’s also necessary to avoid financial ruin, as well as legally required. If you are in an unhappy marriage, and truly the only reason you do not want to divorce is because you want to remain on your spouse’s insurance plan, there are other steps you can take to find coverage post-divorce.

The first thing you should do is plan for health insurance before you get divorced. You will most likely be dealing with a lot of issues all at once during and after your divorce, and if you don’t plan ahead you may find yourself without coverage or paying very high premiums. There are also very limited open enrollment periods, which are narrow windows of time during which you have to apply for insurance. While you are planning, you also need to assume that your health insurance costs will increase five percent a year when making a budget.

Also, you need to look at all of your options before you make a decision. After your divorce, you will be eligible for COBRA coverage, which means you can stay on your spouse’s plan for three years after a divorce. However, you will have to pay the full amount of the premiums. You may actually be able to find a more affordable option that is better for you if you start planning early.

Finally, seek help. If you can’t get health insurance easily from your employer, call an independent health insurance broker. The broker can help work with you to find the coverage you need at an affordable price. This can take a lot of the burden off of you.