4 Best Short-Term Health Insurance Companies (2024)
UnitedHealthcare has the best overall short-term health insurance, but Pivot Health is the cheapest option for most people.
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Best short-term health insurance companies
UnitedHealthcare (UHC): Best overall
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Editor rating:
- Monthly rate: $222
UHC short-term plans are flexible and have good coverage.
Pros
Cons
UnitedHealthcare has several levels of temporary health insurance coverage, which lets you pick the option that fits your medical needs and budget.
- Value Direct
- Value
- Plus
- Copay
- Plus Elite
- Premier Elite
Value Direct has the least amount of coverage and the cheapest rates, on average, while the Copay and the two Elite options have the most coverage and the highest average rates.
The Value Direct plan only covers up to $500,000 of your medical bills, while the Copay and Elite options cover up to $2 million. Within each plan tier, you can choose how much you pay before coverage kicks in, called a deductible.
All the plans cover prescription medications and some types of preventive care. For example, if you need a mammogram or prostate exam, your plan will cover it.
UnitedHealthcare short-term plans require you to go to certain doctors and hospitals. But 1.8 million doctors and 7,200 hospitals and medical offices take UnitedHealthcare insurance, so you can probably find medical care in your area.
UnitedHealthcare lets you cancel your policy at any time, without a fee. If you're not sure how long you need short-term insurance for, UnitedHealthcare could be a good option. The plans are underwritten by Golden Rule Insurance, which has a reputation for good customer service.
UnitedHealthcare sells short-term health insurance in 29 states:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Pivot: Cheapest short-term health insurance
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Editor rating:
- Monthly rate: $163
Pivot Health has cheap rates, which makes it great if you're on a budget.
Pros
Cons
Pivot Health sells affordable short-term health insurance plans, and the coverage is still good.
Pivot sells seven different short-term plans:
- Economy
- Choice
- Standard
- Deluxe
- SureCare
- Epic
- Quantum
Pivot sells plans with up to $1 million in total coverage and deductibles that range from $1,000 to $20,000.
You can get quotes online, and the website lets you filter by several different features, including the plan name, deductible, coverage limit and extra features. Depending on where you live and the plan you choose, you might be able to add coverage for things like birth control and prescription medications.
But the Pivot SureCare and Quantum plans require you to get approval before you get some treatments. And while most of the plans let you see any doctor, the Quantum plan requires you to go to certain doctors to get the most out of your coverage.
Pivot Health sells short-term plans in 32 states:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Arizona
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Pivot Health currently sells temporary plans in Illinois, but the state is banning the sale of short-term plans as of Jan. 1, 2025.
Everest: Most unique medical benefits
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Editor rating:
- Monthly rate: $192
Everest plans have the best coverage, with coverage for mental health and home health care.
Pros
Cons
Everest's short-term health insurance plan is called FlexTerm, and it offers comprehensive medical coverage for a temporary plan.
You'll pay $50 if you go to your doctor for a wellness visit, and your plan will pay the rest. And Everest has coverage for mental health care and substance abuse disorders. The coverage is limited, but it's still a type of coverage that many short-term plans don't offer. But Everest doesn't cover prescription medications unless you take them in a doctor's office or hospital during a covered visit.
A big benefit of an Everest FlexTerm policy is that you can see any doctor and go to any hospital. Unlike some other companies, you don't have to use a certain network of doctors. That makes it easier to go to the doctor and get medical care.
When you buy an Everest FlexTerm policy, you'll first choose your deductible amount from five options:
- $1,000
- $2,500
- $5,000
- $7,500
- $10,000
The lower your deductible, the higher your monthly rate. But with lower deductibles, you get to pay less toward your medical bills before your health insurance starts paying out.
After you choose your deductible, you'll choose the percentage of your medical bills that you'll pay after you meet your deductible. This is called your coinsurance level. Everest FlexTerm plans have four coinsurance levels to choose from.
- 50/50
- 70/30
- 80/20
- 100/0
The first number is the percentage of your medical bills that the plan pays, and the second number is the percentage that you pay. So with a 70/30 plan, your plan pays 70% of your covered medical bills, after you reach your deductible, and you pay 30%. If you want a cheaper plan, choose 50/50 coinsurance, as long as you can afford to pay that much of your medical bills.
You will also choose how much you could pay in total medical bills, between $2,000 and $5,000. If you reach that point, called your out-of-pocket maximum, your plan will pay your bills in full. Finally, you'll choose the maximum payout amount, between $250,000 and $1,500,000. This is the maximum amount your plan will pay for your medical bills.
Everest FlexTerm plans are available in 24 states:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Everest currently sells short-term medical plans in Illinois. But Illinois is banning the sale of short-term plans as of Jan. 1, 2025.
Allstate Health: Best if you have health issues
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Editor rating:
- Monthly rate: $288
Allstate Health is a good option if you have health issues.
Pros
Cons
If you have health problems, Allstate Health could be a good option. The company sells a type of plan that you can get even if you have serious health conditions.
Allstate Health, which used to be called National General, sells four types of short-term plans.
- Essentials
- Enhanced
- Copay Enhanced
- Guaranteed-Issue
Allstate Health's guaranteed issue plans are unique. Even if you have health problems, you can buy one of these plans. Most other companies won't sell plans to people who have health problems. However, guaranteed-issue plans tend to be expensive.
Allstate's short-term plans require you to use certain doctors and hospitals to get the most out of your plan. Depending on the state, Allstate's short-term plans either use Aetna's network or Cigna's, which are both fairly large. You can go outside the network, but your plan won't pay as much for your medical care.
Allstate Health's short-term plans can be a convenient option if you already have home or car insurance with the company. But people who don't have health issues can find cheaper and better coverage elsewhere.
Allstate Health sells short-term plans in 32 states:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
In Illinois, you can get a short-term plan from Allstate Health until the end of 2024. Illinois is banning the sale of short-term health starting Jan. 1, 2025.
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How much does short-term health insurance cost?
Short-term health insurance costs $224 per month, on average, if you're healthy.
Short-term plans usually cost less than traditional health insurance policies. Your rates will depend on where you live, what company you pick, how old you are and how many people you want your plan to cover.
Short-term health insurance rates also depend on your overall health, unlike regular health insurance plans that you buy from HealthCare.gov or a state marketplace.
If you have health issues, you'll probably pay more for a short-term plan, and you might even be denied coverage. And depending on the company and plan, your preexisting conditions might not be covered. That's because temporary health insurance doesn't have to follow the same rules as Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans.
Monthly cost for a short-term health insurance plan
Minimal coverage
Moderate coverage
Good coverage
Company | Rating | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| UHC | $130 | |
| Pivot Health | $133 | |
| Everest | $157 | |
| Allstate (National General) | $222 |
Rates for a plan with a $10,000 deductible and a $1 million maximum policy benefit.
Minimal coverage
Company | Rating | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| UHC | $130 | |
| Pivot Health | $133 | |
| Everest | $157 | |
| Allstate (National General) | $222 |
Rates for a plan with a $10,000 deductible and a $1 million maximum policy benefit.
Moderate coverage
Company | Rating | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Pivot Health | $163 | |
| Everest | $192 | |
| UHC | $222 | |
| Allstate (National General) | $288 |
Rates for a plan with a $5,000 deductible and a $1 million maximum policy benefit.
Good coverage
Company | Rating | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Pivot Health | $230 | |
| Everest | $239 | |
| UHC | $278 | |
| Allstate (National General) | $428 |
Rates for a plan with a $2,500 deductible and a $1 million maximum policy benefit.
What is short-term health insurance?
Short-term health insurance gives you limited medical coverage for up to four months.
Also called temporary health insurance, short-term health insurance is best for when you have gaps between regular health insurance plans. Plans usually have a cap on how much they'll cover, like $250,000 or $1 million in total medical bills. If your bills go beyond that amount during your policy, you have to pay for the rest yourself.
Short-term plans don't have to follow the same rules that many other health insurance plans do. For example, short-term health doesn't have to give you coverage for prescriptions like plans from HealthCare.gov do. If you buy a temporary health insurance plan, check the plan details so you know what's covered and what's not.
Unlike traditional health insurance plans, short-term health plans can raise your rates or deny you an insurance policy based on your health. If you have health issues, it might be better to get a plan from HealthCare.gov or your state's marketplace site.
Short-term health insurance laws changed in 2024. Plans can now only last up to three months at a time, and you can only extend the plan for one month. That gives you a total of four months of coverage, so you can't bridge a year between regular health insurance plans.
Pros and cons of short-term medical insurance
Pros
Cons
Short-term health insurance by state
Your temporary health insurance options depend on where you live.
In some states, you can buy coverage for one or more companies. In others, you can't buy a plan either because no companies sell in that state or because the state bans short-term medical insurance.
Where you can get short-term plans
Where you can't get short-term plans
Where plans are banned
You can buy short-term health insurance in 35 states.
In Delaware, Maryland and Oregon, short-term plans have tighter restrictions. Nationally, plans can last up to a total of four months. But in these three states, plans are shorter.
Where you can get short-term plans
You can buy short-term health insurance in 35 states.
In Delaware, Maryland and Oregon, short-term plans have tighter restrictions. Nationally, plans can last up to a total of four months. But in these three states, plans are shorter.
Where you can't get short-term plans
In 10 states and Washington, D.C., short-term health insurance is allowed, but no companies currently sell plans.
Where plans are banned
In four states, short-term health insurance plans are banned by law.
Illinois will ban the sale of short-term health insurance starting in 2025.
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Should I get short-term health insurance?
If you need coverage to fill a gap until you can find a longer-term health insurance option, a short-term plan might be a good option. But the plans don't give you very good coverage, so make sure you have savings in the bank to pay for your share of medical bills. You might be able to get a traditional health insurance plan that is still cheap and has better coverage than a short-term plan.
You might want to consider short-term health insurance you:
- Are waiting for employer health insurance
- Lost your job
- Don't qualify for COBRA insurance
- Missed open enrollment
- Don't qualify for a special enrollment period (SEP)
- Need coverage before Medicare begins
- Need coverage only during the school year
- Dropped off a parent's plan
Alternatives to short-term health insurance
If you need coverage but don't want a short-term plan, you could consider COBRA, if you can get it, or private health insurance.
Short-term health insurance can be a good option for some people, but it doesn't give you the same level of coverage that you get from more traditional health insurance plans.
COBRA insurance
COBRA insurance lets you keep the health insurance you had with your job when you leave, are fired or retire. You can sign up for COBRA within 60 days of leaving your job.
COBRA can last up to a year and a half after you leave, but it can go up to three years in some cases. But you have to pay the full cost for the plan, and it's usually more expensive than buying a marketplace plan.
Private health insurance
You can buy private health insurance on HealthCare.gov, your state's marketplace website or directly from an insurance company. The plans have much better coverage than short-term insurance.
- You have to qualify to sign up outside open enrollment. You have to qualify to sign up for health insurance outside of the Nov. 1 to Jan. 15 window, called open enrollment. If you've lost your job, aged off your parents' plan, recently moved to had another life change, you probably qualify to shop for a new policy.
- You can cancel at any time. You can cancel a private health insurance plan whenever you need to without a fee. So if you only need coverage for a few weeks or months, it's still an option.
- The coverage is good. All plans have to include coverage for at least 10 essential medical situations, including treatment for preexisting conditions, mental health care, pregnancy and prescriptions.
- Plans can be affordable. Cheap health insurance plans can cost less than $400 per month for a basic plan with full benefits. And many people qualify for discounts on their monthly rates.
Frequently asked questions
Should I buy short-term insurance?
Short-term health insurance can be good if you only need coverage for up to four months. If you buy a plan, you should make sure you have savings in the bank for your share of the medical bills, and to pay for things that aren't covered. But temporary health insurance isn't the best coverage you can buy. You can often get a plan from HealthCare.gov that has better coverage and is just as cheap, especially if you qualify for rate discounts. And you can still cancel the plan at any time without a fee.
What does short-term insurance not cover?
Short-term health insurance usually doesn't cover prescription medications, vision or dental care, mental health care or maternity care. You also likely don't have coverage for any medical care related to a condition or issue you had before the plan started. But each plan is different, so it's important to read your paperwork to know what is and isn't covered.
Is short-term insurance expensive?
Temporary health insurance costs $224 per month, on average, for someone who is 40 years old and healthy. You can expect to pay more if you're older, want more coverage or have health issues.
Methodology
ValuePenguin’s ratings of the best short-term health insurance companies are based on four factors: cost, policy flexibility, financial strength of the company and unique value.
- Our experts determined costs by viewing policies offered by each insurer and comparing the monthly rates for a 40-year-old male in Austin, Texas, to determine which was the cheapest. We found that the cheapest was not necessarily the best short-term insurer in many scenarios.
- We used financial strength and National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Complaint Index data for individual accident and health lines of business, and focused on companies’ ability to pay claims and their history of interactions with customers.
- We viewed policy flexibility as an important factor, especially for short-term plans, since these policies are mostly used for bridges in coverage.
Editorial note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.