Individual Coverage

Health coverage you buy yourself is called individual coverage. The laws that regulate individual plans are different from the laws that regulate group plans.

Rachel’s employer switched plans, but she and Josh wanted to keep their doctors. “So we applied for individual coverage with our current plan. I was accepted but Josh wasn’t, because he had a pre-existing condition. So we decided to enroll in our employer’s new plan.”

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Topics on this page

• Compare individual and group coverage
• Applying for individual coverage
• Pre-existing conditions and individual coverage
• Know your rights

Compare individual and group coverage

Many insurance companies sell individual health coverage. However, it may cost you more and offer you fewer benefits than a group plan. For example, many individual plans do not offer prescription drug coverage or coverage for pregnancy. It is usually better to get health coverage through a group if you can.

Applying for individual coverage

You usually have to fill out an application that asks many questions about your health history. The insurance company reviews your application to make sure that the company does not insure too many people who are likely to need expensive care.

Pre-existing conditions and individual coverage

If you have a pre-existing condition, such as diabetes or heart disease, you may not be able to get individual coverage, or you may have to pay more for it.

Know your rights

There are laws that protect your right to buy individual coverage if you have had a group health plan. There are also laws to prevent certain kinds of discrimination when you buy individual insurance. Learn more about your rights to get individual insurance.

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