Best Short-Term Health Insurance in Delaware (2024)


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The normal duration of short-term health insurance is one year, but the coverage duration may range from a few weeks to more than a year. Since it is not ACA-compliant, it frequently excludes coverage for fundamental medical services.

Short-term health insurance fills in any brief gaps in coverage that may arise if someone forgets to sign up during open enrollment or is between jobs. Insurance providers have the right to refuse candidates with extensive medical histories or pre-existing diseases.

UnitedHealthcare and Companion Life Insurance Company — with scores of 85 and 78, respectively — offer the best short-term health insurance in Delaware. The top temporary health insurance, though, combines affordability with personalized coverage.

Remember, market-based plans with essential medical benefits are more advisable than temporary health insurance. You might be able to locate a market plan with coverage superior to a short-term plan at a comparable price by researching subsidies.

Key Takeaways

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For short-term health insurance in Delaware, UnitedHealthcare stands out as the best overall provider with a MoneyGeek score of 85. It offers an optimal balance of affordability with personalized coverage, making it suitable for individuals between jobs or in need of temporary coverage. The runner-up, Companion Life Insurance Company, provides competitive options with slightly higher monthly premiums and a broader selection of plans. While both options have relatively high out-of-pocket maximums, UnitedHealthcare provides the cheapest short-term plan with an average MOOP of $11,321. It's crucial, however, to consider the balance between premiums and potential out-of-pocket costs when selecting a plan.

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The cheapest short-term health insurance in Delaware is provided by UnitedHealthcare, with an average MOOP of $11,321. Despite the lower premiums, be aware of potential high out-of-pocket costs, ensuring the plan meets your coverage needs.

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If you’re between jobs in Delaware, UnitedHealthcare offers the best short-term health insurance, combining affordability with a solid MoneyGeek score of 85 out of 100. At an average cost of $99 per month, it provides a cost-effective solution with a typical maximum out-of-pocket expense of $11,321. While short-term plans are not ACA-compliant and may lack some essential medical benefits, UnitedHealthcare stands out as the most affordable and reliable choice for temporary coverage.

METHODOLOGY

To determine the best short-term health insurance companies, MoneyGeek analyzed the pricing, plan options and cost-sharing choices for thousands of plans. Within each state, plans were aggregated by company to compile an overview of a short-term health insurance provider. In determining the best short-term providers for specific categories, weights were redistributed to take into account the goal of the health insurance plan.

Please be advised that the costs provided are averages. Actual rates will vary based on consumer profile and location.

Best Overall Short-Term Health Insurance in Delaware

UnitedHealthcare is the best Delaware short-term medical insurance provider. The full list of state-approved short-term health insurance companies is provided below by MoneyGeek, along with each company's score:

  • UnitedHealthcare: 85 out of 100
  • Companion Life Insurance Company: 78 out of 100

The array of cost-sharing options and typical maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) expenses were taken into consideration while choosing these companies. The average MOOP for the winner is $11,321. It's around $12,438 for the runner-up.

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MoneyGeek Top Pick
UnitedHealthcare

UnitedHealthcare is the top provider of short-term health insurance in Delaware overall, with a MoneyGeek rating of 85 out of 100. It offers a wide variety of term length options, ranging from three months to three years, and the most short-term plan types and plan options.

The best value is in UnitedHealthcare's low-cost plans. In addition, most of the available plans include coverage for generic prescription drugs. However, it's also crucial to acknowledge UnitedHealthcare can have the highest application fees and most expensive plans.

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CAN I GO WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE?

Instead of purchasing temporary coverage, it may seem tempting to go without health insurance for a while. This is a bad idea, though, because getting into an accident carries a substantial financial cost. A sudden procedure could cost huge amounts of money if you don't have insurance.

Best Cheap Short-Term Health Insurance

The cheapest short-term health insurance in Delaware is provided by UnitedHealthcare — with an average MOOP of $11,321.

Although lower premiums frequently come with higher out-of-pocket costs, they can still be beneficial. Make sure the coverage is enough for your needs when choosing a plan based on affordability.

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MoneyGeek Top Pick
UnitedHealthcare

MoneyGeek discovered UnitedHealthcare is also the cheapest short-term health insurance provider in Delaware when affordability was assessed. In addition to a low minimum OOP limit and a reasonable application cost, UnitedHealthcare offers a wide range of deductible options, ranging from $1k to $15k.

UnitedHealthcare is an excellent pick for inexpensive short-term medical insurance because it is accessible in many states.

SHORT-TERM HEALTH INSURANCE LIMITATIONS

Before purchasing a plan, it's imperative to comprehend short-term health insurance in Delaware. This insurance is not meant to replace a market-based or long-term plan; instead, it safeguards you against catastrophic costs in the event of an emergency medical situation.

Many of these policies lack crucial health coverage since they do not cover pre-existing conditions. If an issue happens while you are still employing temporary coverage, your insurance might not be renewed.

Best Short-Term Health Insurance Between Jobs

Low-cost premiums could appear desirable if you are in between jobs. However, it's not good if you frequently need medical attention because they typically have significantly high MOOPs.

After comparing their premiums and cost-sharing options, MoneyGeek considers the following short-term health insurance in Delaware best if you’re in between jobs:

  • UnitedHealthcare: $99 per month
  • Companion Life Insurance Company: $128 per month

All of these companies provide premiums that range from $99 to $128 per month. The Companion Life Insurance Company has the upper hand with seven different plan options available.

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MoneyGeek Top Pick
UnitedHealthcare

The health benefits division of UnitedHealth Group, a health insurance provider, is known as UnitedHealthcare. This organization strives to improve access, affordability and patient experiences to contribute to developing a cutting-edge healthcare system. You might be able to find the least expensive plan out of the four options it gives.

Prescription drug coverage for generic medications is included in the majority of UnitedHealthcare plans. UnitedHealthcare could be able to provide you the greatest value if you're searching for temporary health insurance while seeking work.

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SHOULD I EXTEND SHORT-TERM HEALTH INSURANCE?

If your new job's start date has been pushed back or open enrollment is approaching, it may make sense to extend your short-term coverage. However, choosing short-term insurance over plans from the market on a regular basis in an effort to save money is not a good idea.

Catastrophic, high-deductible health plans are available through marketplace plans, along with Bronze-level alternatives that are less expensive and give the necessary benefits.

How Does Short-Term Health Insurance Work in Delaware?

Short-term health insurance, which generally only lasts a few months, is meant to act as a stopgap until you can obtain long-term coverage. It is more of an emergency plan than it is a preventive strategy.

In some states, you might be enrolled in a plan for 364 days and have it renewed, keeping you covered for more than a year. In Delaware, however, a duration of three months might be reached without renewals.

How to Buy Short-Term Health Insurance in Delaware

Since there are so many things to take into account, getting the best short-term health insurance in Delaware can be tricky. The stages you can follow to get health insurance temporarily are outlined here by MoneyGeek to simplify the process.

  1. 1

    Determine How Long You Need Coverage

    Although some can last as little as a few weeks, most short-term health insurance plans have a length of three months to three years. If you know how long your coverage gap will remain.

  2. 2

    Assess Your Health Care Needs

    You can determine what you need from a short-term health insurance plan by assessing your unique needs. Consider whether you require medications, need emergency care or don't want to pay an application fee, for instance. Another thing to think about is your preferred deductible.

  3. 3

    Research Providers and Available Plans

    Short-term, low-cost health insurance may appear more cost-effective initially. But if it's inappropriate for your needs, you can wind up paying more. Evaluate several companies and learn more about their coverage alternatives to assist you in reducing your options.

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SHORT-TERM HEALTH INSURANCE VS. MARKETPLACE PLANS

A marketplace plan differs from short-term health insurance. Short-term plans might not include coverage for persons with pre-existing conditions or essential medical benefits. For emergency coverage, short-term plans are crucial.

Short-term insurance is not ideal for Delaware citizens with more urgent medical needs. Compared to short-term health insurance policies, marketplace plans should include a broader range of benefits, including maternity care and coverage for prior illnesses.

Short-term health insurance is merely a tool to fill a coverage gap, but marketplace policies may be more comprehensive overall.

FAQs About Short-Term Health Insurance in Delaware

Navigating the complexities of Delaware's short-term health insurance options can be tricky. The following frequently asked questions were addressed by MoneyGeek to simplify the process.

What does short-term health insurance cover?

Can you get short-term health insurance with pre-existing conditions?

How long can you stay on short-term health insurance in Delaware?

Can you cancel short-term health insurance in Delaware?

About Brenna Kelly


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Brenna Kelly, the former Health Insurance Content Manager at MoneyGeek, is a licensed health insurance agent and real estate associate. She is qualified to provide expert insight and advice on medical insurance, disability, long-term care, critical illness, Medicare Supplements and Medicare Advantage Plans.

Kelly has a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Arts in Applied Sociology from the University of Central Florida. She uses her content production experience and health insurance expertise to deliver informative articles.


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