Can I stay on my parents’ health insurance plan after getting married?

Under federal insurance regulations, health insurance companies are now required to allow your children to remain on your health insurance until they either reach the age of 26 or move out of the parental home in favor of a life on their own. When the children move out of the parental home, they are considered emancipated and become responsible for paying for their own insurance coverage and other common costs of living.

In a situation where a son or daughter, still living in the parent's home, gets married, the law allows for the family newcomer to be added to the same policy as the spouse they move in with. In his situation, the owner of the insurance policy would have to approve adding the new spouse, but adding him or her to the family coverage is legal so long as they live in the same home, are under the age of 26, and are not considered emancipated. Health insurance law does not differentiate between dependents and those who contribute to the household income.

If the newly married couple chooses to move out of the insuring family's home, then they are also accepting the responsibility of providing their own health insurance. Even if the move is into another property owned by the family, living at a different address than the policy owner means that coverage does not have to be extended, regardless of the age of the child. Under certain conditions, minor children may be insured at a different address, but those over the age of 18 lose the privilege when they change their address.

Before your children move out of the home, give them a head start in the world by helping them secure health insurance coverage for their new family. Start on a website like this one, operated as an independent insurance broker, because independent insurance companies are able to offer a wider range of choices from several different companies. By getting a free online health insurance quote from this website, you can be sure that you are getting the best prices available for your young adult children and their spouse.