It depends on the type of insurance. Auto, home and renters policies can often start the same day you buy them, while Marketplace health plans usually start on the first of the following month. Employer health plans can impose a waiting period of up to 90 days, NFIP flood policies usually take 30 days, and dental, disability and pet policies often have their own waiting periods.
Buying insurance doesn’t always mean you’re covered right away. Many policies have a waiting period, a stretch of time between when you sign up and when benefits actually kick in. If something happens during that window, you may be on your own.
Knowing the typical insurance waiting periods for each type of coverage helps you buy early enough to stay protected. Here’s a breakdown.
What are insurance waiting periods?
A waiting period is the time you must wait after your policy starts, or after you become eligible, before certain benefits are paid. Insurers use them to discourage people from buying coverage only after they know they’ll need it.
Some waiting periods apply to the entire policy. Others apply only to certain services, like major dental work, or to certain events, like a flood.
Health insurance waiting periods
Marketplace plans
ACA Marketplace plans don’t have medical waiting periods, and they can’t deny you or charge you more for pre-existing conditions. Timing depends on when you enroll:
- Open Enrollment: generally November 1 to January 15 in most states. Enroll by the mid-December deadline in most states for coverage starting January 1; enroll later in the window and coverage usually starts February 1. State exchanges may have different dates.
- Special Enrollment Period: after a qualifying life event, you typically have 60 days to enroll, and coverage usually starts the first of the following month. Some events, like the birth of a baby, can make coverage retroactive.
Employer plans
Employers can make new hires wait before health coverage begins, but under the ACA, the waiting period for group health plans can’t be longer than 90 days. Many employers start coverage on day one or the first of the month after hire. Ask HR during your job offer stage.
Medicaid and Medicare
Medicaid applications can be submitted any time, and coverage may be retroactive in some cases depending on your state. Medicare start dates depend on when you sign up during your enrollment period, so enroll on time to avoid gaps and penalties.
Short-term health plans
Short-term plans aren’t ACA-compliant. They may exclude pre-existing conditions and may have waiting periods for certain illnesses. Read the policy carefully.
Dental and vision waiting periods
Individual dental plans commonly use waiting periods by service type. Preventive care such as cleanings is often covered right away, while basic services like fillings and major services like crowns or dentures may require you to wait several months to a year. Employer dental plans often have shorter or no waiting periods. Vision plans usually start quickly, but check the details.
Disability insurance: the elimination period
Disability insurance calls its waiting period an elimination period. It’s the time you must be disabled before benefits start. Short-term disability policies often have a short elimination period, while long-term disability policies commonly use longer ones, such as 90 days. A longer elimination period usually means a lower premium, so choose one your emergency savings can cover.
Life insurance: contestability and graded benefits
Most life insurance coverage begins once the policy is issued and the first premium is paid. But two time windows matter:
- Contestability period: usually the first two years. The insurer can review a claim and may deny it if the application contained material misstatements.
- Suicide clause: commonly two years, though some states set a shorter period.
Graded benefit or guaranteed issue policies, often sold without a medical exam, may pay only a return of premiums plus interest if death from natural causes happens within the first few years.
Home, renters and auto insurance
These policies can often begin the same day or on a date you choose, with no general waiting period. However:
- Insurers may stop writing new home policies in an area when a hurricane or wildfire threatens. This is sometimes called a binding restriction.
- Standard homeowners policies exclude flood and earthquake, so you need separate coverage.
Flood insurance: the 30-day rule
National Flood Insurance Program policies usually have a 30-day waiting period before coverage starts. Exceptions can apply, such as when flood insurance is required as part of closing on a mortgage or after certain flood map changes. Private flood policies may have shorter waiting periods, depending on the insurer. Don’t wait until a storm is in the forecast.
Pet insurance waiting periods
Pet insurance commonly has separate waiting periods for accidents, illnesses and certain orthopedic conditions. Conditions that show up during the waiting period may be treated as pre-existing and excluded. Lengths vary widely by insurer.
Say you adopt a puppy and buy a policy the same week. If your dog swallows a sock a few days later, an accident waiting period could mean that vet bill isn’t covered. Signing up while your pet is young and healthy, and before any symptoms appear, gives you the best chance of full coverage.
Quick reference
| Type of insurance | Typical timing |
|---|---|
| Marketplace health | First of the month after enrollment, or January 1 for timely Open Enrollment |
| Employer health | Up to 90 days maximum |
| Auto, home, renters | Often same day |
| NFIP flood | Usually 30 days |
| Individual dental | Varies by service; major work often longest |
| Disability | Elimination period you choose |
| Pet | Varies by insurer and condition |
How to avoid a coverage gap
- Buy coverage before you need it, especially flood and dental.
- Line up new health coverage before old coverage ends.
- Ask HR about any waiting period when you accept a job.
- Read the waiting period section in any policy before you sign.
- Keep an emergency fund to cover the elimination period on disability insurance.
Bottom line
Insurance waiting periods range from none at all to several months or more, depending on the coverage. Health plans follow enrollment rules, flood insurance usually needs 30 days, and dental, disability, life and pet policies have their own timelines. Terms vary by state, insurer and policy, so check your documents and ask a licensed agent, HR or HealthCare.gov before you count on coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Can an employer make me wait for health insurance?
Yes, but under the ACA, the waiting period for employer group health coverage can't exceed 90 days. Many employers start coverage sooner.
Why does flood insurance have a waiting period?
NFIP policies usually have a 30-day waiting period so people can't buy coverage only when a flood is imminent. Some exceptions apply, such as when flood insurance is required at a mortgage closing.
Do ACA health plans have pre-existing condition waiting periods?
No. ACA-compliant plans can't deny coverage, charge more or impose waiting periods because of pre-existing conditions. Short-term plans are different and may exclude them.
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This article is for general information only and is not insurance, legal, tax or medical advice. Rules, coverage and prices vary by state, plan and insurer. Check your policy documents and speak with a licensed agent, your HR department or HealthCare.gov before making decisions.
