Can I drop my spouse from my health insurance at any time?

Why you can trust Insure.com

Quality Verified

At Insure.com, we are committed to providing the timely, accurate and expert information consumers need to make smart insurance decisions. All our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. Our team carefully vets our rate data to ensure we only provide reliable and up-to-date insurance pricing. We follow the highest editorial standards. Our content is based solely on objective research and data gathering. We maintain strict editorial independence to ensure unbiased coverage of the insurance industry.

Many people list their spouse as a dependent on their health insurance policy. But due to major life events, such as a new job with better insurance or even divorce, you may need to remove them from your policy. Insurers consider these events qualifying events and will allow you to remove your spouse from your health insurance policy.

But, you can’t drop a spouse or ex-spouse from your health insurance plan at just any time if you are not experiencing a qualifying event. You’ll have to wait until the next open enrollment period. That goes for both employer-sponsored health insurance and Affordable Care Act marketplace plans.

Key Takeaways

You can only drop a spouse from your health insurance plan during your open enrollment period or if you are experiencing a qualifying event.
Your insurer will provide you with a list of qualifying events where they can make changes to your policy.
You must remove your spouse from your health insurance policy within 30 days of the qualifying event.

Can I remove my spouse from my health insurance?

Your health insurance policy is not set in stone — you are able to remove your spouse or make other changes to your policy. But, you can only make these changes at certain times. Insurers will allow you to adjust your policy during the open enrollment period and within 30 days of a qualifying event, which is usually a major life milestone.

If you have a qualifying event and don’t make the change during those 30 days, you’ll have to wait until the next open enrollment period. Ask your company’s health insurance administrator for a list of qualifying events that would allow them to make changes outside of the annual open enrollment period.

When can I remove my spouse from my insurance?

You can remove your spouse from your health insurance during a qualifying event, which includes:

Marriage
Birth or adoption
Divorce or legal separation
Death of spouse or dependent
Dependent has changed in eligibility status (e.g. child ages off policy at 26)
Change in employment status for you, spouse or dependent
You experience an increase or reduction to hours affecting your eligibility for the health plan
Change in residence
Other health coverage ends or begins
Becoming entitled to (or lost entitlement to) Medicare or Medicaid

Employers have their own open enrollment periods — often in the fall or winter. The Affordable Care Act marketplace’s open enrollment period is between Nov. 1 and Dec. 15 in most states.

How to remove a spouse from your health insurance policy

Removing a spouse from your health insurance policy — when allowed — is fairly simple.

During a qualifying event, you can remove your spouse in your policy’s online portal or by calling your insurer. You may need to work with your benefits coordinator if you receive health insurance through your employer. During open enrollment, you have the option to adjust all the details of your health insurance policy.

Can a spouse drop me from their health insurance?

Yes — again, only during open enrollment or a qualifying event.

If your spouse removes you from health insurance coverage, you have multiple health coverage options. You can actually stay with the same coverage through COBRA (which stands for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act). COBRA coverage lets people stay on the former plan for a limited time. You get to benefit from the same health insurance plan and provider network, but you no longer get help from the employer. Instead, you have to pay for all of the insurance costs, which can be excessive.

Another option is an Affordable Care Act health insurance marketplace plan. Marketplace insurance plans offer subsidies based on your income, which help you pay for coverage. Most areas have multiple insurance companies and options in the ACA marketplace.

A third choice available in most states is short-term health insurance. Short-term health plans offer limited benefits at low rates. In most states, you can keep a short-term plan for a year and request two renewals. However, some states forbid the plans, while others have stricter time limits. Short-term plans should not be seen as a long-term health coverage option.

You can’t remove your spouse from your health insurance plan at anytime. Generally, you can only drop your spouse from your health insurance if there is an open enrollment period or you’re experiencing a qualifying event, such as getting divorced or buying a new health insurance plan. You’ll get 30 days from the day of the qualifying event to remove your spouse from your health coverage.

Frequently asked questions

Can I remove my spouse from my health insurance if we are separated?

Yes, but only if you are legally separated. Many insurers will consider legal separation a qualifying event to remove your spouse from your health insurance policy.

Can you remove your spouse from health insurance before divorce?

You are not allowed to remove your spouse from your insurance before the divorce. You can, however, remove your spouse from your health insurance coverage after the divorce is final. Only spouses and dependent children can be included in your insurance coverage.

Can I remove my spouse from my health insurance after open enrollment?

No. You can only remove your spouse from your health insurance during open enrollment unless you experience a qualifying event.

Can I drop my health insurance if my spouse gets a new job?

Yes. Most health insurance companies consider a job change a qualifying event and will allow you to make changes to your health insurance policy.

Nupur Gambhir

Managing Editor

Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service.