How to Update Your Health Insurance When You Move?

Change is the only constant in life; people constantly undergo changes that impact their everyday lives. But when you experience a significant change in your life, it’s important to know what steps to take to maintain coverage through your insurance plan. This guide outlines how to make changes to your personal information, including your address and demographics.

What are Demographics?

Demographics refer to the statistics that describe populations of people and their unique characteristics. Examples include age, sex, race, employment status, income, and education. Although some of these don’t change during an individual’s lifetime, others may.

What Changes Should You Report to Your Insurance?

There are many life changes that you should report to your health insurance provider. Some of these changes might alter your eligibility for coverage or your ability to adjust your plan. These changes, called qualifying life events, include:

• Losing existing health coverage or eligibility for government-issued coverage
• Getting married
• Getting divorced
• Giving birth to or adopting a child
• Change in residence
• Income changes
• Becoming a member of a federally recognized tribe
• Becoming a citizen of the U.S.
• Leaving prison or jail (incarceration)

If you move to a different county or ZIP code, the plan you qualify for could change, as could the cost of coverage. Losing existing health coverage could make you eligible for a different type of coverage. Changes in your income or the income of household members can also alter your eligibility.

Related: Do I qualify for a special enrollment period?

Why It’s Important to Report Changes

Insurance companies provide ongoing communication to members for a variety of purposes. You might receive correspondence related to claims filed on your behalf, treatment authorizations, benefits, and other aspects of your coverage. It’s important that these messages reach you, so you should always communicate any changes to your physical location right away.

Additionally, suppose you reach out to your insurance company for help finding a healthcare provider. In that case, the representative will likely use your given location to determine which providers are in your area. The wrong address on file could result in a referral to a doctor miles away.

Certain changes can also impact your eligibility for coverage, as outlined above. You can make changes to your policy and coverage during your open enrollment period. But outside that period, changes are only permitted if you experience a qualifying life event. You must report such an event to the insurance provider to be able to make adjustments, such as adding a new family member or changing the details of your policy.

How to Change Your Information

Your health insurance card should include contact information for the company that provides coverage. When you experience a qualifying life event, contact the company directly to report it. You can also provide any updated information, such as the date of birth of a new family member, your new address, or a new name (if you got married or divorced or underwent a legal name change).

If you experience a change in your life, be sure to reach out to your insurance provider to update your file. Taking this step ensures that you receive any benefits available to you, along with any necessary communication from the company.