Can I Add My Girlfriend or Boyfriend to My Health Insurance?

Adding your girlfriend or boyfriend to your health insurance policy depends on state regulations. Eleven states recognize civil unions or domestic partnerships. Some insurers also recognize domestic partnerships, extending coverage to your unmarried partner when you provide required documentation. You'll need to prove a committed relationship with shared financial responsibilities, such as joint bank accounts or co-signed lease agreements.

Health insurance plans for domestic partners cover the partner as a dependent, like a spouse. You can also add children living in your home. But tax implications differ from spousal coverage. Employer-sponsored plan premiums are pre-tax for yourself and your spouse, but post-tax for a domestic partner. The IRS considers employer-paid coverage for domestic partners as taxable income, taxing the employer's portion of the partner's premium as imputed income.

You can add your partner's children to your health insurance if your relationship qualifies as a domestic partnership with your insurer.  

Your insurance company requires documentation showing your domestic partnership status and the children's dependent status, including financial support records or legal guardianship papers. The children must be under 26 to qualify as dependents, though this is 31 in a few states.

Eleven states recognize domestic partnerships or civil unions for legal purposes with different qualification rules.

Washington limits domestic partnerships to same-sex couples or opposite-sex couples where one partner is over 62. Oregon requires both partners to be at least 18 with one living in Oregon; this expanded to include opposite-sex couples in 2024. California also expanded beyond same-sex couples to include opposite-sex partners.

The National Conference for State Legislatures lists these states that recognize domestic partnerships:

Five states recognize civil unions:

1. Colorado
2. Hawaii
3. Illinois
4. Vermont
5. New Jersey

Six states plus Washington, D.C., recognize domestic partnerships:

1. California
2. Maine
3. Nevada
4. Oregon
5. Washington, D.C.
6. Wisconsin

Hawaii also has “reciprocal beneficiaries,” similar to domestic partnerships but with different eligibility rules.

Only add your partner to your health insurance if it makes financial sense and you're in a stable, long-term relationship. Consider their healthcare needs, what it'll cost and whether they have better coverage options elsewhere.

Consider the following before making this decision:

• Financial Impact: Figure out how much your premiums will increase and what the tax implications are if you have employer insurance.
• Healthcare Needs: Make sure your plan covers what your partner needs.
• Relationship Stability: Be honest about where your relationship stands.
• Better Alternatives: Your partner might get better coverage or save money with their own employer plan or an individual policy. If neither of you has employer coverage, you might both get subsidies with marketplace plans.

Adding your partner to health insurance isn't straightforward. Eleven states plus Washington, D.C., recognize domestic partnerships or civil unions. You'll need proof like joint bank accounts or shared lease agreements. Unlike spousal coverage, employer-paid premiums for domestic partners count as taxable income.

Below are the answers to the frequently asked questions about adding your girlfriend or boyfriend to your health insurance: