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

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Updated: June 23, 2026

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Key Takeaways
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11 states plus D.C. recognize civil unions or domestic partnerships for health insurance, with Hawaii offering reciprocal beneficiaries as an alternative option.

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You'll need documentation proving shared finances and cohabitation, like joint bank accounts, utility bills or co-signed leases.

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Employer-paid health insurance premiums for domestic partners count as taxable income, unlike coverage for spouses.

Adding Your Girlfriend or Boyfriend to a Health Insurance Policy

State domestic partnership laws and insurer rules together determine whether you can add a girlfriend or boyfriend to your health insurance policy. Eleven states and Washington, D.C. recognize civil unions or domestic partnerships. Some insurers also recognize domestic partnerships. Coverage for your unmarried partner requires documentation of the relationship usually proof of shared finances or cohabitation.

Domestic partner health insurance plans cover a partner as a dependent, the same way spousal coverage works. You can also add children living in your home.   

National carriers and employer-sponsored plans sometimes cover unmarried partners even in states with no domestic partnership statute, if you meet the plan's documentation requirements. If your state isn't on the recognition list below, check your Summary of Benefits and Coverage document or contact your HR department before assuming you're ineligible.

With employer-sponsored plans, your own premium and your spouse's are pre-tax. A domestic partner's premium is post-tax. The IRS treats the employer's share of that cost as taxable income to you, which is known as imputed income, per IRS Publication 15-B.

WHAT DOES DOMESTIC PARTNER MEAN IN HEALTH INSURANCE?

A domestic partner for health insurance is someone you're in a long-term, marriage-like relationship with but aren't married to. This applies to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples.

Most insurers require that domestic partners meet all of the following:

Share a home and:

  • Split financial responsibilities like rent, utilities or other bills
  • Are 18 or older and can sign contracts
  • Have no other spouse
  • Aren't related in a way that would bar legal marriage

Adding Your Girlfriend or Boyfriend's Kids to Your Health Insurance

Your partner's children qualify as dependents on your health plan if your insurer recognizes the domestic partnership. You'll need paperwork proving the partnership and that the children depend on you financially. Financial support records or legal guardianship papers are the most common forms of accepted documentation. Most states follow the ACA standard and cover dependent children up to age 26.

States That Recognize Domestic Partnerships

Eleven states recognize domestic partnerships or civil unions, and the rules differ by state.

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. Oregon expanded to include opposite-sex couples in 2024. California also opened eligibility to opposite-sex couples.

The National Conference of State Legislatures has the full list of states that recognize domestic partnerships.

Five states recognize civil unions:

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

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

  1. California
  2. Maine
  3. Nevada
  4. Oregon
  5. Wisconsin

Hawaii has a separate category called “reciprocal beneficiaries”. This is similar to a domestic partnership but has different eligibility requirements.

How to Add a Partner, Girlfriend or Boyfriend to My Health Insurance Plan?

Start by confirming with your insurer whether your plan covers domestic partners, then gather your documentation before the enrollment window opens.

  1. 1
    Check Your Policy's Eligibility Criteria

    Confirm with your insurance provider whether your plan allows you to add a partner.

  2. 2
    Gather Required Documentation

    You'll need proof of domestic partnership or civil union, evidence of shared financial responsibilities (like joint bank accounts or lease agreements) and sometimes an affidavit of domestic partnership.

  3. 3
    Enrollment Periods

    You can add a partner during your plan's annual open enrollment period. You can also add them within 30 days of a qualifying life event: domestic partnership registration, loss of other coverage or a move to a new coverage area. Miss both windows and you'll wait until the next open enrollment period.

  4. 4
    Understand the Financial Implications

    Your premium will increase to cover your partner. With employer-sponsored plans, that added cost is post-tax. You pay it from after-tax income. The pre-tax payroll deduction your employer gives for spousal coverage doesn't apply to a domestic partner. 

    The IRS also counts your employer's share of your partner's premium as taxable income. Before you enroll, compare your added premium against your partner's premium on their own plan or through the Marketplace.

  5. 5
    Complete the Enrollment Process

    Complete your insurer's domestic partner enrollment form and submit it with your documentation packet. Most employers route this through HR, individual plan enrollees submit directly to the insurer or through HealthCare.gov.

  6. 6
    Review Plan Details

    Review your coverage details, including network restrictions if you're on an HMO plan and how you'll share out-of-pocket costs like deductibles and copays. PPO, POS and EPO plans have fewer network restrictions than HMO plans. They cost more per month than HMO coverage.

Should You Add Your Girlfriend or Boyfriend to Your Plan?

Add your partner to your plan when the post-tax premium increase is lower than what they'd pay on a separate plan or Marketplace policy. Also check whether your plan's network covers their current doctors before enrolling.

Answer these four questions before deciding:

  • Financial impact: How much will your premium increase, and what are the tax implications if you have employer-sponsored insurance?
  • Health care needs: Does your plan cover what your partner actually needs?
  • Relationship stability: Have you been together long enough that you expect to share a plan for the full plan year?
  • Better alternatives: Your partner may find better coverage or lower costs through their own employer plan or an individual policy. If neither of you has employer coverage, you may both qualify for subsidies through Marketplace plans.

Bottom Line

Eleven states and Washington, D.C. recognize domestic partnerships or civil unions. Your insurer's rules matter as much as state law. Insurer and employer plan rules vary independently, and some plans cover unmarried partners in non-recognition states if you meet their documentation requirements. Check your plan documents first before assuming state law is the deciding factor.

Employer-paid premiums for a domestic partner count as taxable income to you, per IRS Publication 15-B. Check what your partner pays on their own employer plan or a Marketplace policy, then subtract that from your post-tax premium increase. If your partner's employer covers any portion of their premium, the imputed income tax on your employer's share makes two separate plans the cheaper option.

Adding Your Girlfriend or Boyfriend to Your Health Insurance Plans: FAQ

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

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About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick, Licensed P&C Insurance Expert, MoneyGeek

Mark Fitzpatrick, a licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has spent nearly a decade analyzing the market, first at LendingTree and now at MoneyGeek, where he produces original research on hundreds of carriers and millions of rates across auto, home, renters, health and life insurance.

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Mark holds a B.A. from Boston College and an M.A. in Economics and International Relations from Johns Hopkins University. He started his career in financial risk management at State Street and is also a five-time “Jeopardy!” champion.

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