Best Short-Term Health Insurance in Texas (2024)

The best short-term health insurance companies in Texas are National General Accident & Health and Everest Reinsurance Company, with scores of 95 and 85, respectively. However, the best health insurance for you will offer a combination of affordability and coverage specific to your needs.

Short-term medical insurance can protect you if you have gaps in coverage because you’re between jobs or waiting for open enrollment. Policies typically last less than a year but can often be extended. You can purchase short-term health insurance anytime and cancel it when your long-term insurance plan kicks in.

While often much cheaper, short-term health insurance is not a replacement for marketplace plans. If you need to save on insurance, applying for subsidies can help you get a marketplace plan with far better coverage at an affordable price.

The best overall short-term health insurance provider in Texas is National General Accident & Health, with a score of 95 out of 100. The second best is Everest Reinsurance Company, which scored 85 out of 100, followed by Companion Life Insurance Company, with 63 out of 100.

These companies have the lowest maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) costs in Texas and offer various cost-sharing options. The top two company’s MOOPs are $7,500 and $7958, whereas the third-place company’s MOOP is $12,438. Everest Reinsurance Company offers the most plan options among the three.

National General Accident & Health offers the cheapest short-term health insurance in Texas, with a MOOP of $7,500. Plans with the lowest monthly premiums usually have higher out-of-pocket costs.

Marketplace and employee-sponsored plans are usually the most affordable health insurance options. However, in addition to affordability, you also want to prioritize finding coverage adequate for your health care needs.

According to a 2020 Statista survey, 48% of Texans are covered through employer-sponsored health insurance. When you switch jobs, you might face a coverage gap. MoneyGeek looked at companies with cheaper-than-average monthly premiums and cost-sharing options to determine the best short-term health insurance providers for those between jobs.

The following companies offer the best temporary health insurance if you are unemployed:

• Companion Life Insurance Company: $161 per month
• Independence American Insurance Company: $191 per month
• Everest Reinsurance Company: $195 per month

Each of these companies offers average monthly health insurance premiums in the $160–200 range. Companion Life Insurance Company and Everest Reinsurance Company have the most plan options for splitting coverage costs.

Short-term health insurance provides coverage that bridges the lapse between long-term coverages, usually for a few months. In some states, like Texas, you can be on a plan for 364 days and renew for up to 36 months.

Note that short-term insurance plans don’t cover all injuries and illnesses or pre-existing and chronic conditions. In addition, you may be unable to lower your premiums or out-of-pocket costs through tax credits and cost-sharing reductions.

MoneyGeek guides Texas shoppers by answering these frequently asked questions about short-term health insurance.