If your soon-to-be-ex-spouse carries health insurance on you, then you must plan ahead for what happens once the divorce is final. As soon as that happens, you will lose your coverage in most cases.
WebMD notes that it is a good idea to think ahead and do your research to figure out how you will cover your health insurance after the divorce.
First step
Make sure you will lose the insurance. You may be able to make an arrangement within your divorce agreement to keep the insurance. But you have to plan ahead. You cannot expect your former spouse to keep paying to insure you without having some legal agreement in place.
Alternative options
If you will not be able to keep the insurance coverage, then you need to figure out where to get your own. If your employer offers insurance, then you can usually sign up, even if it is not the time for enrollment because of your change in status. You should check with your human resources department.
If you do not have insurance through work, then you will have to consider private options. You may qualify to get COBRA, an expensive option for keeping your current insurance through your ex’s employer for a set time period. This is usually going to be the most costly option, so you should only use COBRA if other options are not available.
Unless you have health issues, you probably will not have your health insurance at the top of your mind when going through a divorce. But it is an important factor that you should not overlook.