RV Hometown

Health Insurance Options
Part 1

By Jaimie Hall

Originally published in the March/April 2002 Workamper News. Updated 2007.

See also Part II and Part III

Finding affordable health insurance with good coverage can be a big stumbling block to hitting the road. There is no simple answer. There is no way around doing your own research to see which state and policy is right for you. Your search will be compounded by the fact that each state regulates insurance companies so you’ll find great variance in prices, coverage and consumer protections. Costs will vary too, based on factors like your age, type of coverage, state of your health and any preexisting conditions.

Immediate solutions

If you will be losing coverage with your former employer, you have a few options to consider.  

Choose your state

One advantage of full-time RVing is that you can choose your domicile, or legal tax home. Health insurance coverage could be an important factor in this selection. Where you have health insurance coverage should be a state where you plan to spend some time each year and you will get your annual checkups. You would return to this state if you have a condition or illness that needs treatment.

You will need an address in this state. One RV couple had been insured in Oregon. When they began full-timing, the company willingly billed them through their mail forwarding service in another state. Several years later, when filing claims for an illness, the company declined coverage, saying the couple no longer had an Oregon address. The couple was able to rectify this but make sure you have an address you can use. On the other hand, Kaiser, an HMO in California and other states, told Sharon, another RVer, that extensive travel was not issue as long as they came back for checkups and treatment. (Emergency treatment is covered in a non-Kaiser facility.)

There are a number of resources that can assist you in comparing states and seeing what is available.

To obtain coverage rates, many companies use insurance brokers. Choose an independent broker that does not charge any fees except perhaps a small setup fee when you actually select a policy. A broker can save you some leg work by identifying companies that provide coverage as well as allowing you to compare rates.

Check the company

Make sure the company is regulated by your state. An out-of-state company may not be. Some RVers join an association to obtain coverage.

Check the company’s A.M. Best rating. The company should tell you what it is if you ask and the agent probably also has that information. However, double-check at the A.M. Best Web site for any updates. 

Check with the state insurance regulatory body. Contact information for each state can be found at the Georgetown Web site.

Is the company covered by state insurance laws?

Part II of this article will cover evaluating health insurance policies and coverage. Part III will provide some ideas and resources for those with no health insurance or for reducing costs before your deductible is met.