What documents can I use to prove a qualifying life event?
Who is this for?
If you need to buy health insurance or make changes to your coverage during special enrollment, this explains what you'll need.
Everyone can enroll in an individual health insurance plan during open enrollment. But sometimes events like a birth or marriage mean you'll need to change your coverage at another time of the year. These are called qualifying life events. After a qualifying life event, you have a period of 60 days to change your plan or enroll in a new plan. You also may be able to select a plan up to 60 days in advance of some qualifying life events. This can be during open enrollment or after open enrollment has ended.
You can use any of the following qualifying life events to enroll in one of our plans during a special enrollment period. For any of these events, please be sure to provide us with one of the documents listed below. Some events may require more than one document.
Ready to apply?
If you're eligible for special enrollment, you'll be able to choose and enroll in a plan. You'll need your ZIP code, income and dependent information to see if you qualify for lower costs. Then you can view and compare plans.
Our health plan advisors and agents can also help you find and apply for the right plan. Call a health plan advisor at
1-855-237-3501, or have us call you.
Our insurance experts will also help you find out if you're eligible for a subsidy that lowers the cost of your plan.
Note: If you get your health coverage through an employer, contact them about when you can change your plan. If you need information about Medicare enrollment, visit our Medicare site.
Life event
Acceptable documentation
- Birth certificate or application for a birth certificate
- Adoption record or placement for adoption
- Legal guardianship document
- Court order or child support order
- Marriage license (include proof of coverage for at least one, subscriber or spouse)
- Letter or document from employer stating the employer changed, dropped or will drop coverage or benefits for the employee, spouse or dependent, including the date coverage ended or will end
- Letter from health insurance company showing coverage termination date
- COBRA documentation showing length of coverage with beginning and end dates
Divorce or legal separation
- Divorce or annulment papers including the ending of health care responsibility and proof of prior qualifying health coverage within the last 60 days
Death of policyholder
- Death certificate or public notice of death and proof of prior qualifying health coverage within the last 60 days
- Proof of prior qualifying health coverage within the last 60 days
Loss of Medicaid
- Documentation from Michigan Department of Health and Human Services indicating the reason for loss and when coverage ended or will end
- Letter from Medicaid or Children's Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) stating when coverage ended or will end
Proof of prior qualifying health coverage within the last 60 days and one of the following:
- Lease or rental agreement
- Mortgage deed if showing owners use the property as primary residence
- Front and back of driver's license or state identification card
- U.S. Postal Service change of address confirmation
- Official school documentation, including enrollment or housing documentation
- Letter from current or future employer that you relocated for work
- Green card, education certificate or visa if you moved to the U.S. from another country
Other events
- Letter from school stating when student health coverage ended or will end
- Dated copy of military discharge papers or Certificate of Release including the date coverage ended or will end due to no longer active military service
- Letter or notice from government program, like TRICARE, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, or Medicare stating when coverage ended or will end
- Document from the Department of Corrections, jail or prison indicating release or parole, including an order of parole, order of release or an address certification
- Documentation from the Health Insurance Marketplace or state-based exchange showing determination of eligibility and date for the following events:
- Newly eligible for Advanced Premium Tax Credit
- Materials violation of the plan contract
- Unintentional, inadvertent or erroneous enrollment
- Decertified or plan discontinuance letter