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Can I change my Medigap policy?

In most cases, you won’t have a right under federal law to switch Medigap policies, unless:

  • You're within your 6-month Medigap open enrollment period, or
  • You're eligible under a specific situation or guaranteed issue right (when an insurance company can’t deny you a Medigap policy). What are guaranteed issue rights?

Important: If you buy a Medigap policy during your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period and decide you don’t like the policy during this period, you can switch to a different Medigap policy. When you get your new Medigap policy, you have 30 days to decide if you want to keep it (called a 30-day free look period). Don’t cancel your first Medigap policy until you’ve decided to keep your second Medigap policy. You’ll need to pay both premiums for the month that you have both.

After you bought a Medigap policy, you might find that it doesn’t meet your needs. You may want to change your Medigap policy, if:

  • You're paying for benefits you don't need.
  • You need more benefits.
  • You want to change insurance companies.
  • You want a policy that costs less.

If you’ve had your current Medigap policy for less than 6 months and want to switch to a different Medigap policy, you may have to wait for the new policy to cover your pre-existing condition. When will the new Medigap policy cover my pre-existing condition?   

You also have the right to switch or drop your Medigap policy in some situations under federal law. Check with your State Insurance Department about what rights you might have under state law.

Reminder: Make sure you apply no more than 63 days after your coverage ends.  Keep copies of letters, notices, emails or claim denials as proof of your coverage being terminated. You may need to include these with your Medigap application to prove you have a guaranteed right.

If you want to drop your Medigap policy, contact your insurance company to cancel it. If you drop your Medigap policy, you might not be able to get it or any policy back later.

Switch or drop your Medigap policy

Answer a few questions to find out if you have a right under federal law to switch or drop Medigap policies.