4 Best Short-Term Health Insurance Companies (2026)

Everest's short-term health insurance plan, called FlexTerm, offers strong coverage for a temporary plan. And Everest's rates tend to be cheaper than most other companies, making it the best option for most people.

You only have to pay $50 when you go to the doctor for a wellness visit. That's cheap for a short-term health plan, although it's important to remember that regular health insurance usually covers the full costs of these visits.

Everest also has limited coverage for mental health care and substance abuse disorders. Many short-term plans don't cover these services at all. But Everest won't pay for prescription drugs unless you take them in a doctor's office or hospital during a covered visit.

A big benefit of an Everest FlexTerm policy is that you can see any doctor and go to any hospital. You don't need to use a network of doctors to get care. That makes it easier to make appointments and get treatments. But it's usually a good idea to stay in the network if you can, because you'll probably pay less.

When you buy an Everest FlexTerm policy, you'll first choose your deductible amount from five options:

The lower your deductible, the higher your monthly rate. But with lower deductibles, you get to pay less toward your medical bills before your health insurance starts paying out.

After picking your deductible, you'll choose the percentage of your medical bills that you'll pay after you meet your deductible. This is called your coinsurance level. Everest FlexTerm plans have four coinsurance levels to choose from.

The first number is the percentage of your medical bills that the plan pays, and the second number is the percentage that you pay. So with a 70/30 plan, your plan pays 70% of your covered medical bills, after you reach your deductible, and you pay 30%. If you want a cheaper plan, choose 50/50 coinsurance, as long as you can afford to pay that much of your medical bills.

You will also choose how much you could pay in total medical bills per year. If you reach that point, called your out-of-pocket maximum, your plan will pay your bills in full.

Finally, you'll choose the maximum payout amount, between $250,000 and $1.5 million. This is the most your plan will pay for your medical bills. You're responsible for any medical costs beyond this amount.

Everest FlexTerm plans are available in 28 states:

Everest says on its website that short-term plans are coming soon to Montana and Pennsylvania, but the exact timing isn't mentioned.

Pivot sells seven different short-term plans. The variety of plans gives you the option to pick something that works for your situation.

Pivot sells plans with up to $1 million in total coverage and deductibles that range from $1,000 to $20,000.

You can get quotes online. The website also lets you filter plans by several different features, including the plan name, deductible, coverage limit and extra features. Depending on where you live and the plan you choose, you might be able to add coverage for things like birth control and prescription medications.

But, with the Pivot SureCare and Quantum plans, you need to get approval before certain treatments. And no matter what plan you choose, you only have coverage for one preventive exam for the length of your plan. This means if you have several preventive exams with different doctors, you'll have to pay for one yourself.

Pivot Health sells short-term plans in 32 states:

UnitedHealthcare has several levels of temporary health insurance coverage. That lets you pick an option that fits your medical needs and budget.

Value Direct gives you the least coverage at the cheapest rates, on average. Unlike the other plans, Value Direct has no coverage for prescription medications, although it does give you a discount card to make medications cheaper. If you take medications, choose one of the other options unless you can afford to pay for your medicine on your own. The Copay and the two Elite options have the most coverage and the highest average rates.

The Value Direct plan only covers up to $500,000 of your medical bills, while the Copay and Elite options cover up to $2 million. Within each plan tier, you can choose how much you pay before coverage kicks in, called a deductible.

All the plans cover some types of preventive care. For example, your plan will cover a mammogram or prostate exam.

UnitedHealthcare short-term plans limit you to certain doctors and hospitals. But 1.8 million doctors and 7,200 hospitals and medical offices take UnitedHealthcare insurance, so you can likely find medical care in your area.

UnitedHealthcare lets you cancel your policy at any time for free. That makes UnitedHealthcare a good option if you're not sure how long you need short-term insurance. The plans are run by Golden Rule Insurance, which has a reputation for good customer service.

UnitedHealthcare sells short-term health insurance in 29 states:

If you have health problems, Allstate Health could be a good option. The company has plans that let you get coverage even if you have serious health conditions. Keep in mind, though, that the health conditions you have before your plan starts likely won't be covered.

Allstate Health, which used to be called National General, sells four types of short-term plans.

Allstate Health's guaranteed issue plans are unusual for short-term coverage. That's because you can buy one of these plans even if you have health problems. Most other companies won't sell plans to people who have health problems. However, guaranteed-issue plans tend to be expensive.

Allstate's short-term plans require you to use certain doctors and hospitals to get the most out of your plan. Depending on the state, Allstate's short-term plans either use Aetna's network or Cigna's, and they're both fairly large. You can go outside the network, but your plan won't pay as much for your medical care.

Allstate Health's short-term plans are convenient if you already have home or car insurance with the company. But people who don't have health issues can find cheaper and better coverage elsewhere.

Allstate Health sells short-term plans in 31 states: