UnitedHealthcare Short-term Insurance (2022)

Rachael Brennan has been working in the insurance industry since 2006 when she began working as a licensed insurance representative for 21st Century Insurance, during which time she earned her Property and Casualty license in all 50 states.
After several years she expanded her insurance expertise, earning her license in Health and AD&D insurance as well. She has worked for small health in…

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Rachael Brennan

Licensed Insurance Agent

Benjamin Carr was a licensed insurance agent in Georgia and has two years’ experience in life, health, property and casualty coverage. He has worked with State Farm and other risk management firms. He is also a strategic writer and editor with a background in branding, marketing, and quality assurance. He has been in military newsrooms — literally on the frontline of journalism.

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Benji Carr

Former Licensed Life Insurance Agent

UPDATED: Apr 4, 2022

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Quick Facts

UnitedHealthcare sells short-term health insurance policies through Golden Rule Insurance in 25 states and Washington D.C.
For people with permanent health insurance plans, UnitedHealthcare also sells supplemental insurance to fill in the gaps
While UnitedHealthcare has some happy customers, most leave terrible online reviews about the claims process

With the price of everything going up and many jobs still affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans are under a lot of stress. Many Americans lost their health insurance when the pandemic started, and some are still struggling to find coverage.

Most Americans get their health insurance through their work, but that’s not always an option. Spending even a short length of time without insurance is risky, especially if you or a family member has continuous health needs. Permanent plans are ideal, but short-term coverage might work when that option is unavailable.

UnitedHealthcare short-term insurance can help when you find yourself between permanent plans. Through Golden Rule Insurance, UnitedHealthcare offers short-term plans in 25 states, plus Washington D.C.

You can read more about UnitedHealthcare’s short-term insurance options below. Then, compare quotes with other health insurance companies to get the best coverage possible.

What is UnitedHealthcare’s short-term insurance?

UnitedHealthcare and Golden Rule Insurance have worked together to provide short-term health policies since 2003. Although Golden Rule was founded in 1940, it primarily serves as UnitedHealthcare’s short-term policy writer today.

As part of the UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare is a Fortune 500 company with a solid financial presence in the healthcare sector. It’s also the largest healthcare provider in America. Although you purchase short-term insurance through Golden Rule, you’re getting all the power behind UnitedHealthcare.

Golden Rule sells a variety of short-term insurance policies with the option of adding critical illness plans, vision coverage, and dental insurance to your policy. UnitedHealthcare has two short-term options through Golden Rule, which give you access to over 1.4 million providers.

Golden Rule TriTerm Insurance

When Americans look for a job, one of the most important factors they consider is healthcare benefits. However, not all jobs offer affordable options for health insurance. Whether you’re ineligible for benefits, your job doesn’t provide them, or you’re self-employed, there are plenty of reasons why you might need to buy private insurance.

The ideal health insurance plan will stay in effect for as long as you make your payments. Life rarely works exactly the way you’d like, though. When you need to wait for a permanent policy, a short-term plan can keep you covered.

The first of UnitedHealthcare’s short-term insurance policies is the TriTerm plan. This plan is unique among other short-term policies because it allows you to keep it for up to three years. Most short-term plans end after a year, including others offered by Golden Rule.

Another unique feature of the TriTerm plan is the access to expanded healthcare services. Most short-term plans only cover emergencies. However, TriTerm covers both emergency room visits and preventative services. Regular doctor checkups and annual flu shots are included with this plan.

Anyone on your TriTerm plan can visit the doctor when necessary, including when they are sick or have an injury that doesn’t warrant a trip to the E.R. TriTerm doesn’t limit the reasons that you can visit your doctor. However, the first four visits per year will cost you a $50 copay.

Finally, UnitedHealthcare sells add-ons to increase the coverage TriTerm offers, which you won’t find with many other short-term plans. Dental, vision, and accident coverage are available to add to your health coverage if you need them.

Golden Rule’s Short-Term

Golden Rule’s basic short-term plan is best for people that don’t need extended temporary health insurance. There are numerous reasons a person might need short-term insurance, but the following are the most common:

COBRA coverage is about to end
You have a new job, and you’re waiting to enroll in benefits
You missed open enrollment
You’re waiting for ACA coverage to start
You’re about to be eligible for Medicare
A 26-year-old is about to be kicked off their parent or guardian’s plan
You’ve lost access to health insurance after a divorce

No matter why you need short-term insurance, you usually need it quickly. Golden Rule’s short-term plan usually takes effect as soon as you sign up for it.

Like more common short-term plans, this policy covers emergency care only.

Golden Rule Supplemental Insurance

While it’s not short-term insurance, you can buy supplemental insurance products through UnitedHealthcare and Golden Rule to expand your healthcare coverage. Permanent plans don’t always cover every health service you need. If that’s the case for you, you can purchase the following supplemental plans:

Hospital and doctor
SafeTrip travel insurance
Dental insurance
Accident insurance
Critical illness
Vision insurance
Critical illness
Hospital indemnity
Term life

With Golden Rule’s supplemental insurance plans, everything from dental work to vision exams are covered.

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How much does UnitedHealthcare insurance cost?

The price of coverage is determined by a variety of factors, no matter what type of insurance you’re buying. For health insurance, companies look at the following factors:

Younger people are less likely to use their health insurance since they typically have fewer healthcare needs.
People who use tobacco face more adverse health risks than non-users. Health insurance companies can charge up to 50% more if you use tobacco.
Cost of living, competitor prices, and local laws all affect the price of your insurance.
The more people you have on your plan, the more it will cost.

While companies used to look at your health and gender, they are no longer permitted to do so. To see how much you might pay with UnitedHealthcare, look at the graph below.

The main factor that UnitedHealthcare considers is your location. Since short-term plans have limited coverage and don’t last very long, you won’t get many questions before receiving a quote.

UnitedHealthcare Insurance Reviews

As one of the largest sellers of health insurance in the country, UnitedHealthcare has a lot of online reviews. Unfortunately, not all of its customers are happy.

Happy customers typically mention that the level of customer service from Golden Rule agents is appreciated. Agents that work under the UnitedHealthcare name don’t fare as well, as they are called robotic and insincere.

Unsatisfied customers say that the claims process is a nightmare. UnitedHealthcare is unwilling to help many customers with simple things, like replacing medication that was accidentally thrown away. Some people say it’s difficult to find a participating doctor in their area. Others feel lied to about their coverage and the requirements UnitedHealthcare insists on for specialty care.

Many customers say Golden Rule is reluctant to pay claims on short-term plans and that Golden Rule and UnitedHealthcare misrepresent what is covered by the short-term plans. An alarming number of customers were surprised to find that their insurance did not cover their doctor visit.

Professional ratings are a little better. The Better Business Bureau gives UnitedHealthcare an A+, but hundreds of complaints are listed on the site.

A.M. Best also gives UnitedHealthcare a good A- rating, meaning it has strong financial stability.

Find the Best Short-Term Insurance

Life can throw curveballs, and some of those might make temporary health insurance a necessity. Through Golden Rule, UnitedHealthcare might be the best option for you, especially if you need coverage for three years or less.

You should carefully examine short-term plans before you sign up for one. UnitedHealthcare short-term insurance has a lot of coverage options, but you can compare other companies to find the best rates for you and your family.