The most expensive mistake when quitting is a lapse in health cover, and it is entirely avoidable. Work through this before your last day so your new cover starts the moment the old one ends. Tick each item as you go, your progress is saved in this browser, and you can print a copy.
The risk is not just the cost of replacement cover, it is the window between your employer plan ending and your new one starting. A few days uninsured can be uneventful, or it can be the days a hospital bill or a prescription falls due. The whole point of this checklist is to close that window to zero, so cover is continuous from your last covered day. That matters most if anyone on the plan has ongoing treatment or regular medication, where even a short lapse can be costly or disruptive.
In the US, do not default to COBRA out of convenience. Price every route, because the cost difference is often large.
With public healthcare, your basic access does not depend on your job. What you replace is the private or supplementary cover your employer funded.
Coverage may end on your last day, not the end of the month. Get the exact date in writing rather than guessing.
US special enrollment is time-limited, typically 60 days. Miss it and you may be stuck waiting for the next open period.
It is the easy option, but often the most expensive. A marketplace or partner plan can cost much less, so always compare.
The premium your employer hid is now yours. Put the real figure in your budget so your runway is honest.
For how COBRA, marketplace plans, and a partner's plan compare, and the picture across the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Ireland, read health insurance after quitting.
Confirm the exact date your employer cover ends, in writing, and have a replacement plan arranged to start the same day with no gap. In the US that means electing COBRA or buying a marketplace plan within your special enrollment window; elsewhere it means replacing any private cover your employer provided. Never assume a grace period you have not confirmed.
COBRA keeps your exact plan but you pay the full premium plus a fee, so it is often expensive. A marketplace plan may be cheaper, especially if your lower post-quit income qualifies you for subsidies, and a partner's employer plan can be cheaper still. The right move is to price all three before deciding rather than defaulting to COBRA.
In the US, the only reliable figure is a real quote, because it varies widely by age, location, and plan, and it is frequently the single largest new cost after quitting. Get a COBRA and a marketplace quote, then add the real monthly figure to your post-quit budget so your runway reflects it.
Yes. The boxes you tick are saved in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere, so your progress is there when you return on the same device. You can also print the checklist or save it as a PDF, and the Reset button clears your ticks.
Official sources for the rules and figures behind this page. Details change over time, so confirm the current specifics before you decide.