Health Insurance Proper insurance coverage for college-bound children Written by Michelle Megna Michelle Megna Michelle, the former editorial director, insurance, at QuinStreet, is a writer, editor and expert on car insurance and personal finance. Prior to joining QuinStreet, she reported and edited articles on technology, lifestyle, education and government for magazines, websites and major newspapers, including the New York Daily News. | Reviewed by Ashlee Tilford Ashlee Tilford Ashlee, a former managing editor, insurance, at QuinStreet, is a journalist and business professional. She earned an MBA in 2014 with a concentration in finance. She has more than 15 years of hands-on experience in the finance industry. | Posted on: December 7, 2009 Why you can trust Insure.com Quality Verified At Insure.com, we are committed to providing the timely, accurate and expert information consumers need to make smart insurance decisions. All our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. Our team carefully vets our rate data to ensure we only provide reliable and up-to-date insurance pricing. We follow the highest editorial standards. Our content is based solely on objective research and data gathering. We maintain strict editorial independence to ensure unbiased coverage of the insurance industry. Continued from page 1 Health insurance companies must allow your dependents to remain on your plan until age 26. However, your children could still find themselves without health insurance coverage — even if they are below the cutoff age. If you have a managed care plan, such as an HMO, it will have geographical doctor-network limits. That means the health plan might be worthless far away from home and away from the plan’s network of providers. If the doctor is not in the HMO network, routine office visits will not be covered. When you are outside your HMO’s network, the only medical care likely covered is emergency room treatment. Another option is student health insurance offered through your child’s college or university. See health plans for college students. While college health plans are generally affordable, the benefits vary greatly among schools. In addition, there are plans that will not cover students who are injured while playing college sports and others require supplementary insurance specific to college athletes. Related Articles Health plans for college studentsThe basics of renters insurance Michelle MegnaContributor . .Michelle, the former editorial director, insurance, at QuinStreet, is a writer, editor and expert on car insurance and personal finance. Prior to joining QuinStreet, she reported and edited articles on technology, lifestyle, education and government for magazines, websites and major newspapers, including the New York Daily News. Related Articles How does primary and secondary health insurance work? By Chris Kissell How to get health insurance if you’re unemployed or changing jobs By Shivani Gite A complete guide to short-term health insurance By Shivani Gite How much does COBRA insurance cost? By Les Masterson A guide to understanding your health insurance policy By Mark Vallet When can you enroll in health insurance? A simple guide By Chris Kissell ZIP Code Please enter valid ZIP See rates