What Is a Qualifying Life Event?

A qualifying life event (QLE) is a major change in your life that triggers a special enrollment period — a window outside of open enrollment when you're allowed to change your health insurance.

Common Qualifying Life Events

• Marriage or domestic partnership
• Divorce or legal separation
• Birth, adoption, or placement of a child
• Death of a covered dependent
• Loss of other coverage (losing a job, aging off a parent's plan at 26, losing Medicaid eligibility)
• Moving to a new coverage area
• Starting or returning from military leave
• Change in employment status (going from part-time to full-time, or vice versa)

How Long Do You Have?

Typically 30–60 days from the qualifying event to make changes. For employer plans, the window is usually 30 days. For marketplace plans, it's 60 days. Don't wait. Missing this window means waiting until the next open enrollment.

What Documentation You'll Need

Your employer or insurer will ask for proof of the qualifying event — a marriage certificate, birth certificate, divorce decree, or letter from a prior insurer showing loss of coverage.

If You Lose Job-Based Coverage

This is one of the most important QLEs. When you lose employer coverage, you have options: COBRA to continue your current plan, your spouse's plan, or a marketplace plan. Each has tradeoffs — see our guide on what happens when you leave your job.