What Do Insurance Companies Consider Full-time for Insured Students?

According to the 2007 U.S. Census, 28 percent of young adults aged 18 through 24 years are uninsured. This group consists largely of college students who are unable to work full-time because of their academic obligations. If your child is a full-time student, you can still cover him under your insurance policy, allowing him to focus on his schoolwork without having to worry about his health insurance.

Full-time Students

• Traditionally, your child's eligibility for health insurance depends on her status as a student. Undergraduate students who take 12 or more credits per semester are considered to be full-time as are graduate students taking nine or more credits in a semester. Prior to the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010, only these students were covered under their parents' policy. Part-time students and full-time students who dropped classes were forced to purchase a student insurance policy, and students who took a semester off would be left uninsured for that semester.

Healthcare Reform

• The U.S. healthcare reform laws have drastically overhauled student eligibility for health insurance. Today, your policy covers your children until they're 26 years of age, regardless of whether or not they're going to school. This gives students the freedom to take time off if necessary or work part-time, even if it means taking less than the required number of credits for a full-time student.

Importance of Health Insurance

• Keeping your child under your policy, while attending school, can be very beneficial. Out-of-pocket costs for doctors' visits can add up to hundreds of dollars, and a trip to the emergency room without insurance can cost thousands. Insurance not only avoids financially crippling your child but allows him to treat early symptoms before they become huge problems.

Limitations

• Insurance companies will not have to fully comply with the Affordable Care Act until 2014. In the interim, the laws in your state, which vary significantly from state to state, govern how your insurance coverage affects your child. While the Affordable Care Act does not restrict coverage for those under 26, most states currently require covered dependents to be unmarried and financially dependent upon their parents. They must also not be eligible for their own insurance policy through a full-time job.