Health Insurance When Moving to Florida
Moving to Florida means your old health plan's network probably will not follow you. The fastest fix for a healthy person is often a private plan, which can start the first of any month if approved, without waiting for a qualifying-event review. Florida Marketplace premiums are rising 10.4% on average for 2027.
Private health insurance in Florida
Most people I help in Florida end up on a private plan, not a Marketplace plan. Private, medically underwritten health insurance is priced on your age, zip code and health instead of your income, so a strong year never raises your premium and there is no tax credit to pay back in April.
Why people leave the Marketplace
- Premiums keep climbing. Florida Marketplace premiums are rising 10.4% on average for 2027.
- The subsidy cliff. Above 400 percent of the poverty level ($63,840 for one person, $132,000 for a family of four) you pay full price.
- Surprise tax bills. Underestimate your income and you repay the tax credit in April.
- Narrow networks. Many plans are local HMOs or EPOs that need referrals and cover little outside the area.
- High out-of-pocket costs. 2027 out-of-pocket maximums reach $12,000 per person and $24,000 per family.
- One window a year. Outside open enrollment you need a qualifying life event to enroll or switch.
What a private plan does differently
- Start any month. If approved, coverage can begin the first of next month, with no wait for open enrollment.
- Networks that travel. Many private plans use national PPO networks, which can give you in-network doctors outside Florida too. Networks vary by plan.
- Can cost less than full-price Marketplace plans for some healthy applicants above the subsidy line.
- Accident coverage the Marketplace does not offer. A private plan can be paired with accident coverage, a separate policy. What it includes varies by plan.
- Approval is based on health. You answer health questions, and acceptance is not guaranteed.
With a significant health condition, or income low enough for a large tax credit, a Marketplace plan can be the better fit, and I will tell you if it is. Either way you see both side by side.
Private plans are not ACA Marketplace plans. Benefits, exclusions and pre-existing condition rules differ by plan and by state, so review the plan details before you enroll.
Get a private plan quoteLearn more: coverage not based on income · how underwriting works · private vs Obamacare · PPO plans for individuals · switching from the Marketplace
Who is moving to Florida
Florida's moving boom has cooled. Census estimates show net domestic migration fell from 310,892 in 2022 to 22,517 in the year ending July 2025, eighth among states, while Florida led the nation in arrivals from abroad. In 2024, the most people moving in from other states came from New York, Texas, California, Georgia and Pennsylvania. Growth has shifted inland and to smaller metros. Ocala grew 3.4 percent, the fastest of any U.S. metro, and Lakeland-Winter Haven, Punta Gorda and Wildwood-The Villages also ranked among the nation's fastest growers.
Getting covered after you move to Florida
Florida sends newcomers to HealthCare.gov rather than a state-run exchange. Insurers draw their plan lineups and networks county by county, so a plan you see in Jacksonville may not exist in Miami, and buyers settling in fast-growing Ocala or Lakeland-Winter Haven will face yet another list. Most movers from other states arrive from New York, Texas, California, Georgia and Pennsylvania, so check whether any Florida network includes the kind of doctors you used back home. New residents get 30 days to obtain a Florida driver's license, which also serves as proof that you live here.
The Florida individual market at a glance
Florida buyers shop the largest individual market in the country through HealthCare.gov, with no state exchange and no state subsidy above the federal 400 percent income line. Leaving an employer with fewer than 20 workers triggers Florida's own continuation law, which keeps the group plan for up to 18 months at up to 115 percent of the premium if you notify the insurer within 63 days. Florida law also allows short-term plans with an initial term under 12 months and up to 36 months in total, one of the more permissive rules in the country. For 2027, average individual premiums rise about 10 percent, and plan choice and networks vary enormously by county, so the same coverage decision can come out differently in Hillsborough, Miami-Dade and the Panhandle.
Other Florida rules to know
- Short-term plans: Florida law allows short-term plans with an initial term under 12 months and up to 36 months in total, and federal agencies are not prioritizing enforcement of the federal four-month limit, so multi-month plans are sold in Florida.
- Where to enroll: Florida uses HealthCare.gov. Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Private, medically underwritten plans can start the first of any month if approved.
- 2027 rates: individual plans 10.4% on average, small-group plans about 11.4%. See the Florida 2027 rate page.
The moving special enrollment period
A permanent move to a new state usually opens a 60-day Marketplace special enrollment period, but only if you had qualifying coverage for at least one day in the 60 days before the move. Without that prior coverage, you may have to wait for open enrollment.
Why many movers go private
A private, medically underwritten plan does not need a qualifying event, can start the first of any month if approved and is priced on health, not income. Many use national PPO networks, which help while you are still traveling between your old and new homes. Private plans are not Marketplace plans, so review the benefits and pre-existing condition rules.
Keep coverage continuous
Do not cancel your old plan until the new one starts. A one-month gap can cost far more than an overlapping premium.
For 2027 the Marketplace credit stops at 400 percent of the poverty level: $63,840 for one person, $86,560 for two and $132,000 for a family of four. The out-of-pocket maximum for 2027 Marketplace plans is $12,000 for one person and $24,000 for a family. The full guide covers the rest.
Compare Florida plans
Licensed in Florida. Private plans priced first, Marketplace alongside when it fits. No fee.
Florida questions
Where do Florida residents enroll in 2027 coverage?
Florida uses HealthCare.gov. Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027.
What continuation rights does Florida give after leaving a small employer?
If you leave an employer with fewer than 20 employees, Florida's Health Insurance Coverage Continuation Act lets you keep the group plan for up to 18 months, at up to 115 percent of the premium, if you notify the insurer in writing within 63 days.
How much are Florida premiums rising for 2027?
Individual-market premiums are set to rise 10.4% on average, and small-group plans about 11.4%.
Does moving to a new state let me change health insurance?
Usually. A permanent move opens a 60-day Marketplace special enrollment period if you had qualifying coverage in the 60 days before the move. If approved, private plans can start any month regardless.
Can I keep my old state's health plan after I move?
Individual plans are sold by state and area, so most will not work well after a permanent move, apart from emergencies. Plan to switch soon after you arrive.
Sources: www.census.gov, www2.census.gov, www.cms.gov, flhsmv.gov. Facts checked October 2026. See all Florida health insurance rules.
Moving here in other states
Written by Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance agent in Florida and 30 other states, NPN 21032307.