Medicare Supplement Free Look Period: How the 30-Day Review Works

Never cancel first: If you drop your current plan before the new one is approved, you could be left without coverage and may not be able to get it back.

The Bottom Line

The free look period gives you 30 days to make sure a new Medicare Supplement policy is right. Keep your old plan until you decide, and a licensed insurance agent can handle the switch at no cost.

➤ What is the Medicare Supplement free look period?

It is a 30-day window after you get a new Medicare Supplement policy. During that time you can review the policy and decide whether to keep it.

➤ When does the free look period start?

It starts when you receive your new Medicare Supplement policy, not when you apply.

➤ Do I pay two premiums during the free look period?

If you are switching, yes. You keep your old policy while you decide, so you pay both premiums for any month you have both policies.

➤ Should I cancel my old policy right away?

No. Keep your old Medicare Supplement policy until you have been approved for the new one and have decided to keep it.

➤ Is the free look period the same as the trial right?

No. The free look period is 30 days to review a new Medicare Supplement policy. The trial right applies to people who leave a Medicare Supplement plan to try Medicare Advantage for the first time.

➤ Can a licensed agent help me switch Medicare Supplement plans?

Yes. A licensed insurance agent can compare companies, help you apply and make sure your old policy stays active until the new one is in place, at no cost to you.