Top Supplemental Health Insurance Plans for Individuals

Supplemental health insurance plans for individuals are for those who find gaps in their health coverage, income, and any other out-of-pocket costs. Incidents such as critical illnesses, hospital stays, and eye exams are among the most common supplemental insurance benefits provided to you. The difference between medical insurance and supplemental insurance is who gets the money or benefits. Medical insurance pays the doctors or providers. Supplemental insurance pays you, the insured. This money is to help you out and for you to use as you see fit.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

By clicking, you agree to our Terms of Use

Nationwide State Farm Allstate
AllstateState FarmPrudentialMetLifeEthosAetna
Travis Thompson

Licensed Insurance Agent

Travis Thompson has been a licensed insurance agent for nearly five years. After obtaining his life and health insurance licenses, he began working for Symmetry Financial Group as a State Licensed Field Underwriter. In this position, he learned the coverage options and limits surrounding mortgage protection. He advised clients on the coverage needed to protect them in the event of a death, critica...

Written by
Travis Thompson
Brad Larson

Licensed Insurance Agent

Brad Larson has been in the insurance industry for over 16 years. He specializes in helping clients navigate the claims process, with a particular emphasis on coverage analysis. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah in Political Science. He also holds an Associate in Claims (AIC) and Associate in General Insurance (AINS) designations, as well as a Utah Property and Casual...

Reviewed by
Brad Larson

Updated January 2024

The Lowdown

  • Supplemental health insurance plans help with medical costs that your regular health insurance plan may not cover
  • You can purchase supplemental health insurance individually, or through your employer, associations, or the Health Insurance Marketplace
  • Critical illness, accidents, hospital stays, dental visits, orthodontics, and eye exams are some of the most common supplemental health insurance plans

Supplemental health insurance plans for individuals can be found in different types of companies, whether you are insured with Medicare or not.

Supplemental health insurance is mainly for those individuals who find gaps in their income, health coverage, and other living costs. Some of these supplemental plans give out cash that you can use for anything that you choose.

You can find supplemental insurance for your dental insurance plans or cheapest health insurance policies you may have.

Find supplemental health insurance that is best for you. Enter your ZIP code and get a free quote today.

What are some supplemental health insurance plans for individuals?

Supplemental plans come in a variety of coverages. These plans help with medical costs that your regular health insurance plan may not cover — expensive events, accidents, and preventive care. They are designed to complement major medical policies rather than replace them.

There are three major factors to consider before deciding who should buy supplemental health insurance.

First, if your deductible is greater than the amount of money in your savings account, then you should think about purchasing supplemental health insurance plans for individuals.

Another sign that you should purchase a supplemental health insurance policy is if you have children that will require extra childcare expenses if you are ill or injured.

Lastly, consider that you have to be off work for a while. If you don’t have savings to cover being off from work for illness or injury, purchase supplemental insurance.

Supplemental Insurance Plans

Supplemental health insurance plans can help provide coverage for:

  • Critical illness. Policies typically cover illnesses such as heart attacks, cancer, organ transplants, comas, renal failure, or strokes.
  • Accidents. Depending on who the supplemental insurance plan is through, these policies will vary. It will cover injuries like car accidents, trips and falls, or travel accidents. They also may provide benefits in case of paralysis or loss of a limb or eyesight.
  • Hospital stays. If you have a traditional policy that covers critical medical procedures, this benefit will pay a lump sum for hospital stays. It may also offer a set of benefit payouts for things like emergency room services, ICU treatments, ambulance services, X-rays, and lab tests.
  • Dental visits. Typically, dental plans will cover most of the costs of preventive dental care. Often, they also cover a percentage of the costs of basic procedures, as well as major ones.
  • Orthodontics. Certain types of dental insurance will cover part of the cost of braces, although this may be limited to children under the age of 18.
  • Eye exams. A vision policy may offer discounts on laser vision correction procedures, such as LASIK. Typically, vision insurance will cover a significant portion of costs for exams, eyeglasses, corrective lenses, and contacts.

These are some of the common supplemental plans available, but remember that different health insurance companies will have different options.

Read more: Top Dental Insurance Coverage: What You Need to Know

Free Health Insurance Comparison

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

By clicking, you agree to our Terms of Use

Nationwide State Farm Allstate

10 Best Supplemental Insurance Companies and Their Plans

Though not necessarily available in every market, below you’ll find the most popular supplemental health insurance companies and the plans they offer.

  1. Transamerica Insurance. Known as Medigap, plans A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N are Transamerica Medicare Supplement Plan options. (read our “Top Medigap (Medicare Supplement Health Insurance) Coverage: What You Need to Know” for more information)
  2. Manhattan Life Insurance Company. Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance, Parts A and B, blood, and foreign travel exchange are some of the supplemental insurance benefits offered by this insurance company.
  3. United Healthcare. United Healthcare offers dental, international travel, term life, accident, critical insurance, hospital and doctor fixed indemnity, and vision.
  4. Mutual of Omaha. Medicare Plan F, High Deductible Plan F, Plan G, and Plan N are Medicare Supplement Insurance benefits that can be obtained through Mutual of Omaha insurance company.
  5. Globe Life. With Globe Life, supplemental health insurance products you can choose from include cancer, ICU, critical illness, hospital, and accident insurance policies.
  6. Aetna. Aetna has plans for full-time employees who are eligible for benefits as well as for those who are not eligible for benefits.This table should help illustrate Aetna’s approach to supplement plan coverage:
    Eligible for BenefitsNot Eligible for Benefits
    Accident Plans: Provide cash benefits for common services or conditions related to a covered injury that happens on or off the jobHealth Plan: Meets minimum value and minimum essential coverage requirements of the ACA
    Critical Illness Plans: Help pay for everyday expenses if diagnosed with a major illnessFixed Benefit: Fixed cash payments
    Hospital Indemnity Plans: Provide fixed payments for out-of-pocket and non-medical expenses related to a covered hospital stayDental and Vision Plan: Available through your employer
    Compare RatesStart Now →
  7. Humana. Through Humana, Medicare supplement plans are available. This plan has add-on benefits that include discounts on vision, hearing, and Lifeline medical alerts. It does not include any dental benefits.
  8. Blue Cross Blue Shield. Known as Simple Blue, Blue Cross Blue Shield’s supplemental coverage has guaranteed acceptance. This plan covers costs that original Medicare plans do not, like coinsurance, deductibles, and co-pays.
  9. AFLAC. AFLAC offers hospital, short-term disability, and critical care and recovery supplemental coverage. Although they are among the top 10 supplemental insurance companies, most of their benefits are employee sponsored, not individual.
  10. CIGNA. Cigna offers variations of its own supplemental plans. They are subscription plans that range from $7 to $28 per month. The two lump-sum plans are heart attack & stroke and cancer insurance. Other benefits they offer include cancer treatment, hospital indemnity, and whole life insurance.

Read more:

How do I purchase supplemental insurance?

There are multiple ways to purchase supplemental insurance. It just depends on the way that you are looking to enroll.

You can enroll through your employer, if they offer it; or purchase it individually through different associations,  Medicare and Medicaid, or the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Frequently Asked Questions About Supplemental Insurance

While we’ve tried to answer as many questions as possible, we know that there are still a lot of questions that haven’t been addressed. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about supplemental insurance.

#1 — Why do I need supplemental insurance if I already have medical insurance?

According to VeryWellHealth, medical insurance doesn’t always cover all services and out-of-pocket expenses, so you may need help filling financial gaps. Supplemental insurance pays you a cash benefit directly to help fill those gaps.

#2 — How is supplemental insurance different than medical insurance? 

Medical insurance pays your doctors and hospitals; supplemental insurance pays you. The cash benefit you receive from your supplemental insurance plan can be used for anything you choose.

#3 — Is there any restriction on how I use the money?

No. You can use the money however you choose. It’s your money, your decision.

#4 — Can supplemental insurance be added to any healthcare policy? 

Yes. There are supplemental health insurance plans for individuals that are not Medicare.

Some of the best supplemental health insurance and best individual health insurance are wrapped up into one. Supplemental health insurance plans can be purchased through your employer, certain associations, or through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Find supplemental health insurance that is non-Medicare. Enter your ZIP code and get a free quote today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is supplemental health insurance for individuals?

Supplemental health insurance covers gaps in your regular health coverage, providing additional financial support for expenses like critical illnesses and hospital stays.

How is supplemental insurance different from medical insurance?

Medical insurance pays doctors/providers, while supplemental insurance pays you directly. It provides cash benefits to use as you see fit.

Why do I need supplemental insurance if I already have medical insurance?

Supplemental insurance helps fill financial gaps that medical insurance may not cover, reducing your out-of-pocket expenses.

Can supplemental insurance be added to any healthcare policy?

Yes, supplemental health insurance plans for individuals are available outside of Medicare and can be added to various healthcare policies.

How do I purchase supplemental insurance?

You can purchase supplemental insurance through your employer, certain associations, or through Medicare, Medicaid, or the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Get a FREE Quote in Minutes

Insurance rates change constantly — we help you stay ahead by making it easy to compare top options and save.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

By clicking, you agree to our Terms of Use

Nationwide State Farm Allstate
HumanaEthosLiberty MutualFarmers Insurance

Free Insurance Providers Comparison

Compare Insurance Providers Rates to Save Up to 75%

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

By clicking, you agree to our Terms of Use

Nationwide State Farm Allstate