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

Medicare.gov describes it simply: when you get your new Medigap policy, you have 30 days to decide whether to keep it. State laws fill in the details. Ohio and Washington, for example, require a notice printed on the first page of the policy, or attached to it, saying you may return it within 30 days of delivery and have the premium refunded if you are not satisfied for any reason.

Most people use the free look while moving from one Medigap policy to another. Because coverage should never lapse, you hold both policies for a short time. Medicare.gov states that you will pay both premiums for the month you have both, and it warns not to cancel the first policy until you have decided to keep the second.

When a sale replaces existing Medigap coverage, state rules based on the national model require a written replacement notice. Maine’s version, for example, has the agent deliver it before the new policy is issued, with both the applicant and agent signing it and the applicant keeping a copy.

Medicare.gov adds one caution. If you have owned your current Medigap policy for less than six months, a new policy may make you wait before it covers a pre-existing condition. See how waiting periods work in Medigap and pre-existing conditions.

The free look protects you after you get a new policy. It does not help you get one. Under federal law, you generally have no right to buy a new Medigap policy without health questions unless you are in your six-month open enrollment period or have a guaranteed issue right.

Based on Medicare.gov guidance and state Medigap rules. Check your state insurance department for state-only rights.

If you are outside a protected window, look at changing Medicare Supplement plans without underwriting to see which exceptions might fit you.

Nearly every state copies the same 30-day standard, but the fine print varies. We compared several state laws and rules to show the kinds of differences you might run into.

Our compilation from each state’s published statute or rule text. Laws change, so confirm the current version with your state.

Returning a policy is simple, but proof matters if a refund is delayed. Treat it like any other legal notice.

The free look is most useful when you actually read the contract. A few checks catch most problems before the window closes.

Plan F and Plan C are open only to people eligible for Medicare before 2020, so if you became eligible later and a policy shows either letter, contact the insurer right away. For 2027, high-deductible Plan G carries a $3,050 deductible, which is worth double-checking if that is the plan you chose.