How Long Does COBRA Last?

COBRA lasts 18 months when the qualifying event is job loss or a reduction in hours. It lasts up to 36 months when the event is divorce or legal separation, the death of the covered employee, a child losing dependent status, or the employee’s Medicare enrollment. Two situations can extend an 18-month period: a disability determination, which adds 11 months, or a second qualifying event, which can take coverage to 36 months.

Reviewed by Prodest Insurance Group, a licensed insurance agency (NPN 19515569) · Updated 22 September 2026 against current federal guidance.

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The Maximum Period by Qualifying Event

Qualifying eventWho may continueMaximum period
Job loss, for any reason other than gross misconductEmployee, spouse, dependent children18 months
Reduction in the employee’s hoursEmployee, spouse, dependent children18 months
Divorce or legal separationSpouse, dependent children36 months
Death of the covered employeeSpouse, dependent children36 months
A child loses dependent status under the planThat dependent child36 months
The employee enrolls in MedicareSpouse, dependent children36 months
The clock starts on the date of the qualifying event, not the date you elect. Because you have 60 days to elect and coverage is retroactive to the day your old plan ended, the months you spend deciding still count against the total.

When 18 Months Can Become More

The disability extension: up to 29 months

If the Social Security Administration determines that a qualified beneficiary is disabled before the 60th day of COBRA coverage, and the disability continues through the initial 18 months, all qualified beneficiaries may receive an additional 11 months. The plan may charge up to 150 percent of the premium during the extension, rather than the usual 102 percent.

A second qualifying event: up to 36 months

If a second event happens during the initial 18 months, such as a divorce or the death of the covered employee, coverage for the spouse and dependents may extend by a further 18 months, up to 36 in total. For divorce, legal separation, or a child losing dependent status, you must notify the plan within 60 days or the extension can be lost.

What Can End COBRA Early

• Premiums go unpaid. Coverage ends, and loss for non-payment does not open a Marketplace enrollment window.
• You become covered under another group health plan.
• The employer stops offering any group health plan to its employees.
• You drop it voluntarily. This also does not open a Marketplace window.

Planning for the End Date

COBRA ending on its own is a qualifying event that opens a 60-day Marketplace Special Enrollment Period, and you can enroll in the 60 days before the end date so new coverage starts the day after COBRA stops.
If you need coverage for longer than 18 months and do not qualify for an extension, a Marketplace plan renews every year with no time limit. If your income has dropped, premium tax credits may make it cost less than COBRA did.

Common Questions

18 months for job loss or reduced hours; up to 36 months for divorce, death of the employee, a child aging off, or the employee's Medicare enrollment.

Yes, two ways: a Social Security disability determination adds 11 months, up to 29, and a second qualifying event can extend coverage to 36 months.

No. The period runs from the date of the qualifying event. Coverage is retroactive to the day your old plan ended.

It counts as losing coverage and opens a 60-day Marketplace Special Enrollment Period.

Yes, if premiums go unpaid, you gain other group coverage, the employer drops its group plan, or you cancel.

During the disability extension the plan may charge up to 150 percent of the premium instead of the usual 102 percent.

Read Next

Is losing COBRA a qualifying event? →
Is COBRA retroactive? →
Qualifying life events, in full →
How much COBRA actually costs →
Compare COBRA and Marketplace coverage →

Sources

The information on this page is drawn from the following federal sources. Your own plan documents govern your specific situation.

Know your end date before it arrives

A licensed agent can confirm how many months you have, whether an extension applies, and what coverage after COBRA would cost for your household. No charge, no obligation.
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This page is general information, not advice about your specific situation. Your plan documents and the Marketplace determine what applies to you. A licensed agent can review your circumstances with you.

Prefer to talk? Call (888) 918-4516 · Monday to Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern

This website provides educational information about health insurance and is a solicitation for insurance. It is a non-government website operated by Prodest Insurance Group, a health insurance agency that presents health plans, which may include Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans, private health insurance, short-term medical insurance, or supplemental insurance based on the consumer's selection. Qualified ACA plans must meet or exceed the essential benefit requirements of the Affordable Care Act; non-ACA plans are not required to provide all of the essential benefit requirements contained in the Affordable Care Act. Pre-existing condition provisions, benefit availability, limitations and exclusions vary by plan type and state. You should review all plan details and product brochures before purchase. To qualify for ACA health insurance coverage outside of the open enrollment period, you must meet special enrollment requirements.

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