COBRA in Connecticut

Connecticut has one of the longest continuation periods in the country: 30 months after a layoff, reduced hours, a leave of absence, or leaving a job. It applies to insured group plans of any size, and the premium is capped at 102 percent.

Reviewed by Prodest Insurance Group, a licensed insurance agency (NPN 19515569) · Updated 20 October 2026 against the Connecticut General Statutes and federal sources.

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Thirty Months, and Not Just for Small Employers

Section 38a-512a of the Connecticut General Statutes requires insured group health policies to offer continuation for 30 months after a layoff, a reduction of hours, a leave of absence, or termination of employment, other than for gross misconduct. It covers the employee and their covered dependents.

When it stops early

Continuation runs until you become eligible for other group insurance, if that comes first. If you stopped work because you became eligible for Social Security income, it runs until the day before you become eligible for Medicare.

Self-insured employer plans are not covered, because state insurance law does not reach them. Federal COBRA still applies to those plans at employers with twenty or more employees.

Connecticut Continuation Compared With Federal COBRA

	Federal COBRA	Connecticut continuation
Who it reaches	Employers with 20 or more employees	Insured group plans of any size
Why you left	Any reason except gross misconduct	Layoff, reduced hours, leave of absence, or leaving the job, except gross misconduct
How long	18 months, up to 36 for some events	30 months
What you pay	Up to 102 percent of the full premium	Up to 102 percent of the group rate
Absence for illness or injury	Not covered	Up to 12 months, at your usual employee share
Plan ends while you are totally disabled	Coverage ends	12 months of continued coverage with no premium

For dependents after a death or divorce, Connecticut ties continuation to the federal COBRA periods.

Illness, Injury, and Disability

If you are absent from work because of your own illness or injury, the policy must let you and your dependents continue coverage while the illness or injury lasts, for up to twelve months from the start of the absence. This applies even if you are eligible for other group insurance, and you can be asked to pay only the share you paid as an active employee.

If the group policy itself ends while you are totally disabled, coverage continues without premium for twelve calendar months after the month the policy ended, as long as the disability continues and the claim is submitted within a year of the termination.

Spouses and Dependents

After an employee's death, covered dependents can continue coverage for the periods federal COBRA sets for that event.

After a divorce, annulment, or legal separation, a spouse's coverage ends at the end of the following month, but the plan must offer the spouse the option to continue for the federal COBRA period. Coverage for anyone aged 65 or older ends the day before they become eligible for Medicare.

If a Large Workplace Closes or Moves

Section 31-51o adds another layer. When a facility that has employed 100 or more people in the past year permanently closes or moves its operations out of Connecticut, the employer must pay in full for affected employees' existing group health coverage for 120 days, or until they become eligible for other group coverage.

Your 30-month continuation right begins only after that employer-paid period ends. Closures under federal bankruptcy law and shutdowns caused by natural disasters are excluded.

How Much Does COBRA Cost in Connecticut?

Federal COBRA lets a plan charge up to 102 percent of the full premium: everything your employer was paying, everything you were paying, plus two percent. Based on Connecticut's average employer premium in 2025, that works out to about $849 a month for single coverage and $2,440 a month for family coverage. That is about $82 a month more than the U.S. average of $767 for single coverage.

	Single coverage	Family coverage
Average full annual premium in Connecticut	$9,987	$28,700
Estimated COBRA cost per month (102%)	$849	$2,440

Estimate = average total employer premium in Connecticut × 1.02 ÷ 12, from the federal Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2025). These are averages. Your exact premium depends on your former employer's plan and is listed on your COBRA election notice. If you are on state continuation instead of federal COBRA, the premium rules described on this page apply.

Compare COBRA costs in every state →
Estimate your own premium with the COBRA cost calculator →
Nearby states: New York · Rhode Island

Health Insurance After Job Loss in Connecticut

Connecticut expanded Medicaid through HUSKY Health, so adults under 65 with household income up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level may qualify. Federal law passed in 2025 adds work and community engagement requirements for expansion adults from January 2027.

A spouse or parent's plan. Losing your own coverage usually opens a window to join a family member's employer plan, and that window can be as short as 30 days. Ask early.

Common Questions

How much is COBRA insurance in Connecticut?

About $849 a month for single coverage and $2,440 a month for family coverage, based on Connecticut's 2025 average employer premium plus the 2 percent administrative fee federal COBRA allows. Your actual premium depends on your former employer's plan and appears on your COBRA election notice.

What are my health insurance options after losing my job in Connecticut?

Connecticut runs its own marketplace, Access Health CT, rather than using HealthCare.gov. Losing job-based coverage opens a 60-day Special Enrollment Period, and you can enrol up to 60 days before coverage ends so a new plan starts as the old one stops. Connecticut expanded Medicaid through HUSKY Health, so adults under 65 with household income up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level may qualify. Federal law passed in 2025 adds work and community engagement requirements for expansion adults from January 2027.

How long does Connecticut continuation last?

30 months.

Does it only apply to small employers?

No. It applies to insured group plans of any size.

How much does it cost?

Up to 102 percent of the group rate.

What if I am off work because of illness?

Coverage can continue for up to 12 months at your usual employee share.

What if a large workplace closes?

At a facility with 100 or more employees, the employer must pay for coverage for 120 days before continuation begins.

What if the plan ends while I am disabled?

Coverage continues without premium for 12 months if you are totally disabled.

Sources

Drawn from the Connecticut General Statutes and federal sources. Your plan documents and the terms your carrier provides govern your specific situation.

Connecticut General Statutes, Section 38a-512a, Continuation of coverage
Connecticut General Statutes, Section 31-51o, Continuation of group health insurance after relocation or closing
U.S. Department of Labor, FAQs on COBRA Continuation Health Coverage for Workers
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Insurance Component, 2025

Thirty months is a long runway

Long does not mean cheap. A licensed agent can compare the full cost of Connecticut continuation with Access Health CT plans and any subsidy, and work out your deadlines. No charge, no obligation.