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COBRA in Florida

If you are losing job-based health coverage in Florida, which rules apply to you depends on the size of the employer you are leaving. Larger employers fall under federal COBRA. Smaller ones fall under Florida’s own continuation law, and the terms are meaningfully different.

Reviewed and updated 1 August 2026 against Florida and federal sources.

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Which Law Applies to You

The dividing line is 20 employees.
Twenty or more employees: federal COBRA applies. Those rules are the same in Florida as anywhere else in the country.
Fewer than twenty employees: the Florida Health Insurance Coverage Continuation Act applies. It is commonly called mini-COBRA, and it is set out in section 627.6692 of the Florida Statutes.
How federal COBRA works →  ·  COBRA rules by state →

Florida Mini-COBRA Compared With Federal COBRA

Federal COBRAFlorida mini-COBRA
Employer size20 or more employeesFewer than 20 employees
Maximum premium102 percent of the plan cost115 percent of the group rate
How long it lasts18 months for job loss, up to 36 for other eventsUp to 18 months, or up to 29 months where disability applies
Time to elect60 days30 days from the notice of eligibility
Notifying the planEmployer notifies in 30 days; you notify in 60 for divorce or a child ageing offYou must notify the carrier within 30 days of the qualifying event
Prior coverage neededNoneGenerally three months on the plan before the event

Two differences worth acting on

Florida gives you 30 days to elect, not 60. If you are leaving a small employer, you have half the time you may be expecting, and the clock starts when the carrier notifies you.
The premium can also reach 115 percent of the group rate rather than the 102 percent federal cap. On a plan that costs a household several hundred dollars a month, that difference is real.

What Florida Mini-COBRA Covers

The qualifying events mirror the federal list. Coverage can continue after termination for any reason other than gross misconduct, a reduction in hours, divorce, the death of the covered employee, or a dependent child ceasing to qualify as a dependent.
Your spouse and dependent children are qualified beneficiaries in their own right, as they are under federal COBRA.
One Florida-specific point: eligibility for Medicare ends mini-COBRA eligibility. Under federal COBRA, a spouse and dependents may continue for up to 36 months when the covered employee enrols in Medicare. The state law does not work the same way.

Your Alternatives in Florida

Florida uses the federal Health Insurance Marketplace rather than running its own state exchange. Losing job-based coverage opens a 60-day Special Enrollment Period, and you can enrol up to 60 days before your coverage ends so that a new plan begins as the old one stops.
Florida did not expand Medicaid, so the income thresholds for Medicaid eligibility are narrower here than in many states. Households that would qualify elsewhere may not qualify in Florida, which makes comparing Marketplace and private options more important rather than less.
How ACA Marketplace pricing works →
Compare COBRA and Marketplace side by side →
What to do when you lose coverage →

Sources

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

Talk to a licensed agent in Florida

Florida is our resident state. A licensed agent can confirm which rules apply to your former employer, work out your deadlines, and price your options. No cost, no obligation.
Get My Options

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

This page is general information about Florida and federal continuation coverage, not advice about your specific situation. Rules, availability, pricing, and eligibility vary by employer, plan, carrier, and household. Review your plan documents and speak with a licensed agent about your circumstances.

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.

*Eligibility for Affordable Care Act (ACA) Advance Premium Tax Credit (APTC) and cost-sharing reductions is based on annual federal income thresholds, household size, and plan availability within the applicable service area. Premium rates, plan availability, and subsidy amounts vary by state and marketplace. Final eligibility and premium obligations are determined by the Health Insurance Marketplace under Internal Revenue Code Section 36B and applicable federal regulations.

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