Adding Parents to Your Health Insurance

Providing adequate health care for older parents can become quite expensive if there is no insurance policy to fall back on. A financially dependent elderly parent is not eligible to add onto a child's health insurance. The only way an insurance company can be legally required to do so is if the child is awarded "legal guardianship of the person" by a court order. The child must prove that the parent is unable to take care of his own affairs because of emotional, mental, or physical reasons. The parent then becomes a legal ward, which is a recognized dependent for insurance purposes.

Things You'll Need

• Lawyer

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Instructions

Laying the Legal Groundwork

• 1

  Prepare a legal case to present to a court using evidence and testimony concerning the parent's needs.

• 2

  Petition the proper court in your state to become the legal guardian of the parent.

• 3

  Work with the legal system to gain guardianship.

Working With the Insurance Company

• 4

  Make copies of all pertinent papers concerning your parent and the legal guardianship.

• 5

  Present the final paperwork to your insurance company as per its policy, and request the addition of your parent to the policy.

• 6

  Make all required policy payments.