Insurance for military families isn't like anything else.
Joint Base Charleston is home to 22,000 service members and their families. I'm right here in Summerville, and I understand military insurance because it's not like anything else. TRICARE has its own rules. Separation has its own timeline. Most insurance agents don't know this world. I do.
TRICARE Supplemental Coverage
TRICARE is good coverage. But it's not complete coverage, and the gaps can be expensive if you're not paying attention. Out-of-network care with TRICARE Select can add up fast. Dental beyond the basics -- crowns, bridges, orthodontics -- can leave you with significant bills. Vision and long-term care aren't covered at all.
If you're using TRICARE Select and seeing civilian providers regularly, a supplemental plan can cap your exposure. If you have kids in braces or a spouse who needs specialty dental work, a standalone dental plan can save you thousands. And if your family needs more life insurance beyond SGLI, I can run the numbers and show you what additional term life coverage would cost -- it's usually less than people expect.
Transitioning Out of Service
The insurance transition from military to civilian life has specific windows, specific deadlines, and very little room for error. Your TRICARE coverage doesn't end the day you separate -- you get a 180-day Transitional Health Care Benefit through TAMP. But 180 days goes fast, and the plans available to you depend on decisions you make before you're out.
When your TRICARE coverage ends, you get a 60-day Special Enrollment Period to enroll in a marketplace plan. Miss this window and you're waiting until open enrollment -- which could mean months without coverage. I help transitioning service members understand exactly when their window opens, what plans are available, and how to enroll before the deadline passes.
Military Spouses
Military spouse insurance is a moving target. What you have today can change with a deployment, a PCS, a retirement, or a separation -- and the rules are different every time. If your spouse separates, your TRICARE coverage ends after the TAMP period. If the service member retires with 20+ years, you keep TRICARE for retirees -- different from active duty TRICARE, with higher costs, but still among the best insurance available.
If you're employed and your employer offers insurance, you have a choice: employer coverage, TRICARE, or both. Sometimes TRICARE is clearly better. Sometimes your employer plan covers things TRICARE doesn't. I can compare them side by side so you're not guessing.
Frequently Asked Questions
You get 180 days of transitional coverage through TAMP. After that, you need marketplace, employer, or VA coverage. The 60-day Special Enrollment Period starts when TAMP ends.
If the service member retires with 20+ years, the spouse keeps TRICARE for retirees. After separation without retirement, the spouse loses coverage after TAMP and needs their own plan.
No. I am compensated by the insurance carriers. Whether we find you a marketplace plan or I point you toward VA resources, there is no cost to you.
Let's sort it out.
Military insurance has more rules, more acronyms, and more edge cases than any other kind of coverage I work with. But I know this world, and I'm right here in Summerville if you need help.
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