Field guide
COBRA 60-Day Election Deadline: How the Window Works
You have 60 days to elect COBRA after losing job coverage — from the later of coverage ending or your election notice. First payment is due in 45 days.
The short answer
You usually have 60 days to elect COBRA — counted from the later of two dates: the day your employer coverage ended, or the day you receive the COBRA election notice. If you elect, the first premium is due within 45 days, and coverage starts retroactively on the day coverage ended. Losing job coverage also opens a separate 60-day window to enroll in a marketplace plan.
The 44/60/45 rule
Three deadlines run in sequence. Your employer and plan administrator have up to 44 days after a qualifying event to send the election notice (30 days to report the event + 14 days to mail the notice). You then have at least 60 days to elect. After electing, you have 45 days to pay the first premium, which covers all months back to your coverage end date.
What happens if you miss the 60 days
In most cases, you lose the right to elect COBRA until another qualifying event occurs. There is no general special reopening — unlike the marketplace, where a late enrollment is not allowed either once the 60-day Special Enrollment Period passes. If the plan sent the notice late, your 60-day clock runs from when you actually received it, not from the event date.
Retroactive coverage and your first payment
If you elect within the window and pay within 45 days, COBRA coverage is retroactive to the day employer coverage ended — so medical bills from the gap are covered as if you never lost insurance. The first payment must cover every month from the coverage end date through the current month. After that, premiums are due monthly before each coverage month.
How long COBRA lasts: 18 or 36 months
Job loss or reduced hours gives you 18 months of COBRA. Other qualifying events — death of the covered employee, divorce, a dependent gaining other coverage, or Medicare eligibility in certain orders — can extend coverage to 36 months. A qualifying disability can extend the initial 18 months to 29 months.
Compare before you elect — the marketplace has its own 60-day clock
Losing job coverage triggers a 60-day marketplace Special Enrollment Period running from roughly the same event. Both windows expire together; waiting out one does not extend the other. Marketplace plans with subsidies average $178/month in 2026 versus about $792 for COBRA. Use the comparison calculator before you sign either form — voluntarily dropping COBRA later usually does not reopen marketplace enrollment.
Frequently asked questions
When does my 60-day COBRA election period start?
It starts on the later of the day your employer coverage ended or the day you receive the COBRA election notice. Employers generally have up to 44 days after the qualifying event to send that notice, so your clock may start later than you expect.
Do I have to pay for COBRA coverage I did not use while deciding?
No — you do not pay until you elect. But once you do elect, the first payment (due within 45 days) covers every month retroactively from your coverage end date, including months you had no medical bills.
Can I elect COBRA now and switch to the marketplace later?
You can, but voluntarily dropping COBRA generally does not create a new Special Enrollment Period. Your safest marketplace opportunity is the original 60-day window after losing coverage. Run the comparison calculator before electing either option.
Open the COBRA vs Marketplace Calculator →
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