Experts advise the unemployed to:

• Act immediately. Don’t wait, thinking you’ll get another job or things will work out so you don’t have to think about it. It can take up to six weeks to get your insurance application approved.
• Find the expert at your former employer who can explain everything about the coverage offered under the COBRA plan, and be assertive asking questions.
• Don’t just call up an insurance company and apply. You could get denied for something that you didn’t think was that big a deal, such as a chiropractor’s visit or using Prozac. You’ll have to disclose that you’ve been denied when you apply somewhere else and that might be a red flag that affects your ability to get coverage.
• Because health insurance is so complicated, it’s probably not a good idea to try to do it on the Internet. Seek advice from an independent insurance agent.