<prompt> Human: I currently have great health insurance at my job. However, I finish up the job on the last day of the month, and the plan will end at midnight of that day. Although I start a new job within a week, the insurance plan wont be in effect until the next pay period, leaving me with an approximately 2 week gap in coverage. In between jobs Im driving cross-country and will be doing a fair amount of driving as I move in. I want to have some type of medical coverage in case of a serious accident, but I really dont want to have to pay 900 for one month worth of COBRA. Ive looked into domestic travel insurance, and it looks like I can get a plan with 500k in emergency medical coverage for 100. Is there any downside to doing this rather than COBRA? I am genuinely traveling when I move between states. Could it inhibit my ability to get onto the new plan if I have a two week gap in coverage? Assistant: You can elect cobra retroactively within 60 days. So just play the gap. Human: So my employer mentioned this, but it seems unlikely -- why wouldnt everybody just wait and see with Cobra then? In looking at the Department of Labor, that doesnt seem correct:Q9: If I waive COBRA coverage during the election period, can I still get coverage at a later date?If you waive COBRA coverage during the election period, you must be permitted later to revoke your waiver of coverage and to elect continuation coverage as long as you do so during the election period. Then, the plan need only provide continuation coverage beginning on the date you revoke the waiver.  <response>: Seriously, its just two weeks and you have 60 days to elect COBRA. So, dont pay COBRA continuation yet. Just see if you need to, and apply if you do. Dont waive coverage. Just dont elect it yet. You have 60 days to mull it over.See Q8, just above the Q9 you cited:If you are entitled to elect COBRA coverage, you must be given an election period of at least 60 days starting on the later of the date you are furnished the election notice or the date you would lose coverage to choose whether or not to elect continuation coverage.The only drawback is that COBRA continuation must be continuous, so if you have an event that costs you at end of second month, you have to pay premiums for both months when you elect. That wont be an issue for you, because your new coverage will have kicked in.PLT: Fill out the election form for COBRA and write a check for the first premium. Put it in an addressed envelope. Dont mail it. Put it on the refrigerator or pass it to a trusted friend with instructions to mail it in if you are in an accident that leaves you in a coma or unable to. Two weeks from now, when your new insurance kicks in, you can toss the envelope. 