How Soon Does Health Insurance Start? 
Two conditions have to be met for any health insurance plan to start providing coverage : 1 -RRB- Have an established effective date for the coverage 2 -RRB- Submit your initial premium payment to place the coverage in force . An effective date for health insurance coverage is generally the first of a given month . Even if you sign up for a plan and set up an effective date , the coverage will not start providing benefits until you pay your initial premium -LRB- and pay continuing premiums each month -RRB- . 