How Does Dual Health Insurance Work? 
By `` dual health insurance '' I will assume you are referring to a situation where a husband and wife each hold jobs with different companies and both jobs offer health insurance . Dual coverage almost always is a waste of money . Health insurance has a COB -LRB- coordination of benefits -RRB- clause that is designed to prevent overpayment . When a claim is submitted each carrier decides who is primary and that carrier pays first . The secondary carrier then reviews the claim and pays their portion if there is any liability . More often than not the secondary carrier pays little or nothing but between the two they will not pay more than 100 % of the claim amount . In other words , you will not `` profit '' on the claim and COB often is a delay and hassle . 