Open Enrollment 2027: Your Deductible Is the Number That Matters on the Mat
By Chris Martin, Founder, JiuJitsuInsurance.com | Covering The Mats Blog
One bad roll, one big bill
I've trained jiu-jitsu since 2008, and I've always carried major medical insurance. Even so, I've still paid somewhere between $2,000 and $6,000 a year out of my own pocket for medical bills. Having health insurance and being protected from a big injury bill are two different things.
Open enrollment is the one time each year most of us pick a health plan, and most people pick by the monthly premium. On the mats, the number that actually decides how much an injury costs you is your deductible, and your out-of-pocket maximum right behind it.
Give me five minutes and you'll know your 2027 exposure and how to cover it.
Open enrollment 2027: the dates that matter
- Nov 1, 2026: Open enrollment opens on HealthCare.gov.
- Dec 15, 2026: Deadline to pick a plan that starts Jan 1, 2027.
- Jan 15, 2027: Open enrollment ends. Plans picked Dec 16 through Jan 15 start Feb 1.
- State-run exchanges may have different dates, so check yours.
HealthCare.gov open enrollment dates for 2027 coverage. State-run exchanges may have different dates, so check yours.
A quick note on who we are: JiuJitsuInsurance.com is an accident and injury insurance brokerage. We don't enroll Marketplace health plans. Choose your health plan through HealthCare.gov, your state's exchange, or your employer. What we help with is the gap that plan leaves behind.
The number nobody checks: your total exposure
- Deductible: what you pay before your health plan starts sharing the cost.
- Out-of-pocket maximum: the most you'll pay in a year for covered care. After you hit it, the plan pays 100%.
Here's an illustrative example:
$6,000 deductible + $3,000 more in coinsurance and copays = $9,000 out of your pocket before your plan pays 100%.
Deductibles of $2,500 to $8,000 or more are common. The injuries that blow through them are the ones we see every week in the academy: torn ACLs, shoulder dislocations, fractures, and the ER visit, imaging, and physical therapy that come with them.
Hypothetical example: a $6,000 deductible plus $3,000 in coinsurance and copays equals $9,000 in total exposure. Actual deductibles and benefits vary by plan and state.
Callout: A lower premium usually means a higher deductible, and a higher deductible means a bigger gap.
How accident injury insurance fills the gap
The plans we offer are 24-hour accident plans. They're not built only for jiu-jitsu. We call it "jiu-jitsu insurance" because these plans don't exclude jiu-jitsu or other recreational martial arts, so they cover you on and off the mats: training, at home, on the weekend.
One important difference on work injuries usig two programs that we write insurance coverage with:
- Washington National accident plans cover injuries on or off the job.
- Companion Life Flex doesn't cover work injuries that workers' comp covers.
Pairing the two fills that gap.
There are two kinds of accident plans:
- Reimbursement (Companion Life Flex): an excess plan that pays after your health insurance, toward what you owe.
- Cash, or indemnity (Washington National, AFLAC): pays you directly, and you decide where the money goes: deductible, rent, or lost time off work.
These are accident-only plans. They don't cover illness, routine care, or ongoing conditions, and they're not a replacement for major medical. They're built to sit next to it.
Match your benefit to your 2027 deductible
The simple rule: choose an accident benefit close to your deductible, or close to your total exposure if you want the whole gap covered.
| Your 2027 deductible / exposure (example) | Accident benefit to consider (example) |
|---|---|
| About $5,000 | $5,000 |
| About $6,000 | $6,000 |
| About $9,000 ($6k deductible + $3k out-of-pocket) | $9,000 |
| $10,000 or more | $10,000 |
Illustrative benefit matching. Benefit levels vary by state and plan, and Companion Life Flex designs go up to $30,000.
*Illustrative only. Benefit levels vary by state and plan, and Flex designs go up to $30,000.
Using the example above, a $9,000 benefit lines up with the $9,000 exposure, so a covered accident doesn't come out of your savings.
Want more protection? You can stack plans. A Companion Life Flex plan plus a Washington National plan plus AFLAC can cover the bill and put cash in your hand at the same time. I walk through a forearm fracture example in Best-Paying Accident Plans for Martial Artists in 2027, and the two-plan setup in BJJ Accident Insurance with a Flexible Health Plan.
Your situation, your stack
- High-deductible plan: match your accident benefit to the gap, then add a cash plan for lost time.
- No health insurance: strongly consider getting major medical during open enrollment. In the meantime, higher accident limits (up to $30,000) can help with accidents only. More in Martial Arts Injury Insurance for Uninsured Athletes.
- Coach or self-employed: protect your income with accident disability and cash plans. See Insurance for Independent Jiu-Jitsu Coaches.
- You compete for pay: start with AFLAC. Companion Life Flex and the Washington National accident plans cover recreational martial arts but not paid competitors.
State availability and timing
Companion Life Flex is available in 30 states plus DC, and Washington National and AFLAC cover most of the others.
Best Paying Accident Plans for Martial Artists for 2027, state by state. Availability varies and is subject to change.
There's no open-enrollment window for accident plans. Coverage typically starts 24 to 72 hours after you enroll, so you can line it up to start Jan 1 alongside your new health plan, or start any time of year. Details in our insurance plan FAQ.
For gym owners: protect your members, too
If you run an academy, there are group gym accident policies that a lot of owners don't know about. Learn more on our group gym policy page . And please share this post with your members before Dec 15. Our gym share kit makes it easy.
FAQ
Do I need health insurance to buy an accident plan? No. But accident plans cover accidents only, so major medical is still the foundation.
Can I have both? Yes. Cash plans pay regardless of your other coverage, and Flex is excess coverage that pays after your health insurance.
Are tournaments covered? Amateur competition generally isn't excluded. Paid competition is excluded on Companion Life Flex and Washington National, so paid competitors should look at AFLAC. Confirm the details for your state.
What if I miss Dec 15? On HealthCare.gov, you can still enroll until Jan 15 for coverage starting Feb 1. Accident plans are available year-round.
Do you sell ACA plans? We focus on accident and injury coverage.
Get your 2027 deductible check
Tell us your 2027 deductible and out-of-pocket max, and we'll show you the accident benefit that covers your gap.
Prefer to talk? Call (224) 505-1888 or email info@jiujitsuinsurance.com.
While you're here, enter our Fuji raffle.
Chris Martin at a Fuji BJJ event with Felipe Costa in Illinois.
Product availability varies by state and is subject to change. Ask your broker for an up-to-date product brochure with your quote. This post is general information, not a contract or a quote. Benefits, availability, exclusions, and prices vary by state, age, and plan. JiuJitsuInsurance.com is a licensed insurance brokerage, not an insurer. NPN 7335986.
