How to Pay Your First Month’s Health Insurance Premium

🟦 For Most States:

If you applied for health insurance through Stride (and you don’t live in California, Maryland, or Pennsylvania), you can usually pay your first premium right from your Stride dashboard.

Here’s how:

1. Log in to your Stride dashboard.

2. Click on your health plan card to open it.

3. Select the "Make first payment" button.

4. Follow the instructions on your insurance company’s website to complete your payment.

Having trouble with the payment link?

• If you see a message like “Payment link has timed out,” try refreshing the page and clicking the button again.

• If the issue continues, you’ll need to pay directly on your insurance company’s website or call their customer service for help.

⚠️ Note: Some insurance companies don’t support direct payment through Stride. If the payment button disappears or doesn't work, just contact your insurance company directly. You can also wait for them to mail you a bill and follow the instructions provided.

🟨 For California Residents:

If you applied for a plan in California, you already submitted your payment info during the final step of the application. Here’s what happens next:

• After submitting your e-signature, Stride sends your application and payment info to Covered California and your insurance carrier.

• Keep an eye on your email inbox for confirmation from Stride and your insurance company.

• Watch your bank account for the payment withdrawal.

🔁 What if payment doesn’t go through? Sometimes Stride can’t submit your payment due to issues beyond our control. If that happens:

• We’ll email you with specific steps to pay your premium directly through your insurance company.

Need to pay manually?

• Click here to find payment instructions for California insurance companies.

• If your company isn’t listed, check their official website for contact info.

🟩 For Maryland or Pennsylvania Residents:

If you applied in Maryland or Pennsylvania, you’ll likely need to pay your premium directly to your new insurance company.

What to expect:

• After submitting your application, look out for emails, texts, or calls from Stride with next steps.

• You may also receive a bill in the mail from your insurance company with payment instructions.

• In most cases, you’ll either pay online or call your insurer directly to make a payment.

🔁 Set Up Automatic Payments (Highly Recommended)

To avoid losing your coverage, set up automatic monthly payments with your insurance company:

• Contact your insurer by phone or log into their member portal.

• If you miss payments for more than 60 days, your coverage could be canceled.