How did you guys handle health coverage while attending school and fight instructing? I’m currently offered health insurance through work, however, when I leave to attend school I will no longer be covered. Since our government decided to make health insurance mandatory, I’m looking into alternatives (very expensive ones at that ). Does ATP offer any sort of benefit package while instructing for them? How does airline benefit packages match up with other industries/careers you have worked in the past? Any insight you can provide is greatly appreciated!
I was fortunate in that I was covered under my wife’s insurance until I was hired at by an airline. I’m no expert but I believe you should be able to get a Cobra extension for a while from your job? ATP doesn’t provide or offer insurance while you’re instructing since you’re actually paid as independent contractor. Hopefully some of the other guys will have some other solutions.
I went on the “don’t get sick or have anything happen” plan, but I would not recommend that as a good idea. For my future wife I bought a short term policy through State Farm that handled major catastrophes only. Of course this was before the Affordable Care Act, so everything has changed. You could look into the health care exchange offered by your state and see what is available to you.
I have never worked outside of aviation, but I can tell you that the health care coverage offered by United is far superior to what my other is offered by the state of Virginia. In fact, United’s plan is on par or superior with just about every plan I have ever heard of. I pay $440 per month for a family of five, that gets me a 90% of medical expenses covered until my out of pocket max of $1,500 (annually) is met, then everything is covered at 100%. Dental insurance for the whole family is $32 per month.
Let me know if you are looking for more detailed information.
Chris,
Just to clarify, it sounds like your insurance policy through the airline extends to the family. Is that common practice for all airlines, or does it vary dependent upon the airline you fly for?
I don’t know a single airline that doesn’t offer Health Insurance to their employees and families. Some policies are obviously better than others but I’ve always found the coverage to be good and actually fairly reasonable.
Like Adam said every airline that I know of makes health insurance available to the employee and their immediate family. United offers very good health insurance, so much so that it is defined as a “Cadillac” health plan by the government.
). Does ATP offer any sort of benefit package while instructing for them? How does airline benefit packages match up with other industries/careers you have worked in the past? Any insight you can provide is greatly appreciated!