There is no protection right now for pre-existing conditions if you have any break in insurance. Some companies give you things like a certain number of days that you can have between one policy and the next and not have it considered a pre-exhisting condition. Others, like the one I get through school (it is technically an individual policy) gives you NO days between without everything being considered a pre-exhisting condition. I had to buy COBRA to cover the 14 days between the end of my insurance for work and the beginning of my school's insurance (yes literally those days would require everything to be considered a pre-exhisting condition). So be careful. Pre-exhisiting conditions also usually apply to things like group policies (and policies like my school's that are required to take everyone who applies). Individual policies are trickier because often they just wont accept people with pre-exhisting conditions. Right now there are no protections for individuals (though they should be coming in the next few years). Also be careful when you apply for these policies, as if you are rejected from one policy that can be a reason for another individual policy to reject your application also. Yes our system is totally broken.