How does the legalization of same-sex marriage affect insurance companies?

Answer 1

Insurance companies will no longer be able to exclude same-sex married couples from the discount associated with family coverage.

By way of example, in New York State prior to the enactment of the Marriage Equality Act, a same-sex couple purchasing health insurance would be required to purchase two individual policies, which cost more than one family policy. Employers were able to purchase "domestic partner coverage" which sold at rates lower than two individual policies, but private individuals themselves could not purchase domestic partner coverage.

Now that same-sex marriage has been legalized in New York State, insurance companies are prohibited from excluding families from family coverage discounts on the bases of gender or sexual orientation.