Coronavirus in Austin: Local health insurance company triples sales in last few weeks

As coronavirus fears spread, so does the interest in getting health insurance. What happens if you’ve missed the window to apply through the Affordable Care Act’s healthcare.gov?

Austin-based Decent, decent.com, provides insurance for people who are self-employed or are contractors, and has seen its sales triple in the last few weeks.

Policies for 30-year-old nonsmoking male start at $238 a month, or that same male with a family of four for $803 a month. If you bought a policy now, it won’t take effect until May 1. It always begins at least one full month ahead and not until the first of a month.

Nick Soman who started Decent last year did so after his own health care scare, 10 years ago when he had Guillain-Barré disease and was paralyzed. “If I had not had insurance, I would be broke or possibly dead,” Soman said.