In Virginia law and standard insurance terminology, the period during which a new employee must wait before becoming eligible for group health insurance is called a probationary period.
The Code of Virginia defines a “waiting period” as the length of time that must pass before an individual becomes eligible for coverage under a group plan. By law, this waiting period cannot exceed 90 days.
Virginia regulations further distinguish between two types of waiting times:
The eligibility waiting period imposed by an employer before coverage begins (commonly referred to in industry study materials as the probationary period).
A policy’s internal waiting period during which no benefits are provided after coverage becomes effective.
Additionally, Virginia’s insurance replacement regulations explicitly reference “probationary periods” when describing limitations or exclusions related to preexisting conditions. This confirms that the industry-standard term used in exam and licensing study guides for this eligibility wait is probationary period.
References (Virginia official documents and study materials):
Code of Virginia § 38.2-3431 (Definitions — “Waiting period”)
Code of Virginia § 38.2-3452 (Limitation — 90-day maximum waiting period for group health plans)
14VAC5-141-20 (Definitions — distinguishes employer eligibility waiting period from policy waiting period)
14VAC5-200-110 (Replacement notice — references to “probationary periods”)
