Whether you're graduating from college, leaving home for the first time, or between jobs, a major change in your lifestyle often dictates a change in your health insurance coverage.

For these circumstances, some health insurers offer short-term or temporary health plans (sometimes called "major medical" plans) to fill in the gaps between traditional policies.

With low premiums and high deductibles, short-term policies are designed to be more of a low-cost safety net in case of serious injury or illness than a comprehensive day-to-day health insurance plan.

Benefits are limited and there are strict eligibility requirements to qualify. Additionally, temporary health insurance is just as the name implies, only a temporary solution. While some plans offer coverage for up to a year, most short-term policies offer between one month and six months of coverage.