Signing up for and enrolling in COBRA insurance allows you to keep the exact same health insurance plan you had with your employer at full cost.  Since the plan is the same, in most cases you can add a dependent, like a child, when there is a qualifying event.  So if you adopt a child, have a child, or even get married to someone with a child, those children can be added to your COBRA plan.  However, if you previously has a child and you didn’t include them on your health insurance plan it may be difficult to add them to COBRA insurance plans.  You will have to check with your health insurance provider to find out.

Adding dependents other than children is difficult with most plans with or without COBRA insurance.  Such dependents could be adults or other older relatives.  Since insurance costs are generally high for such individuals, adding them to COBRA insurance or any other plan is usually difficult and you must meet certain caregiver and income requirements.