ReferenceGoogle Ads disapproval
Health insurance
Google restricts ads for health and medical insurance in the United States to certified advertisers. Dental, vision and travel health insurance are not restricted. Apply for healthcare advertising certification first, with a separate application for each location group, then edit the ad or remove the locations the account is not certified for.
At a glance
- Where it shows
- The Status column on the Ads & assets page, as Disapproved under this policy.
- What stops
- The ad stops serving where the account lacks the approval that applies.
- How serious
- Low on its own. Google issues a warning at least 7 days before any account suspension.
What it means
Google restricts ads for health and medical insurance coverage in the United States to certified advertisers. The page's examples are individual, short-term, limited-duration, fixed indemnity, Medicare Advantage, Medigap and Medicaid plans.
An advertiser who promotes ACA-compliant plans needs one more certificate before its ads can run or bid on ACA-related keywords. Certification is requested through the Google Ads troubleshooter.
What actually triggers it
A medical plan ad without certification
Any ad promoting one of the plan types the page names needs certification in the United States. An ad that lacks the required approval can be disapproved.
ACA-related keywords with an ACA-compliant plan
Promoting an ACA-compliant plan needs the separate certificate. Bidding on ACA-related keywords needs it too, so a keyword list can break the rule while the ad text is clean.
Locations outside the eligible list
A campaign that targets a location not listed as eligible cannot promote these products there, even with certification. Each location or group of locations needs its own application.
A dental, vision or travel plan in a medical campaign
Ads only for dental, vision or travel health insurance are not restricted. A campaign that mixes one of those with a medical plan is not covered by that exception.
Fix it in this order
- In Google Ads, go to Ads under the Campaigns menu, and read the status of each disapproved ad.
- If the business qualifies, apply for healthcare-related advertising through the Google Ads troubleshooter. Submit a separate application for each location or group of locations.
- Remove each location where the account is not certified or eligible from the campaign, or choose a compliant landing page.
- Hover over the ad, select Edit, make the change and select Save ad. Check the Status column for the review result.
- If an ad cannot be brought into line, remove it to help avoid future suspensions.
When to appeal
Appeal from the account when the ad is a dental, vision or travel plan, or when it does not promote a health insurance product at all.
If the ad is a covered plan and the account is not certified, an appeal does not change that. The page names certification as the step that clears the restriction.
Often confused with
The parent policy. Health insurance is one restricted category under it, with its own location and certificate rules, so a healthcare certificate for other products does not cover insurance.
Manufacturers of medicines need Google certification by country and product group. An insurance seller's US certificate is a different requirement from that.