You should buy coverage in the state where you officially reside. Most states consider you a resident if you intend to make that state your permanent home. So-called “snowbirds” may own a second home and live part of the year in another state, but their official state of residence is where they spend most of the year, where they pay taxes, where they register their cars, or are registered to vote.

If you are buying coverage in your state of residency but spend a significant amount of time in a different state, you may want to explore plans offered by insurers that use a national provider network so that you could find participating providers in more than one state.