Dental insurance is designed to cover the costs associated with dental care. It offers protection against unexpected dental expenses by paying all, or a portion of bills presented by a dentist or other providers of dental services.
Dental insurance can be purchased by individuals and their families or by companies looking to offer cover to their staff. It is becoming a very popular employee benefit.
Most of us will need some major dental work at some time during our life and dental insurance can help deal with the cost of dental care, without compromising our health by leaving dental problems untreated.
Choosing the best plan for your needs can depend on a number of factors including:
Cost
This is always important, make sure the premiums are affordable.
Coverage
Most dental insurance plans offer coverage for maintenance cover, such as check-ups, examinations, consultations, x-rays and scaling & polishing up to certain yearly limits. Benefits vary when it comes to cover for treatment such as fillings, crowns, bridges, periodontal care, implants and orthodontic cover. It is important that you chose the right cover for your requirements. Certain benefits may only be available under company plans and it is possible to take out company cover with a minimum of just two employees. Find out exactly what is covered before making your decision.
Qualifying Period
Most dental insurance plans have no waiting period before you can claim for maintenance cover such as check-ups and scale and polishing. However, treatment cover usually has a qualifying period of between two or three months before you can make a claim. Some company plans do not have any waiting periods and you can start to claim straight away.
Excess
It is usual for the dental insurance provider to cover costs for maintenance benefits in full up to certain annual limits, however it is also usual for customers to pay a deductible on treatment cover typically 25%. This varies from company to company.
Service
Choose a provider who allows you to continue to use your existing dentist and has a simple and efficient claims handling service. It is usual for people to continue to pay dental bills direct to their dentist and then claim costs back from their insurance company. It is important to avoid a time consuming claims process.
Using an independent dental insurance broker to obtain the best cover for your requirements will save you a lot of time and effort and can ensure that you get the most appropriate cover for yourself, your family and your employees.
Don't hesitate to contact us at Get Dental Plans, so that we can help you find the plan that is right for you.