Dental Insurance: What You Should Pay Attention To
by Nathan D. Kopeck
Nobody likes going to the dentist: on top of the physical pain, we know it's going to bring financial pain as well. If you happen not to have dental insurance coverage, any work that's done on your teeth will end up costing you a small fortune. The internet offers hundreds of sites where you can do some research and get a feel for what your ideal plan would cost you. It's really important that you take care of this as soon as possible because waiting usually just compounds the problem.
Before you turn to any other resource, check with your employer to see if dental insurance coverage is included in your health insurance or if it can be added if it isn't. If the answer is yes, then it's your best option. You'll be able to pay for it the same way you do your health insurance, so there are no worries in that department. Sometimes, though, if it's obvious you'll need to have a lot of work done, the policy may not cover you. If that happens, you'll have no choice but to get a separate dental plan so you can still be able to save some money on your dental bill.
Like I said, thanks to the Internet, the process of finding a dental plan that's a good fit for you is considerably less complicated than it was a few years ago. The industry being very competitive, a bit of comparison-shopping will net you a good plan with good coverage at a decent price. Since you don't have to physically walk from one place to the other, comparing options and prices that best suit your needs becomes a lot easier and making the right choice becomes a lot simpler. Here's what you should be looking at.
Reasonable premiums. Of course, you want something that's priced within reason. For most people, most of the time, price can make or break a deal. One of the best ways to make sure your price is fair is to pick packages from different companies that are as similar as possible and go with the one that offers the best price. You will probably end up with an excellent plan for a price that is reasonable.
Preventive dental care. Your analysis of a good dental plan should not overlook preventive dental care. It's the type of care that exists to decrease the likelihood that you'll have to do some major dental work in the future: x-rays, regular cleanings, free check-ups... You benefit from it because you'll enjoy better dental health, and your insurance company benefits because it decreases the overall cost of your coverage.
Company background. There are a number of things related to the company that are worth being checked out because they might turn out to be critical down the road. For example, has the company made headlines lately? Good or bad? Is there some way to assess the company's financial soundness? No one want to get insured from a company that goes under a few months later. Do they have a good reputation of satisfactory settling of claims? You don't want to have to jump through hoops when you submit yours.
Customer testimonials. Online message boards and Q&A websites can provide you with first-hand testimonials from both previous and current customers of the company. This can prove invaluable, as long as you remember to take everything with a pinch of salt and that not everybody is who they claim to be online.
