A dental insurance company plan helps to cover the costs of preventative dental care while softening the blow on more expensive dental procedures such as crowns, bridges, and fillings. It is critical to shop around for a dental insurance company that offers plans that provide the amount of coverage you require without having low annual caps or exclusions that prevent you from receiving any value.
The best dental insurance plans offer a large network of dentists, reasonable annual benefit caps, and the possibility of low premiums. When looking for the best dental insurance company, compare and review the
dental policies you are considering so you know exactly what is and is not covered.
What is Dental Insurance?
Dental insurance covers a variety of dental procedures, including preventive care as well as more involved procedures such as fillings, crowns, and root canals. Dental insurance, like other types of insurance, requires you to pay a monthly premium, as well as an annual or lifetime deductible and copayments when you visit a dentist for insurance.
However, dental insurance differs from health insurance in terms of the amount of coverage available. Whereas the Affordable Care Act (ACA) made it so that annual limits on health care coverage could no longer be applied, dental insurance plans often have annual limits as low as $750 or $1,000 per person. You will have to pay for dental care out of pocket once your annual maximum benefit amount has been reached. Also keep in mind that dental insurance often has waiting periods that vary depending on the type of treatment you require. Make sure to distinguish between dental insurance and dental discount plans. Dental discount plans only apply to services provided by dentists who are part of a specific network.
What are the Dental Insurance Expected Costs?
Dental insurance costs vary greatly depending on where you live, your age, and the plan you choose. Depending on your state and county, you might be able to find a plan for less than 20 dollar per month for an individual. It’s important to keep in mind that less expensive dental insurance plans typically only cover a small percentage of services and have low annual benefit limits. Individually, more comprehensive plans can easily cost 40 to 60 dollars per month, but you’ll get more coverage, higher annual benefit amounts, and more included services in return.
6 Best Dental Insurance Companies
1. Renaissance Dental
In-network dentists who use this insurance will file paperwork and claims on your behalf. Renaissance Dental works with a network of 300,000 dental offices nationwide. This company is known for its excellent customer service, and they offer a variety of plans for individuals and families with varying levels of coverage and inclusions to meet consumers’ needs. AM Best has given Renaissance Dental an A rating, indicating that the company is financially sound. They also make it simple to get a free quote online regardless of where you live, making comparison shopping simple and convenient.
It’s worth noting that not all Renaissance Dental plans cover preventive care completely, and some restorative and major services have waiting periods. All Renaissance Dental insurance plans have a $1,000 annual maximum benefit, and all of them have a $50 deductible for individuals and a $150 deductible for families.
2. UnitedHealthOne Dental Insurance
UnitedHealthOne provides dental insurance plans with no age restrictions and no deductibles or waiting periods for preventive care. It is worth noting that UnitedHealthOne is a subsidiary of the UnitedHealth Group, a Fortune 500 company. Policies may be underwritten by the Golden Rule Insurance Company, a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary. AM Best has assigned the group an A rating for financial strength. Dental insurance plans, including coverage amounts and other details, can vary greatly depending on where you live with UnitedHealthOne. This company, on the other hand, makes it simple to obtain a free quote online without any medical underwriting.
Some UnitedHealthOne plans require a four-month or longer waiting period for basic care and major services, though details vary depending on where you live. Orthodontic coverage is available in some higher-tiered plans, whereas lower-tiered plans may not cover major services such as braces, crowns, and bridgework at all. Be aware that some of their plans’ annual maximum benefits can be as low as $1,000.
3. Physicians Mutual
Physicians Mutual dental insurance has an A rating from AM Best, indicating that the company is financially sound. This company also offers plans that are especially beneficial to seniors because they cover up to 350 procedures, including crowns and dentures.
Physicians There are no deductibles with Mutual dental insurance, and coverage for preventive care like cleanings begins immediately. However, basic care such as fillings and extractions are subject to a three-month waiting period, while major services such as crowns and root canals are subject to a 12-month waiting period. Physicians Mutual policies, for example, have no annual or lifetime benefit limits, and you can select your dentist from a network of over 500,000 providers.
4. Spirit Dental
Spirit Dental provides dental insurance plans with no waiting periods and annual maximum benefit amounts that increase after a few years with the company. They guarantee everyone’s acceptance, and you can even get major services and dental implants covered. Spirit Dental is provided by Ameritas Life Insurance Corp., which has an A+ financial strength rating from Standard & Poor’s and an A rating from AM Best. Spirit’s partnership with Ameritas also means it has access to one of the company’s largest networks of dentists. You can currently choose from 111,500 dental providers at 428,000 access points across the country.
Spirit Dental, in addition to not having any waiting periods, has a one-time $100 deductible, as opposed to the annual deductibles most coverage providers have. Individual dental insurance plans are available from Spirit, and they include no waiting periods, preventive coverage, three cleanings per year, and even orthodontics for children, with a $5,000 annual maximum benefit after three years as a customer.
5. Delta Dental
Delta Dental is part of one of the country’s largest dental provider networks, with over 154,000 dentists to choose from. Delta Dental also has an A rating from AM Best, indicating the company’s financial strength. While plan details vary by state, Delta Dental offers a variety of insurance options, including options that cover orthodontic treatment. Orthodontics, for example, are covered at 50% for both children and adults under their individual PPO plans. There is a $50 deductible and a $1,500 annual maximum for care.
Cleanings and X-rays are covered 100 percent, and all other basic and major services, such as root canals, implants, and crowns, are covered 50 percent. Delta Dental policies vary in price depending on where you live, but a PPO plan with orthodontic coverage starts at $64.92 per month for individuals and $213.34 for a family of four.
6. Cigna
Cigna is a global health-care company with a strong financial position, earning an A from AM Best and Standard & Poor’s. Their dental plans work with a nationwide network of over 93,000 dentists and provide phone support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Furthermore, individuals with Cigna dental insurance have no copays or deductibles for preventive care with in-network dentists.
Consumers of all ages can sign up for Cigna’s dental Preferred Provider Organization (DPPO) plans, which are priced per person, per month. Customers can also select a level of care based on their requirements, with some plans including orthodontic and restorative care at a higher cost.
Conclusion
When it comes to dental insurance companies, you have a lot of options. Some companies, such as Renaissance Dental and Delta Dental, offer plans that cover 100% of preventive care, while others, such as Spirit Dental and Physicians Mutual, have no waiting periods. Cigna, however, is the best dental insurance company overall. Cigna has a nationwide network of over 93,000 dentists, and its dental insurance policies all cover preventative care with no deductibles or copays. Customers can also select a level of care based on their actual needs with Cigna, with some plans offering orthodontic and restorative care at a higher cost.