Some good dental plans for family’s ?

[DonP]

what are some of the better dental plans for family’s ? I’ve sold a few medico dental plans for seniors . How about younger family’s with kids ? I was looking at Ameritas prime star . It only pays 20% of major charges after yr 1 . Many pay 50% .

 

[sman]

what are some of the better dental plans for family’s ? I’ve sold a few medico dental plans for seniors . How about younger family’s with kids ? I was looking at Ameritas prime star . It only pays 20% of major charges after yr 1 . Many pay 50% .

You lost me at "good"

 

[Jim Wright]

Most of them are horrible. With very few exceptions, it's less expensive to just pay out of pocket. If they have kids they are worried about orthodontia, don't bother paying the premium. And unless you can plan on your major service 2 years out, it's not worth the premium either.

UHO just got rid of waiting periods but the coverage you get immediately still stinks compared to premium. I just don't think they are worth it.

 

[ValeRosso]

I have been using Humana and Manhattan life for a while depending on needs and budget. Just wrote a couple and their kid with Humana dental, came to $99 a month, 100% preventative services, 80% basic services, 50% major services. They have cheaper plans as well, down to about $35/month for the same scenario above.

I know dental is considered “horrible”, but what’s worse is sending someone to the dentist without insurance and getting a $3000 dental bill and put on a payment plan.

 

[UKTX]

I have Ameritas for myself and my wife. I have had it for years.......probably 5 or 6+ years.......

Its pretty sucky. Max per year is 2k.

Last year I have a dental procedure and cost was approx. $2400......my portion was about $800.

Been paying about $1k a year for the coverage.

 

[LostDollar]

what are some of the better dental plans for family’s ? I’ve sold a few medico dental plans for seniors . How about younger family’s with kids ? I was looking at Ameritas prime star . It only pays 20% of major charges after yr 1 . Many pay 50% .

Caveat, I am not an agent.

In my personal, non-agent opinion, the very first thing you need to do with your question is develop your own answer for the meaning of "good" in relation to individual (not employer group) kind of dental coverage.

What I see here is most agents responding to that question on the forums do not consider dental expenses to be catastrophic in nature, like healthcare medical expenses. Therefore, unlike medical health insurance, they consider dental insurance coverage to be a failure if it does not pay out an amount equal to or greater than the policy holder's premium payments for the year.

If that matches your definition of "good", then I think your search is doomed. I think Dental Insurance has to cover at least four elements in their pricing. Believing that one of those elements is profit, I don't see that a person can plan to recover their profit year in, year out for many years.

 

[Jim Wright]

I have been using Humana and Manhattan life for a while depending on needs and budget. Just wrote a couple and their kid with Humana dental, came to $99 a month, 100% preventative services, 80% basic services, 50% major services. They have cheaper plans as well, down to about $35/month for the same scenario above.

I know dental is considered “horrible”, but what’s worse is sending someone to the dentist without insurance and getting a $3000 dental bill and put on a payment plan.

-Dental Bill w/out insurance: $3000

-Dental Insurance Premium: $99x12=$1188
-50% of major service: $1500 (I know that I'm ignoring whatever deductible is there, I think it comes out in the wash)
-Even 100% preventative means 100% of the contracted rate. Typically a dentist charges more. I'll be conservative and say they each pay $20 for their preventative.
Total: $2728.

I'm also assuming that the plan max is at least $1500. If it's lower, they will be paying more than that.

That leaves no wiggle room for anything else. I just don't think paying that much in premium just in case I have a need, is worth saving $300

 

[Jim Wright]

Caveat, I am not an agent.

In my personal, non-agent opinion, the very first thing you need to do with your question is develop your own answer for the meaning of "good" in relation to individual (not employer group) kind of dental coverage.

What I see here is most agents responding to that question on the forums do not consider dental expenses to be catastrophic in nature, like healthcare medical expenses. Therefore, unlike medical health insurance, they consider dental insurance coverage to be a failure if it does not pay out an amount equal to or greater than the policy holder's premium payments for the year.

If that matches your definition of "good", then I think your search is doomed. I think Dental Insurance has to cover at least four elements in their pricing. Believing that one of those elements is profit, I don't see that a person can plan to recover their profit year in, year out for many years.

I understand your thought process here. I think the major thing to take into consideration is that medical insurance has a stop loss. Dental insurance has benefit maximums.

If I have something medically catastrophic happen, insurance will take 100% of the burden at a certain point.

If I have a dental catastrophe, it's only going to pay a small portion and then 100% of the burden is on the insured.

 

[LostDollar]

I have been using Humana and Manhattan life for a while depending on needs and budget. Just wrote a couple and their kid with Humana dental, came to $99 a month, 100% preventative services, 80% basic services, 50% major services. They have cheaper plans as well, down to about $35/month for the same scenario above.

I know dental is considered “horrible”, but what’s worse is sending someone to the dentist without insurance and getting a $3000 dental bill and put on a payment plan.

Caveat, not an agent

Two things:

Re $3,000 bill. If one has a less costly policy with a limited network, unless they have been able to find an in-network provider, they will still owe a significant portion of that $3,000 bill.

Re: Humana, look carefully at the coverage provisions for fillings.

Without doing a bunch of looking I don't have time for, I can't be sure of the carrier--but there is a dental carrier that puts a limit on filling coverage to 1 filling per tooth per x years. There is NO way I would sell or recommend a policy with that type of restriction to a family with children.

 

[UKTX]

The problem is most think that they have (whatever their max is) $2k total for the year and that (like in my example) it should pay the full $2k since my bill was $2400.

In my case I have paid $1k per year for approx. 6 years for a total of $6k. The cleanings are never paid at "100%". There is always an out of pocket.

I should cancel it really because id be better self insuring for the $2k per year.......