Dental Isurance

The self-employed woman or man may have more than one choice for dental care insurance.  Dental insurance may be available through a group policy, a combined dental and healthcare insurance policy may be something they can acquire directly from an insurance carrier, a standalone dental insurance policy may be available and non insurance alternatives may also be available.

Group dental expense coverage may be available to you through your spouse’s employer or through your business.  If you only have a few employees, a group plan through your business may not be the best alternative.  The best prices are given to larger employers.  This means that if you have a spouse you may want to investigate alternatives available through his or her employer.

The second best alternative may be to purchase a dental insurance policy that is part of a package that includes health care insurance.  These policies are often well-priced and have good benefits.  They are often the best option for those cannot get dental coverage through an employer although they are usually not quites as good as dental policies that are available through large employer sponsored policies.

Standalone dental insurance is also an option, however, dental care discount policies are often better.  (See below).  

Standalone dental policies are often purchased by those who need immediate dental coverage.  This drives the price up and lowers the benefits available.  coverage companies will generally make new policy holders wait for one or two years before major expenses are covered by these types of policies.

Because of the waiting period, these policies are not viable for those who need work done right away.  Dental discount plans are often much better choices for those who have an immediate need for dental care.

Standalone dental expense coverage is usually so poorly priced that in many cases individuals and families will do better by paying for dental expenses out of their pocket.  

You may find that group assurance isn’t available to you or it isn’t a good alternative.  You may also find that purchasing a policy that includes health insurance is similarly unavailable or unattractive.  If this is the case, a dental care discount plan may be your best option.

A dental expense discount plan isn’t insurance.  However, it can be a very good deal.  

For an annual price that might be the equivalent of two or three months of dental care protection premiums a dental care discount plan can help you get 25% or even 35% off the cost of your dental care with no significant waiting period.  This means that you can get a policy and get a discount of hundreds of dollars on your plan’s effective date.

For this reason many insurance agents recommend dental expense discount plans for their clients who are unable to get group coverage and for whom a packaged health and a dental expense insurance policy is not an option.

It pays to look at all of your medical and dental expense coverage options if you are self employed.  The best option may lay with your spouse or domestic partner’s employer-sponsored plan, a dental expense and health assurance policy you acquire directly from an insurance carrier, a standalone dental expense policy or a discount dental care plan