Individual Dental Insurance
Find the Best Individual Dental Insurance Brokerage for Your Client
Individual dental insurance is a great way to help your clients take care of their dental health. The right dental insurance plan reduces out-of-pocket expenses for most procedures and covers preventative care like cleaning and checkups. Dental health is an important part of your client’s overall health and wellness, and dental insurance should be considered an important part of their coverage.
Helping your clients find the right dental insurance can increase your retention rates and even attract new clients. Providing more product options to your client encourages them to continue to return to you as a reliable and trusted source for their coverage needs. You’ll want to ensure you understand the options so you can meet your client’s needs.
What is individual dental insurance?
Individual dental insurance is a policy purchased by an individual to help cover the out-of-pocket costs of dental care for themselves and their family. Individual dental insurance is available in the United States as both HMO and PPO plans with three different tiers of coverage:.
- Class 1 dental insurance provides basic coverage for preventative care such as office visits and cleanings.
- Class 2 dental insurance provides moderate coverage including fillings, and some repairs to crowns, bridges, and more.
- Class 3 dental insurance provides coverage for major and restorative procedures, such as implants, crowns, and root canals.
Every plan has either a waiting period or a temporary benefit reduction. A waiting period is more common and generally lasts from six to 12 months, during which you will not have coverage. The exception is if you have a reduced-benefit waiting period, in which case the benefits would also be reduced. When choosing the right plan for your client, be sure to communicate the waiting periods and deductibles to them. Also, take into consideration your client’s preferred dentist. It is important not to price shop when looking for the right policy for your client, as the cost of the plan does not always align with the benefits or network they need. The best plan will provide sufficient coverage while allowing your client access to their preferred dentist.
What does individual dental insurance typically not cover?
Individual dental policies do not cover treatments done for cosmetic purposes. These procedures include corrections of congenital mouth formations, such as a cleft palate, unless determined to be a medically necessary procedure. Some plans may offer coverage for orthodontic procedures, but not all do, so review the details carefully. It is important to note that items not covered by Medicare Part B will not be covered by an individual dental policy either.
How is it different from group dental policies?
By definition, individual dental plans differ from group dental plans because they are purchased by an individual rather than an employer. Individual plans also differ from group policies in the waiting period for benefits. While individual plans typically have a waiting period or reduced benefits, most group plans offer day-one benefits for all services. It is possible to have both an individual plan and a group plan simultaneously. If your client wants higher benefit amounts than either plan would offer alone, they can get both individual and group dental coverage.
Frequently asked questions about individual dental insurance.
Can individual dental insurance be used with any dentist?
There are HMO and PPO plans, so the type of plan will determine the individual’s network and the dentists they can visit.
What are the plan basics? What is the benefit amount? Is there a deductible? If there is a waiting period, what is the waiting period?
All of these will depend on the plan that an individual chooses. There is no one-size-fits-all plan, so reach out to a broker to determine the basics of the plan.
Should I buy individual dental insurance through a broker?
Working with a broker will save you the time and effort of finding the right individual dental plan for your client. Because insurance carriers compensate brokerages for helping clients find and access their policies, brokerages can help you shop the market at no cost to you. A broker has access to multiple carriers and can help you find the plan that fits your client. While you can go directly to the insurance provider, you will find it more difficult to compare policies between the different providers.
How do I find the best individual dental insurance broker?
There are several ways to find high-quality dental insurance brokers. Start by asking your network for referrals. You can also connect with NAILBA, a leading insurance industry organization promoting consumer choice.
You can also do your research by prospecting several insurance brokerages in your area. We recommend looking for these qualities in a broker:
- Responsiveness and attentiveness. Are they knowledgeable of the products and solutions available to serve you and your clients’ needs?
- Tech-savvy. Do they know how to use and leverage technology?
- Back-office support. What happens after an application is submitted?
- A good team instead of just a good salesperson: Make sure that the service is as good as the pitch. Service can make or break a relationship.
You can also learn a lot about the brokerage by calling them up and asking pertinent questions, such as:
- How long have you sold dental insurance?
- Have you had any complaints with the state?
- Who are your primary carriers?
- What are the carrier ratings?
- What types of products are the affiliate carriers selling?
Do your homework and determine if the brokerage gravitates towards products with the most commission. Most importantly, visit the agency. Do an onsite visit and speak with the brokers in person.
EMG can help.
As a brokerage general agency, EMG handles everything from submission to commission. When it comes to dental insurance, there are many options to choose from. Our team of healthcare experts are devoted to providing consistent and reliable support for you. Our presence in the dental insurance market since the 1980s has allowed us to build a vast network of carriers, and we select the best carriers for agents to choose from.
With our network and experience, EMG is a one-stop-shop for anything from enrollment to account maintenance. In addition, our team makes sure the process is done efficiently by providing dedicated front and back-end support to all of our agents.
Connect with us by phone, online, or in-person, or schedule a consultation with your sales director on how to grow your business today.