Can I Really Afford Personal Dental Insurance?
Many people forgo dental insurance because they figure the cost is too high for the amount of services they'll receive. Especially for someone who takes great care of their teeth, dental insurance can seem a useless expense.
Nothing could be further from the truth, however. Dental insurance can help pay for the dental procedures which cost Americans millions of dollars every year. You may not need it right away, but knowing that it's there when you do can be very comforting.
Can I Get Insurance Without an Employer's Plan?
Dental insurance can be rather expensive, of course. If you are self-employed, the costs of personal dental insurance may be enough to drive you away from the thought of ever having a dental insurance plan.
Personal dental insurance is more expensive than a group plan offered through an employer. This is because the cost of insurance offered through an employer is subsidized by that employer; when the cost is shared between the company and its employees, the employees enjoy lower premiums.
Self-employed people do not have this option, and in the past have been forced to either go without dental insurance or to pay high premiums for personal dental insurance. In fact, the American Dental Association says that over half of the American population has no dental insurance - including those whose employers do offer sponsored plans.
Personal Dental Insurance is Widely Available, and Not as Expensive as you Might Think
Luckily, the insurance industry has recognized the need for affordable personal dental insurance, and there are now many options available to you. The easiest way to find a personal dental insurance plan is with a quick internet search.
If you search for personal dental insurance or private dental insurance, you'll see that there are many results. Unfortunately, not all of them will be legitimate companies, and not all of the legitimate companies will offer a plan that suits you and your budget.
The best way to avoid illegitimate insurance providers is to stick with the names you know. However, there is nothing wrong with giving a new company a chance, as long as you can determine definitely that they are a respectable business.
Once you've found some companies that look worth pursuing and you've established that they are legitimate, it's time to do some price checking. This process can either be instant or it can take several days, depending on that provider's website.
A personal dental insurance quote should include your monthly charges, co-pays, and what services are covered. This will give you an idea of what you are able to get for your money. Now do this several times with different providers for price comparison purposes.
Hopefully this search will yield a personal dental insurance provider who can give you the coverage you need at a good price. Keep in mind that no dental insurance is cheap, and personal dental insurance is among the more expensive types of dental insurance. However, the monthly premium will seem small when you need emergency dental work and the bill climbs into several thousands of dollars.
