A Guide to Secure Your Teeth with Dental Health Insurance
There must be health coverage for every disease or medical condition that you probably know about. But did you know, there is a health insurance plan for your teeth as well? Yes, you heard it right! Multiple insurance companies offer dental coverage with health insurance plans in India. It can help you improve your gum disease, misalignment of teeth, tooth decay, and other oral health issues.
But, what does dental insurance mean and how does it help you get better teeth health? This article has everything that you want to know about dental health insurance plans in India.
How does dental health insurance work?
Dental health insurance can not only help you lower the risk of dental problems but it can also be helpful to cut down financial stress. But how does this plan work?
When you buy a health insurance plan and add on dental insurance along with it, at the time of policy issuance, you agree to pay the insurance provider an additional premium over your base health policy. However, in some cases, insurance companies provide in-built dental coverage with health insurance plans that cover some specific category of dental treatments. These plans usually come with a waiting period due to which you can not claim dental coverage until the waiting period goes on.
Hospitals nowadays have become advanced with a top-notch and complete set-up for dental treatment specialization. Some of the networking hospitals may have this facility under the guidance of which the insurer has agreed on claim settlement. But what if the policyholder doesn't have a network hospital to get treatment for their dental problems? They need to go to a non-networking hospital for dental care treatment, in return, the cost of treatment will get a reimbursement on the insurer's behalf. You can receive the claim amount for specific treatment procedures as many times as possible, depending upon the type and sum insured of your dental health plan. The policyholder is often entitled to get preventive dental care during the policy tenure.
Eligibility Criteria for Dental Insurance Plans
However, specific plans cover dental insurance under a health policy. The eligibility criteria depend upon the type of policy and the insurance provider you choose to buy a plan with. Read below some specifications related to the eligibility criteria for buying a dental plan:-
Eligibility Criteria | Specifications |
Age (min-max) | 18-65 years in individual policies. It can cover your child's dental health ranging from 90 days of age and above in case of a family floater health plan. |
Waiting Period | Different insurance plans may come with different waiting periods. Most of the health plans which has dental coverage come with a 1-3 year waiting period post-diagnosis of dental issues. But if you have not been diagnosed with any pre-existing dental problems, some companies will impose only 1 month of waiting period. |
Sum Insured Limit | The average limit for a dental policy ranges between Rupees 25,000 to 1 Lakh. But the amount of sum insured depends on your insurer. |
Coverage Comprehensivity | A dental insurance plan with a sum insured of Rupees 15 lakhs or more covers the expenses related to dental consultations. Moreover, it also provides pre-hospitalization coverage of up to 6 days before hospital admission and 180 days after hospitalization. |
Benefits of Dental Health Insurance in India
Dental problems cannot be neglected and assumed to be cheaper while getting treatment. It requires proper consultation and an expert's guidance. Having a dental insurance plan can be beneficial for your oral health in many ways. Read below the benefits of dental insurance:-
- It provides unlimited free dental consultation to the policyholder till your policy tenure lasts.
- You can get coverage for unlimited digital X-Ray and OPG facility for its policyholder.
- A policyholder can enjoy discounts or receive claims many times for free-of-cost tooth scaling.
- A teeth whitening, amalgam, and composite teeth filling facility is also available in a dental insurance policy
- There are assured benefits at the time of teeth bracing and teeth implantation with teeth insurance.
- Having dental insurance can also offer you facilitation with routine dental checkup procedures.
- Dental insurance also covers the tooth removal cost of the policyholder. Even some minor surgical procedures such as a biopsy of teeth tissue and drainage of minor oral infections are also covered.
- Management of mild infections and lesions. And in case of any existing denture and bridge need some repairing, it is also included in the dental insurance plan.
Note:- Few dental plans do not cover facilities like invisible bracing, lingual braces, or even transplants, so the above-mentioned benefits and coverage are generalized and are not strictly followed by every insurance company. Policy benefit depends on the nature of the plan provided by the company and one should keep a check on the terms and conditions of the policy before buying it
Best Dental Insurance Plans in India 2023
Some Indian insurance providers offer health insurance with dental coverage. A few of them are mentioned below:-
Activ Health Platinum Enhanced
A unique Plan with features such as a chronic management program, modern treatments, covid-19, and more.
Unique Benefits
- High SI
- Affordable Premiums
- Wellness Benefits
Activ Health Platinum Enhanced (Pros)
- Earn 100% Health Return
- Cover for Dental Consultations
- Modern Treatment Cover
- Wellness Coach
- Mental Illness Cover
Activ Health Platinum Enhanced (Cons)
- Illness due to intoxicants
- Change Of Gender Treatment
- Hazardous Activity not covered
- HIV/AIDS not covered
- Cosmetic Surgery unavailable
Activ Health Platinum Enhanced (Other Benefits)
- Chronic Management Program
- Premium Waiver Benefit
- Reload of SI
- Road Ambulance Cover
- Second e-opinion
Activ Health Platinum Enhanced (Eligibility Criteria)
- Entry Age - Years
- Max Entry Age - Years
- SI - 1 L to 1 Cr
- Waiting Period - 30 Days
Flexible family plan allowing increased SI amount based on inflation rates. Covers advance technology methods, personal accidents and e-consultaion.
Unique Benefits
- 200% increase in cumulative bonus
- Rewards for being fit
- Dental and Ophthalmic cover
This policy is designed to provide complete protection against all health care eventualities to you and your family.
Unique Features
- Health check-ups for claim-free years
- Hospital Cash Benefit
- 100% Automatic Restoration
A policy for you and your family which covers modern treatments, laser surgery, e-consultations, annual health check-ups, and coverage of 3 Crores.
Unique Features
- Maternity Cover
- International coverage
- In-Built travel insurance
NivaBupa Health Premia (Pros)
- Refill benefit for any illness
- 10% Loyalty Additions in SI
- Tenure Discounts of upto 15 %
- Worldwide Maternity Benefit
- In-patient care
NivaBupa Health Premia (Cons)
- No OPD Cover
- No HIV/AIDS Covered
- 20% co-payment
- Pre-existing Diseases after 2 yrs
- Treatment for Alcoholism
NivaBupa Health Premia (Other Benefits)
- Zonal Coverage available
- Pharmacy and diagnostic services
- Opt for additional features
- Living Organ Donor Benefit
- Premium waiver and portability
NivaBupa Health Premia (Eligibility Criteria)
- Entry Age - 18 Years
- Max Entry Age - 65 Years
- SI - 3 L to 1 Cr
- Waiting Period - 30 Days
A comprehensive Plan with 5 different variants suitable for individuals and young couples, offering a sum insured up to 1 Crore.
Unique Features
- Avail Family Discount
- Worldwide Emergency Protection
- Avail Healthy Lifestyle Benefits
Manipal Cigna Pro Health (Pros)
- 5 Plan Variants
- SI Up to 1 Crore
- Hospital Cash Benefits
- Up to 200% Cumulative Bonus
- Avail Health Check-Up
Manipal Cigna Pro Health (Cons)
- Optional Co-Pay
- Injuries due to unlawful activities
- Obesity
- Cosmetic Surgery
- Injuries due to illegal activities
Manipal Cigna Pro Health (Other Benefits)
- 8500+ Cashless Hospitals
- Tax Benefits
- Inflation Protection
- Medical Check Up Cover
- Health Reward Points
Manipal Cigna Pro Health (Eligibility Criteria)
- Entry Age - 91 Days
- Max Entry Age - No limit
- SI - 2.5 L to 1 Cr
- Waiting Period - 30 Days
An ideal option if you are looking for coverage for yourself, your spouse, and your children. The plan offers four smart health insurance solutions.
Unique Benefits
- Lifelong renewal available
- One-time premium payment
- Maternity cover available
A Comprehensive Plan with a wide range of benefits, ensuring a cover for maximum expenses related to Illness and Accidents offering optional add-on benefits.
Unique Features
- Avail Maternity Cover
- Avail Newborn baby cover
- Physiotherapy expenses covered
A comprehensive health plan that comes with 3 variants and up to 1.5 crores Sum Insured.
Unique Features
- Healthcare & wellness services
- No capping on room rent
- Global hospitalization
TATA AIG Medicare Premier
A comprehensive plan designed for global cover for planned hospitalisation and high-end diagnostics.
Unique Features
- Wellness Services
- Compassionate Travel
- Home Care Treatment
- Emergency Air Ambulance
- Restore Benefit
- Consumables Benefit
- Home Physiotherapy
- Wellness Program
- Injury due to Suicide Attempt
- Death due to Drugs
- Injuries Due to Breach of Law
- Injuries/Death due to Aviation
- STDs
Medicare Premier (Other Benefits)
- OPD Dental Treatment
- First-year Vaccinations
- In-Patient Treatment
- Delivery Complications Cover
- Second Opinion
Medicare Premier (Eligibility Criteria)
- Entry Age - 18 Years
- Max Entry Age - 65 Years
- SI - 5 L - 3 Crore
- Waiting Period - 30 Days
ICICI Lombard Health AdvantEdge
ICICI Lombard Health AdvantEdge is a holistic plan that covers the policyholder against 20 critical illnesses including cancer.
Unique Features
- New Born Baby and Vaccine Cover
- Domestic Air Ambulance
- 24x7 video/telephone consultation
Why Do You Need Dental Health Insurance?
If your dental health isn't good and you need regular treatment, dental insurance could be your best buddy as they are a cost-effective way to pay for the sky-touching expenses. Dental treatments are costly as treatment requires a specialized lab setup, professional's skills and consumables for treatment especially when you need to have major teeth work done. So to avoid cutting down on your essential expenses for dental treatments, it is best that you opt for a dental health insurance plan.
- Cut off on hefty medical charges
Dental treatments are costly as treatment requires a specialized lab setup, professional skills, and consumables for treatment especially when you need to have major teeth work done. So to avoid cutting down on your essential expenses for dental treatments, it is best that you opt for a dental health insurance plan. - Pay for dental healthcare
Bad dental health could be visiting the doctor twice a year for teeth-cleaning, or it could be thousands of oral surgery bills. So it's better to plan for dental insurance so that the treatment may not rip off your pocket. - Maintain Oral Health
Having dental health insurance gives you the leverage of regular teeth cleanings and checkups as many dental health insurance plans cover regular checkups. This benefit of the dental policy will pay off immensely in the long run. - Peace Of Mind
Good dental health insurance keeps your smile protected. If anything happens to your teeth within the policy tenure, your insurance will have your back. The payoff of dental health insurance is huge and impossible to ignore. But with dental insurance, you can secure your peace of mind.
Things To Remember When Buying Dental Insurance
If you are planning to buy health insurance with dental care, consider checking these pointers before buying it:-
- Appropriate Coverage
Find a suitable health plan that offers all-inclusive coverage, it not only includes dental coverage but also coverage for the treatments and procedures related to critical tooth issues. It includes root canal treatment, tooth fillings, extractions of root canals, etc. - Comparison of the plans
Policyholders must compare the different health insurance policies, to find out which dental insurance policy gears up their needs better. For example, the premium that he/she will pay is affordable or whether critical dental surgeries such as root canals are covered or not. These all criteria must be compared. - Eligibility criteria
It means to check whether you meet this criteria of eligibility or not. So before applying for a dental plan, also emphasize checking the eligibility of claiming for the policy. - Types of policy
It would be beneficial if you checked all the types and compared the policies. It'll help you choose only the best-suited plan depending on your requirements.
Inclusion and Exclusion of Dental Insurance Plan
Dental covers are beneficial in multiple ways but where it has specific inclusions. On the other hand, dental plans have their shortcomings as well. Here's a list of what's excluded and included in dental insurance plans:-
Inclusions | Exclusions |
It must be comprehensive, with maximum coverage that may cover preventive care such as day-to-day oral healthcare treatments or check-ups like oral biopsy in case of an unnecessary tissue presentation | Most dental insurance plans do not cover the cost of cosmetic treatments and surgeries like prostheses and orthodontics. |
Critical oral health care treatments are covered by teeth insurance. In case the insured has met with an accident that has affected their dental health, then the policy will cover accidental teeth treatment. | Most of the insurance-providing companies don't have multiple network hospitals, so check before buying a policy. But few dental procedures conducted, need hospitalization such as dental injury, illness, or an accident. |
Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) | With dental insurance, it's almost impossible to avail of in-patient dental treatment. So check if your policy covers in-patient hospitalization or not. |
Teeth problems such as smears from the oral cavity, teeth extraction, decay prevention, etc are covered under this policy. | Particularly, jaw alignments and dentures that help beautify your face are not covered under these plans. |
Documents required for Buying dental insurance plans
You need the below-mentioned documents to buy a dental insurance policy:-
- Doctor's consultation bill or report in case of Pre-existing dental problem
- KYC Documents
- Email address
- Address proof including Passport, Telephone bill, electricity bill, etc.
- Other documents that are requested by the insurer.
Conclusion
Maintaining our dental health is a little tricky task as we are not so aware of any problems going on with our teeth. In such situations, a health plan accommodating dental care coverage can work wonders for you. You can improve your dental health and cut off extra charges on your hard-earned money. Because, if not now, then when?