Waiting Periods Can Be A Pain in the Tooth

dental-waiting-period

There’s no immediate stress quite like hearing the words: “I’m sorry, but your insurance doesn’t cover that.”

But then there are the words: “I’m sorry, but your insurance doesn’t cover that…yet.”

In dental insurance, there’s a little thing called a waiting period, which means that, although you may have purchased your insurance policy on a certain date, you’ll have to wait x months until these benefits are active. These periods can last for up to a year, which can be a real kick in the tooth if you find yourself in need of a crown, root canal or other dental procedure.

But why? Why do we have to wait?

Waiting periods can be incredibly confusing. You bought your dental policy–it should be active immediately, right? Waiting periods were established to protect insurance providers from individuals who buy last minute plans to cover costly dental procedures, which is a good thing. Unfortunately, it can also impact individuals who didn’t purchase their policies last minute, but who can’t use it when they need it.

The good news is that not all dental plans have waiting periods. This means that, if you do have an urgent need, there are options with benefits that become active immediately. But if your teeth are in good health, and you don’t foresee any procedures down the immediate road, a policy with a waiting period might be the best, most affordable option for you.

How do I know if my dental policy has a waiting period?

First things first, the agents at Latorre Insurance will inform you upon review if your dental policy has a waiting period. But wherever you go for dental insurance, be sure to ask if it doesn’t come up. Although many dental offices will remind you in advance, the last thing you want is to learn about it out after getting that cavity filled. No one wants to see a hefty dental bill in their mailbox, especially an unexpected one.