DentalInsurance.com has recently released a new report on dental plans that are causing a stir in the dental insurance market by offering coverage limits several times higher than those typically found in average PPO dental insurance plans.
Coverage limits, often referred to as maximum benefits or annual maximums, represent the cap on the amount an insurance company will contribute annually towards covered dental care. For instance, in a dental plan with a $1,500 maximum benefit, the insurance company will cover up to $1,500 for dental services within a year, and any costs exceeding this amount would be the responsibility of the patient. It’s worth noting that approximately 90 percent of dental plans sold directly to consumers come with a maximum benefit feature.
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, the average spending limit on insurance plans was roughly $1,000. Unfortunately, this average hasn’t kept pace with inflation. In the year 2023, DentalInsurance.com’s research indicates that the average maximum benefit among surveyed plans in California was $1,845, $1,703 in New York, and $1,987 in North Carolina. However, what’s intriguing is that DentalInsurance.com has identified plans available in the market with maximum benefits that are as much as five times higher than these averages. These offerings even include plans from major brands like MetLife (NYSE: MET) and Humana (NYSE: HUM).
“Inflation has been a problem in most industries in the post-COVID era,” said Avery Smith, president at DentalInsurance.com, “and these high maximum plans are offering consumers dental insurance that’s keeping up with costs.” Mr. Smith also mentioned, “These high maximum dental plans are proving extremely popular. Three of the top ten dental plans we sell across the nation have maximum benefits of $3,000 or more in the first year of enrollment.”
DentalInsurance.com offers a variety of high maximum dental plans including:
- NCD Complete by MetLife ($10,000 maximum benefit)
- Humana Extend 5000 ($5,000 maximum benefit)
- NCD Nationwide 5000 Plan ($5,000 maximum benefit)
- Delta Dental Immediate Coverage Plan ($3,000 maximum benefit)
Consumers shopping for high maximum plans should always review the conditions of the insurance to see if the maximum is lower for any service (e.g. implants) or excludes a service (e.g. braces). For more information on dental plans with high maximum benefits, see dental plans with the best maximum benefits.
Launched in 2001 by Mark Kelsey, DentalInsurance.com is the pioneer of online dental insurance marketplaces. DentalInsurance.com is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, and has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and a 4.8 stars out of 5 on TrustPilot.
