We consider Humana to be one of the best dental insurance companies with no waiting period. The company has several plans to choose from, with some having no waiting period for basic dental services and the Loyalty Plus PPO having no waiting period for major dental work.
This sets Humana apart from most providers, but there are some other options for seniors looking for dental insurance with no waiting period. Cigna may offer waivers on waiting periods in some circumstances, and Aetna is also willing to waive waiting periods for those who had dental coverage prior to joining them.
Why Humana Is Our Top Pick for Dental Insurance With No Waiting Period
Humana offers a selection of dental insurance products at different price points. The Bright Plus PPO plan has no waiting period on basic dental services, and the Loyalty Plus plan has no waiting period on major dental services. In other areas, Humana’s offering is reasonably competitive too. Its highest annual limit is $1,500, which is beaten by Surebridge (who offers a $2,000 option) but is still near the top of the pack. The $50 deductible offered on most plans is industry standard. The Loyalty Plus plan has a higher deductible, but this may be worthwhile for seniors who require urgent dental work.
We looked at some other dental insurance providers to see how they compare to Humana’s offerings:
|
|
Annual Limit
|
Deductible
|
Waiting Period
|
|
Humana
|
$1,500
|
$50 for most plans
$150 for Loyalty plan
|
No waiting period on basic services on some plans
Loyalty Plus has no waiting period for major dental services
|
|
Cigna
|
$1,500
|
$50
|
6 months for basic dental services
12 months for major services
Waiting period waived if previously insured
|
|
Aetna
|
$1,250
|
$50
|
6 months for basic dental services
12 months for major services
Waiting period waived if previously insured
|
Other Dental Insurance to Consider
Cigna‘s offering is similar to Humana’s with a $1,500 annual coverage limit and a $50 deductible. However, it has a waiting period of 6 months for basic dental services and 1 year for major services. The company is willing to waive this waiting period for those who were covered for at least 1 year by another plan before moving to Cigna, but the waiver is not guaranteed.
Aetna‘s dental insurance is less generous, with the maximum coverage in the first year being just $1,250, but the deductible is still the standard $50. It has similar waiting periods to Cigna, and its waiver terms are more generous. The company is willing to consider waiving the waiting period for people who were insured by another company for 90 days before starting their plan.
What to Consider When Choosing Dental Insurance
Waiting periods are just one thing seniors should think about before choosing a dental insurance provider. Individual providers can set their own rules about the types of care they cover, the copays and deductibles they apply and which dental surgeries are in their network. The best dental insurance providers give customers flexibility when it comes to choosing their dentists and provide cover for preventative care and basic dental work as well as dentures, implants and other more major care.
Before choosing a provider, read the terms carefully. Make sure it works with the dentist you like and that it’s flexible when it comes to emergency dental care. Some providers refuse to cover care at an out-of-network dental surgery, even in an emergency.
