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If you’re wondering if you can have two dental insurance plans, it is possible. Keep reading to understand dual dental coverage and how it may help you save on dental treatment.
What is Dual Dental Coverage?
Dual dental coverage is when you’re covered under two different dental insurance plans. This type of coverage usually occurs when you have two jobs that each offer dental benefits, or you’re covered under your spouse’s plan along with your own dental coverage.
Dual dental coverage can be seen as supplemental dental coverage, filling in the gaps of your coverage when you reach your primary policy’s spending annual spending limit or when a plan doesn’t cover necessary or desired dental treatments.
Understanding Coordination of Benefits (COB)
When you visit a dentist with dual dental coverage, they need to figure out which plan pays for what dental care to ensure the cumulative coverage doesn’t surpass 100% of the total charges. This process is called coordination of benefits (COB). State laws and regulations play an important role when it comes to coordination of benefits. Some rules limit what a plan can cover, while other provisions might involve a detailed process to adopt. Ultimately, COB helps avoid payment delays and ensures that insurers process your claims correctly.
What is secondary dental insurance?
With COB, one plan is designated as the primary plan and the other as your secondary plan. Let’s explore the differences between these two plans.
Primary vs. secondary insurance
- Primary dental insurance — Your primary dental insurance is the plan in which you’re covered as a member rather than a dependent. If you have two jobs where you’re covered as a member, your primary plan is the one that has provided coverage longer. Typically, your primary plan will pay out your benefits first
- Secondary dental insurance — Your secondary dental insurance is the plan in which you’re covered as a dependent. Generally, your secondary dental policy will not accept a claim until you pay the primary claim. Your secondary insurer will likely ask you to provide a copy of the primary payment information. Additionally, state laws and regulations usually require COB if you’re trying to get your secondary policy to pay for dental treatment.
How can I have two dental insurance plans?
You can have dental insurance if you have two jobs that provide dental benefits, or you have dental coverage under your employer and are covered under your spouse’s dental insurance as a dependent. Additionally, you can have dental insurance and a dental savings plan, which can help fill the gaps in your insurance policy.
While dual dental coverage doesn’t necessarily mean your benefits are doubled, it can mean additional savings on your dental procedures. This is because many dental insurance companies have a clause that prevents the duplication of benefits. For example, if each plan covers major procedures up to 50%, you won’t receive 100% coverage. Some insurance companies employ a maintenance of benefits clause, which reduces covered charges by the amount the primary plan has paid, then applies plan deductible and coinsurance criteria. Check your secondary plan’s terms and conditions to see what type of clause they have written.
Utilizing a dental savings plan with your insurance coverage
Dual dental coverage can help you save on out-of-pocket costs, prevent lapses in coverage, and make you feel secure during a dental emergency. But two dental insurance plans isn’t the only way to get these types of savings and peace of mind.
You can pair your dental insurance with a dental savings plan, a trusted alternative to dental insurance. Plan members report saving an average of 50%* on their dental care. And, unlike dental insurance, dental savings plans have no annual limits, no restrictions on existing health conditions, and your savings start right away, even on restorative care such as root canals, crowns, dentures, and dental implants. Many plans also include cosmetic dental procedures such as teeth whitening and overlays. So you can be confident you’re prepared for any dental treatment need or emergency.
It’s simple to choose a plan at DentalPlans.com, the largest marketplace for dental savings plans and dental insurance. You can compare more than 25 plans from the most trusted brands in healthcare, and easily join your selected plan. Want a personalized plan recommendation? Give us a call at 1-833-735-0399 or use our calculator below for a quick peek at how much you can save.
*Discount Health Program consumer and provider surveys indicate average savings of 50%. Savings may vary by provider, location, and plan.
