Whether you are covering yourself or an entire family, dental insurance premiums can eat a hole in your finances over time. To cushion the blow, reminding yourself of the value of your investment plays an instrument role in keeping your insurance plan from lapsing. Here are several ways to maximize the value of your dental insurance plan, cushioning that financial blow even more.

1. Understand How the Plan Works

Ensure that you know everything there is to know about your dental insurance plan. Before submitting your application and making the first premium payment, thoroughly review all provided documentation.

Focus on the deductibles, coverage amounts and exclusions to understand fully what your plan does and does not provide. The more you know about the plan, the more efficiently you will be able to use it. On the contrary, not knowing enough about your insurance coverage will rob the plan of its value to you – making it seem more like an unnecessary expense than a cherished investment.

2. Negotiate the Cost of Dental Procedures and Services

It is very easy to go through with dental procedures and services without thinking twice about the cost. As long as you know your insurance plan covers a specific charge, you might not even care about the cost of each individual exam or procedure. However, the limits of your annual deductible can quickly sneak up on you.

The key is to extend that deductible as far as possible by negotiating lower costs for the routine expenses associated with dental care. Research average pricing charts in your area and compare those averages to the estimated costs offered by your dentist. Even though doing so may seem time-consuming and tedious, you could potentially save thousands of dollars each year.

3. Examine All Alternative Options

As mentioned, do not feel that your dental insurance plan is a financial safety net. Depending on your household budget, even co-payments can become an unaffordable burden. Do not hesitate to ask your dentist about alternative options to various treatments, procedures and exams priced within the walls of your budget. Do not allow the convenience of commonly used procedures and treatments to guide you away from exploring more affordable alternatives.

The Bottom Line

The amount of money that you can save by following these steps might surprise you. More importantly, you will value your dental insurance much more and never view it as an unnecessary expense beginning for removal from your monthly budget.