Some Dental Insurance Terms Translated in Layman’s Terms

2010 November 25

Some people have difficulty understanding what a contract like that of a dental insurance policy means because of the technical terms used in the documents.  Some words are too big for common people that they sometimes choose to give up and not pursue availing the insurance altogether, although some manage to find someone to explain it to them.  But what if the one explaining the terms is exactly the same person selling the insurance?  He might deliberately try to slant the explanation to convince you to buy and sign the contract.

To avoid that from happening, read this article and be enlightened about the different technical terms dental insurance firms use so you can understand the document better.

Usual, Customary, and Reasonable Reimbursement (UCR)

This term sounds a little ominous, but it’s really simple once explained.  This means that the insurance company has set certain figures for reimbursements.  It is normally put in a chart, and this chart has a list of the set reimbursement costs for different dental treatments you may undergo.  Your job before signing up is to determine if the figures stated in the chart are acceptable and reasonable enough for you.

Deductibles

This word refers to the amount the client has to pay for the dental procedures done.  Some insurance firms charge deductibles on a per person basis, while some on a group basis, e.g. family.

Lifetime Benefit Cap

This refers to the maximum number of times you can take specific procedures per month.  If you go over this limit, you will have to shoulder the cost.

Annual Benefit Cap

This is similar to Lifetime Benefit Cap, but the time frame is based annually or yearly.  This means that there are some dental procedures, say cleaning, that you cannot undergo every month.  Sometimes, the cap for cleaning is once every year.  For some other companies, it is twice a year.

For more information, you can read a full coverage dental insurance review.

Related posts:

  1. Do You Have Full Dental Insurance?
  2. Do You Need Secondary Dental Insurance Too?
  3. The Need To Read The Contract Before Signing A Private Dental Insurance Plan
  4. Finding The Best Dental Insurance
  5. Cosmetic Dental Insurance Is More Affordable Than You May Think
No comments yet

Leave a Reply

Note: You can use basic XHTML in your comments. Your email address will never be published.

Subscribe to this comment feed via RSS