If an accident or injury needs any procedures like surgery or jaw alignment, it will be covered under health insurance
Most health insurance plans do not include dental insurance. If your health insurance has an Outpatient Department (OPD) cover, consultations and minor procedures may be included, but does not cover hospitalisation expenses. So, mostly if you want your dental expenses to be covered, you would need an add on cover. Standalone dental policies are rarely available.
However, dental procedures can be expensive. If dental insurance is covered under health insurance plans, you will be financially protected in case of any dental expenses.
What Is Covered
Many health insurance plans will cover annual dental examinations, which are important to maintain your dental well-being. Professional cleaning and scaling may also be included in some policies. If your teeth require fillings, that may be covered, but there may be limits. Root canal treatment may be covered in some cases, depending upon the policy.
Tooth extractions are also likely to be covered but that will vary from plan to plan. Orthodontic processes such as braces are not covered under health insurance. However, if an accident or injury needs any procedures like surgery or jaw alignment, it will be covered under health insurance. However, the sum insured is limited.
So, if your sum assured is Rs 10,000 and your bill is Rs 20,000, you have to pay Rs 10,000 from your own pocket. Also, there could be restrictions such as the coverage being available only once every two years. Higher total sum assured will mean a higher sum assured for dental procedures.
Sometimes, insurers may have tie-ups with network dentists for procedures at reduced rates. This can benefit the policyholder. In fact, the sum assured limit is often a few thousand, so it is unlikely that an expensive dental treatment is fully covered.
How To Know If Your Policy Has Dental Insurance
First check if dental insurance is included in your health insurance policy because some policies do cover dental insurance. If it is not, go for OPD coverage along with the base healthcare plan. Even if you are going for an OPD add-on, find out what dental procedures will be covered and what will not. Finally, remember that all the costs may not be covered and you would have to shell out some amount from your own pocket.