Dentists often suggest getting a cleaning or exam at least once or twice a year, depending on your risk of cavities and gum disease. Many people may also suffer from dental emergencies, which can be costly. Fortunately, there are many dental insurance providers to cover a certain amount of costs in both circumstances and having their insurance will cost less than paying outright for most procedures. There are numerous insurance companies to choose from, but many AAA insurance reviews claim AAA provides great coverage.
AAA Insurance Reviews
When looking for dental insurance, it is important to research many factors. Copayments, deductibles, enrollment fees, and providers in your area are important to consider when looking for dental care insurance companies.
What Is AAA Dental Insurance?
AAA is the American Automobile Association, most know for their car, homeowners, and life insurance. They operate in over 1,100 offices throughout the United States and Canada. However, they have now branched out into offering dental insurance depending on where you are located. People living in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Minnesota may have an advantage when reading and learning from AAA insurance reviews because they are the few states offered dental insurance from AAA.
Product Details
AAA insurance reviews show numerous procedures 100% covered with no copayment when a service is done by someone in-network. These procedures include oral exams, bitewing x-rays, complete x-ray series or panoramic film, single x-rays, cleanings, fluoride treatments, and sealants.
Pricing
AAA does not have a monthly or annual deductible at all, but there are copayments on various services. As mentioned earlier, there are a few procedures that have a $0 copayment, but others can range anywhere from $25 in-network and $100 out-of-network. AAA insurance reviews also show maximums for deductibles, ranging annually around $1,200.
How It Compares
We picked a few similar products available on the market to see how they compare.
AAA Dental Insurance
Price
$
While some procedures and services are covered 100% by AAA insurance, some are not. Fillings, crowns, root canals, dentures, oral surgeries, and other procedures will be covered only 80% when performed by a participating provider. For out-of-network providers, only 64%-80% of the cost may be covered. The amount of out-of-pocket expenses depends on how much the dentist charges, whether the dentists is in or out of network, and the amount of money AAA covers.
Ease of Use
AAA insurance reviews show that it is increasingly easy to enroll and start receiving benefits fromAAA, but dental insurance is only offered in three states. There are also many in-network providers that accept AAA insurance, but if choosing an out-of-network provider it may be costly and difficult to get financial help.
Claim Processing Time
If you receive dental care from an out-of-network dentist that does not accept 100% of AAA’s allowance, AAA insurance reviews suggest submitting a claim. Claims have to be received within 180 days before the date of service. The time to process can be within those 180 days.
Choice of Providers
When choosing a dental service provider, many AAA insurance reviews suggest choosing participating dentists in their network and there are hundreds to choose from. Participating dentists accept AAA’s full amount of money for services, leaving you with no out-of-pocket expenses. While AAA will cover a partial amount of non-participating dentists, co-insurance and out-of-pocket expenses may be higher.
Pros
Cons
Costco DeltaCare Dental
Costco is a membership-only warehouse club, selling many products such as electronics, furniture, food, and appliances. To shop there, you must pay for a membership card, but most of their products are at reduced prices. One of their newer benefits to having a membership is dental insurance, which they provide through Delta Dental.
Price (Approximate only)
$$
Before enrolling in Costco DeltaCare Dental, you must first purchase a Costco membership for around $60. There is also an annual payment of around $90 and a $10 enrollment fee. As for the amount of out-of-pocket expenses, regular dental exams and some x-rays require no copayment. All other procedures and services have set copayments ranging from $10-$600 depending on the work needed.
Ease of Use
Costco’s dental care is not easily attainable as you must purchase a Costco membership and pay the enrollment fee and the yearly fees. Costco DeltaCare Dental is also only available in the states of Arizona, California, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington. While this may be a step up from the number of states AAA dental care is offered to, it is still not a significant amount. However, each service has a predictable cost and no annual maximum.
Claim Processing Time
Similar to the AAA insurance reviews, Costco DeltaCare Dental will handle all claims and paperwork unless you visit an out-of-network dentist. Claims are processed fairly quickly though, estimated within two weeks.
Choice of Providers
There are 908 primary care facilities that accept Costco DeltaCare Dental within the states it is offered, so it is easy to find an in-network provider. If you already have a trusted dentist, it is also easy to find out if they are located in one of the primary care facilities using their online tool.
Pros
Cons
Guardian Dental Care
Unlike Costco DeltaCare Dental and the AAA insurance reviews, Guardian Dental Care mostly offers insurance through employers and groups. They offer individual and family dental care, but only to residents in Texas, Florida, Illinois, and New York.
Price (Approximate only)
$
Guardian Dental Care has a monthly premium ranging from around $20-$25 each month. Most preventative dental care such as exams, cleanings, bitewing x-rays, and space maintainers are 100% covered by Guardian Dental Care whether the service provider is in or out of network. Some plans include up to 90% coverage on procedures such as fillings and tooth removal.
Ease of Use
Companies and group insurance are easy to obtain when going through your employer as long as you enroll during the enrollment period. People who have not enrolled during this time may be subjected to a long wait time. Individual or family care is harder to enroll in as Guardian Dental Care only offers it in a handful of locations mainly in the southwest. Prices and services also vary from plan to plan.
Claim Processing Time
Claims are processed and paid within two days of submitting.
Choice of Providers
While Guardian Dental Care isn’t available in all states, there are thousands of providers in the locations mentioned that accepted Guardian insurance.
Pros
Cons
Aetna Dental Care
Aetna is another insurance company that is primarily for employees and groups instead of individuals and families. Individual dental care insurance is available through Aetna in Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.
Price (Approximate only)
$$
Depending on your plan, most cleanings, exams, and x-rays are covered. Aetna pays at least a partial amount for all basic or major dental procedures, but services such as crowns and dentures may have a wait time. It is also possible to see out-of-network providers, but there is a significant amount of out-of-pocket expenses when doing so.
Ease of Use
Aetna is mainly offered to employers and employees and it is easy to find providers in most areas. However, individual enrollment is only available in five states. For this reason, we have given Aetna three out of five stars in this category.
Claim Processing Time
Dental claims can be submitted electronically or through email, electronically being much faster. It will take an estimated 2-4 weeks to process a claim.
Choice of Providers
Aetna has a large network of dentists with over tens of thousands of dental care locations around the U.S.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion
The American Automobile Association has one of the most inexpensive and cost-effective dental care insurance plans. Unlike Costco, Guardian, Aetna, and many other dental insurance providers, AAA does not have a monthly or annual deductible. Out-of-pocket expenses for each service or procedure vary with by insurance provider, but AAA offers coverage on almost all of them. Most basic and preventative dental care is fully covered by AAA while others have a percentage covered. For these reasons, we give AAA Dental Insurance an overall four out of five stars.
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