Who offers dental health insurance with no waiting period?

Many health insurance policies have a waiting period before you can claim a benefit for certain procedures. But as a sweetener to attract new customers, some health insurers run special offers where the waiting period for certain treatments, such as dental, is waived.

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What is a waiting period?

When you sign up to a health insurance policy, there is usually a waiting period during which no benefit is payable for services and treatment. The Department of Health says waiting periods may vary and must be no more than 12 months for hospital cover, but insurers can apply any waiting period for extras cover.

According to the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman, waiting periods are designed to discourage people from joining a fund only when they know or suspect they need treatment, which can lead to higher costs for all health insurance customers.

In some cases, if you switch to a similar or lower level of cover with a different provider, you will not need to re-serve any waiting periods you’ve already completed.

Who offers no waiting period on dental treatments?

Health insurance providers may waive dental waiting periods as part of a promotion, sign-up deal or special offer for new members.

A number of health insurers may offer to waive two and six month waits on services such as dental, optical and physio if you sign up to their combined hospital and extras cover. Be sure to check the fine print, double-check that the policy as a whole covers what you need and compare policy prices (including both premiums and excesses) before deciding on a new insurer. Keep in mind that other waiting periods may apply, depending on the insurer and policy you choose.

What types of dental cover are there?

Dental cover typically forms part of a health fund’s hospital cover and extras cover, which are the two main types of private health insurance in Australia.

Hospital cover generally includes coverage for in-hospital doctor and specialist fees and hospital accommodation costs.

Extras cover, also called general treatment or ancillary cover, typically encompasses treatments that are classified as out-of-hospital care. It may also help cover some in-hospital costs, such as fees for dentists, oral surgeon fees and tooth extractions. Common types of extras include dental, optical, psychology and physiotherapy.

Health insurers tend to split dental services into two categories: general dental and major dental. General dental usually covers common procedures such as teeth cleanings, check-ups and fillings, while major dental typically covers complex and expensive procedures such as wisdom teeth removal, root canals and braces. Depending on the extras policy you choose, you may be covered for both general and major dental services.

What is the waiting period for dental benefits?

It is common for health insurers to apply a waiting period before you can claim for general dental care. Across the insurers in Canstar’s database, the most common waiting period for general dental tends to be two months. The minimum is no waiting period for dental insurance in Australia. If you need dental surgery or more expensive work, the waiting period can be longer – for example, you could be waiting 12 months or more to claim on some major dental work or orthodontics.

Does Medicare cover dental services?

Medicare does not typically cover dental treatment for adults – dental costs are usually paid for by the patient. If you have a concession card such as a Health Care Card, or a Pensioner Concession Card issued by Centrelink, you may be eligible for publicly funded dental care. It’s important to be aware that there may be lengthy waiting lists for public dental care. You could be waiting more than a year (or several) to be treated, depending on which state or territory you live in.

The picture is slightly different for children. The Child Dental Benefits Scheme (CDBS) provides a range of free dental services – up to $1,132 for each child over two calendar years, for children from birth to age 17. Only basic services are provided under the scheme, such as routine checks, cleaning, fillings and extractions. To be eligible, you or your child must be receiving certain Centrelink payments.

What do I need to consider when taking out dental health insurance?

You can often find private health insurance special offers that waive some waiting periods for dental care benefits. But it’s important to consider the following:

• How the premiums compare with the rest of the market.
• When the offer ends.
• Which dental services are covered by the waived waiting period.
• Whether the special offer provides the cover you’re looking for.
• Other terms and conditions associated with the policy.

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