Pros Explained

• No 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:waiting periods on any plans: Unlike many competing PPO plans, Spirit’s don’t make you wait before getting any level of care (preventive, basic, or major). It’s not unusual to see plans with 12-month or even 18-month waiting periods for more expensive procedures, so this is a major plus.
• Low premium for sample plan: The average premium for Spirit’s sample plan in the two ZIP codes we researched is $19.21, the lowest among top insurers in our study.
• Operates in most states: Spirit sells dental insurance plans in 49 states and Washington D.C. The only state where the company doesn't operate is Washington state. However, you may not find all plans available in all states. 
• Lifetime deductible: Spirit has a one-time, $100 lifetime 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:deductible. Most competing plans make you pay a deductible every year. 

Cons Explained

• Customer satisfaction issues: Ameritas, the company that underwrites Spirit’s dental plans, is rated below average for overall customer satisfaction in 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Dental Plan Satisfaction Study. Ameritas also receives more complaints than expected for its size, according to the National Association o🧸f Insurance Commissioner﷽s (NAIC).
• Coverage challenges: In the sample plan we reviewed, coverage for more expensive procedures such as crowns and root canals—categorized as “major” care—is only 20% (most of our top-rated companies cover 50% of major care). In addition, some plans categorize simple fillings as major care; most insurers categorize fillings as basic or restorative care. That matters because basic care is usually covered at a higher percentage—50% in Spirit’s case.
• Low annual maximum benefit in the first year: Spirit’s sample plan has an annual maximum benefit of $750 during the first year, lower than many of its competitors. It increases to $1,000 in year two and beyond.

Types of Dental Insurance Offered by Spirit 

Spirit sells 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:dental insurance in every U.S. state be♚sides Washington. It also operates in Washington D.C. 

The company offers four PPO plꦆans that include coverage for basic or major dental care without a waiting period. With a PPO, you can see any dentist, in or out of network. If you choose a provider from the Ameritas Dental Network, you’ll be charged 25% to 50% less🅰 than their regular rates. 

Spirit also offers two “Flex” PPO-style plans, whichꦛ reimburse out-of-network providers at a higher rate.

All Spirit Dental plans feat🙈ure a one-time, $100 deductible and coverage for preventive, basic, and major dental services that’s available as soon as you meet your d𒆙eductible.

Spirit’s sample dental plan prov🎐ides the least amount of coverage but charges the lowest premium.🀅 All plans offer limited coverage in the first year, with higher coverage limits in years two and three.

Some plans also offer higher annual maximum coverage—up to $5,000 in the third year. They also offer more robust coverage for major dental services, including crowns, implants, and dentures.  

For example, the Spirit Core PPO covers major care up to 50%, features an annual maximum of up to $2,000, and covers child orthodontia. Spirit Pinnacle PPO also covers child orthodontia; both plans have a $ 1,200 lifetime maximum, with the most covera🃏ge in year three at 50%.

One plan is just for older adults—the Spirit Senior Preferred PPO, which comes with vision and hearing🃏 benefit🥂s. 

Other Types of Insurance Offered by Spirit 

Through Spirit, you can bundle vision insurance w൲ith some dental plans. If you get a Senior Preferred PPO plan, you can also bundle in hearing coverage. 

Spirit Dental Plans

How Much Does Spirit Dental Insurance Cost?

Spirit has some of the most affordable dental insurance p𓆉remiums of the 17 providers we researched. Its൲ average sample plan premium for the two ZIP codes we studied is $19.21 per month, which is much cheaper than the study average of $37.66. 

The cost o📖f Spirit’s sample dental plan varies depending on your location. Below, you can see the premium for Spirit’s Preventive Plus PPO Plan in the 10 most populated states where the plan i𒁏s available.

How Does Spi♛rit Compare to Other Dental Insurance Companies?

Spirit has much lower premiums than other popular dental insurance companies. It has a higher deductible than many other 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:dental insurance companies we reviewed, but you only have to pay $100 once for the dur🃏ation you keep the plan. Most of the top-rated companies we studied have a $50 deductible, and you must pay this every year.&n🎃bsp;

Spirit’s annual maximum coverage limit is $750 for the first year, much lower than 𝔍some other insurers. So, if your costs add up to thousands of dollars for the year, you’ll pay most of those costs out of pocket. 

The table below shows how Spirit compares to Delta Dental and P🅘hysicians Mutual. The sample plans we reviewed are the lowest-priced PPO plans that cover preventive, basic, and major dental care.

Customer Service

To contact a Spirit insurance agent, you can call the company, send an email, or use the live chat feature on the webꦗsite. Members can also access their policy through an online customer portal.

Customer Satisfaction

Ameritas, the company that underwrites Spirit’s dental insurance, received more complaints than are proportional to its size over a three-year period, according to the NAIC Complaint Index. In addition, Ameritas is ranked below average for overall customer satisfaction by J.D. Power. In J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Dental Plan Satisfaction Study, Ameritas scored last in the study of nine providers.

The Bottom Line

Spirit can be a good dental insurance provider for some people, especially if you want a cheap dental insurance plan. Spirit’s sample plan has one of the lowest premiums of the sample plans we reviewed. Addition🃏ally, it’s one of the only insurers with no waiting periods at all for a꧋ny level of care coverage. 

However, Spirit has several drawbacks. While there are no waiting periods, the first-year coverage for dental care can be limited with some plans. You must also pay a $100 deductible before your plan covers cleanings and other preventive services. And Spirit has poor customer satisfaction ratings and a recent hi🍷story of complaints.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does Ameritas Own Spirit Dental?

Yes,ඣ Spirit Dental insurance is a dental product offered and underwritten by Ameritas. Spirit Dental customers get access to Am🧔eritas’ dental network, and Ameritas handles all Spirit Dental claims. 

What 🦩Is theꦍ Most That Dental Insurance Will Cover?

Almost every dental insurance plan has an annual maximum benefit, which is the most the plan will cover for all dental services during the year. If your dental care exceeds your plan’s annua꧒l maximum, you pay the difference out of pocket. The first-year annua🍷l max caps that we saw range from $500 to $3,000. For individual procedures, the most your dental insurance will provide is limited by whether there is a waiting period before you get any kind of coverage, and what percentage of costs is covered (e.g., 50% coverage for major care) when coverage does begin.

Who Accepts Spirit Dental Insurance?

Spirit Dental insurance members can choose their own dentist or use Amerit🦩as’ dental network, which includes 132,000 dental providers across the U.S. Staying within the ne𝔉twork offers greater savings. 

Is Dental Insurance From Spirit Worth It?

Like most plans, Spirit’s Preventive Plus PPO Plan may or may not be a good value if you mainly use your benefits for preventive care. If you only get two annual cleanings (at $98/each), you pay $196 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:without dental insurance. 

Spirit’s average sample plan premium is $231 per year, and you would have to p✨ay the $100 deductible before your plan would start covering your dental care. In short, you’d pay $331 out of pocket in the first year—more than the cost of two cleanings. 

If you get more care, Spirit insurance might be worth it. Let’s say you also get two exams ($55/each) and a set of bitewings ($70) your first year. That’s a total of $376 out of pocket if you don’t have insuranꦉce—more than the cost of insurance. So you’d potentially save $45 that year if you did have the Spirit plan. 

To cover basic or major care down the road, some of Spirit’s more expensive dental insurance plans might be worth it. Compare the plan’s out-of-pocket༺ costs to the costs cited by an Ameritas-network dentist, particularly in years one and two. Ensure it will actually help you save money. 

How Do You Cancel Spirit Dental Insurance?

To cancel a Spirit Dental insur𒊎ance plan, you should contact the company. Your plan will end on the last day of the month you cancel. If you cancel within the first 30 days of purchasing 🦂the plan, you can get a full refund on premiums paid if you haven’t used your benefits.

How We Chose th🔯e Best Dental Insurance Companies

To determine which dental insurance companies to review, we tapped into both market data and public sentiment. We used business and industry databases to get insights into market share, and user-generated data from Google to understand trends and public interest in stand-alone dental plans. Thi🅰s analysis narrowed our focus to 17 key companies offering dental coverage to individuals, regardless of whether their health insurance was purchased through state or federal marke🐎tplaces or independently.

We collected data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), a standard-setting and regulatory support organization that maintains a database of customer complaints. We also gathered data directly from companies via websites, media contacts, and existing partnerships. The data collectioᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚn procesꦫs took place between Oct. 9, 2023, and Dec. 23, 2023. 

We then developed a quantitative model that scored each dental insurance provider based on 35 criteria that fall into five major categories and are crucial in evaluating the company’s offerings and benefits. We weighted the five categories as follows 🌌for this article:

• State Availability: 5%
• Customer Satisfaction: 15%
• Cost: 36%
• Coverage: 42%
• Customer Service: 2%

To learn more about our process for finding the best dental insurance companies, read our 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:full methodology.