Pros Explained

• No annual maximum coverage limits or deductibles: Physicians Mutual’s dental insurance plans have no annual maximum benefit limit or deductible, which is very unusual for preferred provider organization (PPO) plans. 
• Good premium for lowest-cost PPO: The premium for Physicians Mutual’s lowest-cost PPO plan that covers all three levels of care (preventive, basic, and major) is $30.50 in two ZIP codes in Texas and California, which is quite good compared to other providers we reviewed. 
• Four 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:PPO plans that cover more expensive major dental care: These plans allow you to see any dentist and provide coverage for major dental procedures such as crowns, bridges, and dentures; many insurers don’t cover major dental care with all plan levels.
• No waiting period for basic care: Most insurers we looked at have six-month 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:waiting periods before you can access basic-level dental care, which includes fillings with Physicians Mutual.

Cons Explained

• Poor coverage percentage for basic and major care: For its lowest-priced PPO plan, Physicians Mutual states it covers 25% of basic and major dental care costs. The 25% is on average, not a guaranteed figure that accounts for higher-expense cities and procedures. Most other insurers we reviewed cover at least 50% (after hitting your deductible). 
• Some issues with customer satisfaction: Physicians Mutual has more complaints than expected for its size, and its underwriter has a below average customer satisfaction rating from J.D. Power.
• 12-month waiting period for major care: You can’t use your major care benefits for 12 months. While not the longest waiting period among competitors, it’s not the shortest, either. 
• $1,000 lifetime limit on implants: Although Physicians Mutual has no annual maximum benefit limit or deductible, it doesn't apply to dental implants, which are subject to a lifetime maximum coverage limit of $1,000.

Types of Dental Insurꦿance Offered by Physicians Mutu🐼al

Physicians Mutual꧑ operates in every state except Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. 

All of Physicians Mutual’s four PPO dental plans cover 100% of preventive care. Here’s a r💎ough explanation of the plans: 

• Economy: Pays 25% on average of the maximum allowable charge for basic and major care costs, with the lowest premium
• Standard: Pays 40% on average of the maximum allowable charge for basic and major care costs, with slightly higher premiums than Economy 
• Premier: Pays 55% on average of the maximum allowable charge for basic and major care costs, with higher premiums than Economy and Standard
• Preferred: Pays 70% of the maximum allowable charge, with the highest premium of all plans

To see how this plays out in the real wor👍ld, here’s how much each plan would pay toward a tooth-colored filling, for which a dentist might charge roughly $174 to $400.

Generally speaking, you’re re𒀰sponsible for paying the difference between what the plan pays and what your provider charges. For example, if your dentist charges $400 for your tooth-colored filli﷽ng, the Economy plan might only pay $23 toward that fee. You will pay the remaining $377 out of pocket. 

The Premier plan offers tꩵhe most coverage for the highest premium and pays basic and major services at 70% of an amount called the maximum allowable charge. Here’s how that works:

• Preferred Provider: Agrees to provide dental care for a specific fee (also called maximum allowable charge). You aren’t responsible for the difference between your dentist’s charges and what Physician Mutual pays.
• Non-Preferred Provider: You pay the difference between Physician Mutual’s payment and the provider’s fee, whatever it may be. 

Other Type𒅌s of Insurance Offered by Physicians Mutual

In addition to dental insurance, Physicians Mutual sells the following types of insu𒐪rance:

• Vision insurance
• Hearing insurance
• Life insurance
• Pet insurance
• 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Medicare supplement insurance
• Cancer insurance

Physicians Mutual Dental Plans

Physicians Mutual offers four PPO dental insurance plans. The primary difference between the plans is how much the insurer pays for covered services. Below, you can see how Physicians Mutual’s dental insurance🅷 plans compare.

How Muc𝓰h Does Physicians Mutual Dental Insurance Cost?

In most states, the lowest-cost dental insuran♋c🐭e plan (Economy) from Physicians Mutual costs $30.50 per month. This plan covers all three levels of care (preventive, basic, and major). The most expensive plan costs $56.50 per month in the biggest states where we received rate quotes. 

All plans have no 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:deductible or annual maximum. However, remember that with Economy plans, you are responsible for the difference between what your plan pays and what your dentist charges. You must weigh the 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:cost of dental insurance against what you’ll pay out of pocket. 

The table below shows the monthly premium for the lowest-cost plan that covers preventive, basic, and maj🐼or care in the 10 most populated states wher♓e Physicians Mutual operates.

🀅 How Does Physicians Mutual Compare to Other Dental Insurance Companies?

Physicians Mutual covers procedures in an expected, standard way. Some competitors with less expensive plans might not do so—for example, categorizing a filling as major care, or offering a lower percentage of coverage for major care. Read policie🀅s carefully.

Below, you can see how Physicians Mutual compar💝es to Delta Dental and Spirit for the lowest-premium PPO plan that covers preventive, basic, and majorไ dental care.

Customer Service

Physicians Mutual has standard customer service options. You can get in touch with an agent or customer service representative by calling 1-800-228-9100. Business hours are Monday through Friday f🔯rom 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT.

You can also reach Physicians Mutual customer service 🐭by mail at the following add💦ress:

Physicians Mutual
P.O. Box 3313
Omaha, NE 68103-0313

Customer Satisfaction

Physicians Mutual doesn’t have the best 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:customer satisfaction scores compared to some other large dental insurance companies we reviewed. Its three-year average complaint index from the 🐠National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) indicated slightly more complaiဣnts than expected for its size.

The company’s dental insurance underwriter, Ameritas, is ranked below average by J.D. Power for overall customer satisfaction. In the 2023 U.S. Dental Plan Satisfaction Study, Ameritas is ranked last in the study of nine providers. Ameritas’ score is 740 out of 1,000, which is lower than the study average score of 782.

The Bottom Line

Physicians Mutual can be a good 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:dental insurance company if you need frequent dental care. All four of its plans have no annual maximum and no deductible. Additionally, all of the company’s plans cover major dental services immediately. However꧑﷽, Physicians Mutual’s least-expensive plan offers very limited flat-fee coverage for basic and major dental services, like fillings, X-rays, and simple extractions. You may want to consider a plan that reimburses your costs at a higher rate. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Is Dental Insurance?

澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Dental insurance helps cover the cost of certain dental treatments and sꦡervices. Depending on which plan you choose, a plan can cover cleanings, diagnostic exams, fillings, X-rays, and root canals. Fo༺r most non-preventive services, the plan covers a portion of the cost, and you pay the rest out of pocket. Dental insurance plans commonly ask you to pay a deductible before the plan will start paying for your dental care.

What Happens If You Don’t Haꦺve Dental Insurance?

If you 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:don’t have dental insurance, you must pay for your dental care out of pocket. However, there are ways to find more affordable dental services. For example, you can often get cheaper dental treatment through dental schools and community health centers. Medicaid also provides dental benefits depending on your state. If you don’t qualify, a 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:dental discount plan may be a cost-effective alternative to insur🔜ance.

Who Accepts Physicians Mutual Dental Insurance?

Mor𝓀e than 500,000 provider locations accept Physicians Mutual dental insurance. Use the online provider search tool to find a dentist in your area who is part of Physicians Mu🌟tual’s Ameritas network.

Is De🅘ntal Insurance From Physicians Mutual Worth It?

Depending on your dental care needs, Physicians Mutual might be worth it. However, it’s generally not the b༒est option if you’re healthy and use your dental benefits infrequently.

For example, imagine you needed a porcelain crown, which costs somewhere between $1,213 and $2,200. The Ec🌸onomy plan costs $366 per year and pays $195 toward the crown. You pay the remaining amount out-of-pocket. The Preferred plan costs $563 annually and pays $435 toward the crown. In both cases, the cost of your insurance doesn’t outweigh how much you get to use toward this one procedure. 

However, if you use your insur𓄧ance at other times in addition to the crown for cleanings, fillings, and other services, you could save a significant amount of money—particularly where the Preferred plan is concerned. 

How We Chose the Best Denta🍰l 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 fr❀om Google to understand trends and public interest in stand-alone dental plans. This 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 marketplaces or independently.

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

We then develo🌟ped 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 art🐻icle:

• 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开奖号码历史查询:full methodology.