Nine Tips on How to Read Your Supplementary Health or Dental Insurance Policy

We recommend you review your supplementary health and dental insurance policy(s) carefully. They are complex documents with a lot of pages and unfamiliar terms, but here are nine tips to help you break it down:

1. Familiarize yourself with the structure: your policy should list basic information like your name, address, policy dates, insurance agent or company contact information, and key details of your coverage, as well as a list of terms or definitions found in the policy, and exclusions.
2. Check the accuracy of all personal and policy information: names (including correct spelling), contact information, dates, duration of the policy and policy number. Remember that misleading or mistaken information can invalidate your policy.
3. Review the eligibility requirements and exclusions: check the eligibility requirements to make sure you and your dependants are covered. Be aware of any exclusions in your policy - there are certain risks and conditions that your insurance company will not cover.
4. Understand the terminology: your policy should have a list of definitions written in plain language that you can understand.
5. Check your benefits: your insurer or human resources representative may provide you with a booklet that outlines the key features of your coverage.
6. Review the deductibles, co-insurance, maximums and premiums: you should know how much you have to pay for all of your medical expenses.

7. Review the claims procedure: be aware of how to file a claim and how your money will be paid out. Policies have time periods in which you need to make your claim, and you need to know this. Tell your family about your policy and what they need to do to make a claim.
8. Check whether you can coordinate benefits with a spouse/partner: you may be able to receive up to 100 per cent coverage by coordinating benefits with your partner/spouse.
9. Ask questions! If you see anything that you don’t understand ask your insurance agent or company. If you have supplementary health and/or dental insurance through your employer, ask your human resources representative for clarification right away. If you see anything that seems wrong, talk to you insurance company. It is your responsibility to make sure you understand what you are buying and to ensure that all of your information is correct.