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Is Supplemental Insurance Worth It?

Health insurance policies can have exclusions for pre-existing conditions, cosmetic surgeries, and many other medical treatments.1 This is one reason why supplemental insurance can be worth it for some people. Standard health insurance may not provide fully comprehensive coverage, but supplemental policies can pay cash benefits to help reduce your out-of-pocket costs for uncovered costs related to a range of covered incidents. Aflac offers several types of supplemental insurance to provide additional financial protection to help reduce your out-of-pocket medical costs.

5 Min Read

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

  • Supplemental insurance pays cash benefits to help you cover costs that standard health insurance doesn’t.
  • There are many types of supplemental insurance, including accident insurance, cancer insurance, hospital insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, critical illness insurance, and life insurance.
  • Aflac supplemental insurance policies can give you additional financial protection to cover costs like out-of-pocket medical costs.

What is supplemental insurance

A supplemental insurance policy pays cash benefits for certain covered events. These policies can help with gaps in primary insurance and provide additional benefits to pay for out-of-pocket expenses.

How does supplemental insurance work?

While there are many different types of supplemental insurance, each policy works in a similar basic way: You pay a monthly premium in exchange for coverage under the policy. After a covered incident, you submit a claim and, if approved, you’ll receive cash benefits in accordance with your policy’s value. You can use these benefits to cover costs like deductibles, co-payments, and out-of-pocket expenses that your primary insurance policy may not cover.

Types of supplemental insurance

Aflac offers several types of supplemental insurance:

Accident insurance

With accident insurance, you may receive benefits after an accident to provide financial support for costs that aren’t covered by your primary health insurance.

Cancer insurance

A cancer insurance policy can help support your recovery and financial planning by paying cash benefits after a cancer diagnosis.

Dental insurance

Dental insurance helps pay for preventative care, basic services, and major dental procedures to reduce your out-of-pocket costs for oral care. Aflac offers primary, supplemental, and Dental, Vision and Hearing (DVH) Insurance plans.

Vision insurance

With vision insurance, you can reduce your out-of-pocket costs for eye exams, prescription eyewear, and medically necessary eye surgeries or treatments.

Critical illness insurance

If you're diagnosed with a critical illness like a life changing event, critical illness insurance may pay benefits to help you cover expenses not covered by your primary health insurance.

Short-term disability insurance

If you're hurt or sick and unable to work for an extended period, short-term disability insurance can help replace part of your income. Aflac offers short-term disability insurance through worksite payroll deductions so you pay premiums out of your paycheck automatically.

Hospital insurance

Hospital bills can be significant. With hospital insurance, you may receive cash benefits during a hospital stay to help cover hospital bills, prescriptions and other costs associated with a hospital stay.

Life insurance

Life insurance may pay a death benefit to designated beneficiaries if the policyholder were to pass away while the policy is active. This can help provide valuable financial support to loved ones after you’re gone. Aflac offers term life, whole life, and final expense life insurance.

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Pros of supplemental insurance

Supplemental insurance offers several benefits, including:

  • Financial security: Supplemental insurance plans may provide financial assistance to cover unexpected costs that aren’t covered by primary insurance.
  • Peace of mind: With additional cash benefits, you can gain added peace of mind that you’ll be able to cover unexpected costs.
  • Flexible coverage: You can choose the specific policies that will most benefit you, allowing you to get the enhanced coverage you need.

Cons of supplemental insurance

Despite the benefits, there are also some drawbacks to supplemental insurance:

  • May not cover pre-existing conditions: Supplemental policies often have exclusions for pre-existing conditions.
  • Costs may add up: If you have several policies, your accumulated monthly premiums may become expensive.
  • Coverage limitations: Policies typically have elimination periods during which you may be ineligible to receive benefits or have coverage limitations and exclusions depending on the policy.2

Who may benefit from supplemental insurance

Anybody may benefit from certain supplemental insurance policies, regardless of whether they have health insurance. However, supplemental policies can be especially worth it for:

  • People with high-deductible primary insurance: If your health insurance requires you to pay a significant amount out-of-pocket before it kicks in, supplemental policies can help offset the cost of your deductible.
  • People with medical risks: If you’re at greater risk of developing an illness or work in a hazardous job, supplemental insurance can help provide a safety net in the event of a costly injury or diagnosis.
  • People with limited savings: Medical debt contributes to nearly half of American bankruptcies, so supplemental insurance can be a valuable resource to help you cover costs that your savings can’t.3

How much does supplemental insurance cost?

The cost of supplemental insurance varies, depending on the type of policy. Policies will range in cost depending on a range of factors including:4

  • Health: Policies may be more expensive if you have pre-existing conditions or are at higher risk of illness or injury.
  • Age: Older people tend to pay more for supplemental insurance plans.
  • Lifestyle: If you work in a hazardous job or have high-risk hobbies like scuba diving or skydiving, you may pay more for certain policies.
  • Policy: Policies with higher coverage amounts or benefits (such as life insurance) tend to cost more.

Is supplemental insurance worth it?

Depending on your circumstances, supplemental insurance may be worth it. There are many different types of policies that may be of particular value to you if you have a greater risk of injury or illness, are concerned about your finances, or have coverage gaps in your primary insurance policies.

Get a quote for short-term disability insurance

Aflac offers a range of supplemental insurance policies that can help give you peace of mind. Contact an Aflac agent today to discuss supplemental insurance coverage and get a quote.

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Learn more about Aflac products for Individuals & Families: