DeCare Dental v VHI dental insurance

DRice

Hi

Does anyone have any experience with these guys and could anyone vouch for either? Do you save money with them?

https://www.decaredental.ie/

https://www.vhi.ie/dental-insurance

I don't have VHI health insurance ( I am Laya) so I don't get a discount for VHI. I am leaning towards decare as there isn't an excess on minor treatments . Although VHI doesn't mention emergency cover they told me over the phone they do have emergency cover built in. the advantage with VHI is that there is no cap (apart from crowns) once you go past a couple of years but I don't fancy this €100 excess everytime.

My current dental issue is gum disease, pain in gums and bleeding (yuck) , at least I think that's what it is. killing me today. The corsodyl mouth wash doesn't seem to be doing the trick anymore but I foolishly didn't bother taking it for a few months, still I need a long term solution, and would like to be insured up as I have chronic dental issues, plently of fillings and root canals and crowns and extractions over the years would have saved a fortune had I had insurance years ago.

Cheers for any help or suggestions

CramCycle

I have DeCare Dental through work, seem decent, all small stuff gets covered and the excess is only 39euro. They also give you a bit towards Orthodontic work every year, so if it is only small, it could work out almost free.

This said, I don't think (and could be wrong) that they cover preexisting, as in you will pay for anything you are getting done now, but I could be wrong.

They also say that some dentists accept their card and you don't pay on site but this isn't true, you always pay and claim back from what I can tell.

DRice

CramCycle wrote: »

I have DeCare Dental through work, seem decent, all small stuff gets covered and the excess is only 39euro. They also give you a bit towards Orthodontic work every year, so if it is only small, it could work out almost free.

This said, I don't think (and could be wrong) that they cover preexisting, as in you will pay for anything you are getting done now, but I could be wrong.

They also say that some dentists accept their card and you don't pay on site but this isn't true, you always pay and claim back from what I can tell.

Thanks

GalwayMrktng

I have been used DeCare collectively for about 4 years now. Two years when I had corporate VHI and DeCare insurance and I am starting using dental insurance again after the last two years myself.

Previously I took it for granted almost and when I left my role in a corporate I just continued with VHI Health and forgot about DeCare. When I copped, I made sure to get it ASAP again.

This is the first time in 4 years I am doing a proper claim. VHI Health covered most of my normal check ups and hygienists to date. It was corporate plan b or similar on VHI. I did try claim the remainder on DeCare however I know it was a bit of a nightmare. Nonetheless it eventually went through but I think the fact they were working alongside VHI made them more accountable.

Now they are completely seperate I believe. I believe they basically were before but VHI offered DeCare as part of a corporate packaging. I am guessing this meant they wanted to ensure their name was not tarnished by a poor insurance provider.

Recently I needed more done, I have almost two years paying for DeCare insurance again and I am on the top planning. Meaning time wise I have access to the majority that is covered.

I filled out the forms over two weeks ago now, and low and behold the nightmarish situation I remember from a few years back seems even worse now. I carefully followed the checklist, as did my dendist. Every area of the firm filled out in full.

I received a text a FEW DAYS after I posted stating the application will be assessed on 10 days. I assumed that meant full turn around time. It appears now it just means them actually just checking have they everything needed to pay out.

Technically I received back on working day 9 off the assessment time. So they made the target. But clearly from the dates on text message, letter versus postal mark they spread it out as much as possible. So I sent letter on 24th, the text to acknowledge came on 27th. The letter I received on the 7th December had a postal mark of evening on December 5th - even better that letter that was posted on December 1st.

So a lot of unnecessary waiting around it seems.

To make matters even more interesting, they are requesting x-rays. In no way did the form make any reference to needing these X-rays. In fact it is not meantioned in the claim form at all, not even the CHECKLIST you check before you send it off.

It was however mentioned on page 11 of the T&Cs PDF online. Silly me, how could I neglect something so obvious. I better get familiar with the full PDF immediately.

The claim process is extremely poor, to ensure that your not going to be contacted again regarding additional proof make yourself familiar with the T&C PDF.

In fact, now it seems it’s crucuL to read that in full versus just judging the policy by the comparison tables on the website. There seems to be a lot of clauses in it.

To date my experience has been extremely bad and I have just engaged with them twice over the 4 years dealing with them. I have been lucky nothing serious was needed until recently. VHI health cover had someone decent cover for standard visits. Meaning my reliance on DeCare has just really being tested.

Something taking so much time unnecessarily really annoys me. Just the dragged out time between internal processes alone i.e posting, assessing, etc is enough to annoy me.

Yes writing this post takes up more valuable time too, however, if it means others know what they are getttinb into it means DeCare improving their service well I am all for that. I will be making sure they get a full break down of events to date from me.

I know I have marked the renewal period on my calender go give VHIs Dental a serious review. Even if slightly more. If they ate more efficient, like health I will easily move. Overall I am checking out all options for my renewal date. There is no excuse for that dragged out process I identified with DeCare, to me that’s a sign of everything to come.

If my experience changes I will update this. I suggest the DeCare team, management look up how important Customer Experience is becoming is businesses today.

There is a lot of new research out their by Walker in the Importance of Customer Experience and how it will become the number one differienator for customers when it comes to choosing a product/service, even overtaking Price and Product (Servive) as a differienator.

Mayoman93

GalwayMrktng wrote: »

I have been used DeCare collectively for about 4 years now. Two years when I had corporate VHI and DeCare insurance and I am starting using dental insurance again after the last two years myself.

Previously I took it for granted almost and when I left my role in a corporate I just continued with VHI Health and forgot about DeCare. When I copped, I made sure to get it ASAP again.

This is the first time in 4 years I am doing a proper claim. VHI Health covered most of my normal check ups and hygienists to date. It was corporate plan b or similar on VHI. I did try claim the remainder on DeCare however I know it was a bit of a nightmare. Nonetheless it eventually went through but I think the fact they were working alongside VHI made them more accountable.

Now they are completely seperate I believe. I believe they basically were before but VHI offered DeCare as part of a corporate packaging. I am guessing this meant they wanted to ensure their name was not tarnished by a poor insurance provider.

Recently I needed more done, I have almost two years paying for DeCare insurance again and I am on the top planning. Meaning time wise I have access to the majority that is covered.

I filled out the forms over two weeks ago now, and low and behold the nightmarish situation I remember from a few years back seems even worse now. I carefully followed the checklist, as did my dendist. Every area of the firm filled out in full.

I received a text a FEW DAYS after I posted stating the application will be assessed on 10 days. I assumed that meant full turn around time. It appears now it just means them actually just checking have they everything needed to pay out.

Technically I received back on working day 9 off the assessment time. So they made the target. But clearly from the dates on text message, letter versus postal mark they spread it out as much as possible. So I sent letter on 24th, the text to acknowledge came on 27th. The letter I received on the 7th December had a postal mark of evening on December 5th - even better that letter that was posted on December 1st.

So a lot of unnecessary waiting around it seems.

To make matters even more interesting, they are requesting x-rays. In no way did the form make any reference to needing these X-rays. In fact it is not meantioned in the claim form at all, not even the CHECKLIST you check before you send it off.

It was however mentioned on page 11 of the T&Cs PDF online. Silly me, how could I neglect something so obvious. I better get familiar with the full PDF immediately.

The claim process is extremely poor, to ensure that your not going to be contacted again regarding additional proof make yourself familiar with the T&C PDF.

In fact, now it seems it’s crucuL to read that in full versus just judging the policy by the comparison tables on the website. There seems to be a lot of clauses in it.

To date my experience has been extremely bad and I have just engaged with them twice over the 4 years dealing with them. I have been lucky nothing serious was needed until recently. VHI health cover had someone decent cover for standard visits. Meaning my reliance on DeCare has just really being tested.

Something taking so much time unnecessarily really annoys me. Just the dragged out time between internal processes alone i.e posting, assessing, etc is enough to annoy me.

Yes writing this post takes up more valuable time too, however, if it means others know what they are getttinb into it means DeCare improving their service well I am all for that. I will be making sure they get a full break down of events to date from me.

I know I have marked the renewal period on my calender go give VHIs Dental a serious review. Even if slightly more. If they ate more efficient, like health I will easily move. Overall I am checking out all options for my renewal date. There is no excuse for that dragged out process I identified with DeCare, to me that’s a sign of everything to come.

If my experience changes I will update this. I suggest the DeCare team, management look up how important Customer Experience is becoming is businesses today.

There is a lot of new research out their by Walker in the Importance of Customer Experience and how it will become the number one differienator for customers when it comes to choosing a product/service, even overtaking Price and Product (Servive) as a differienator.

I've always found them great. They've taken a few extra days on a bigger claim I sent before as they had to get x rays too like you mentioned but they contacted the dentist and got them for me, I didn't have to do a thing. I'm guessing they don't always need them, probably to confirm some conditions on the policy.

But sure Id say you would have to expect that sort of craic with any insurance policy sure they all have conditions.

GalwayMrktng

Mayoman93 wrote: »

I've always found them great. They've taken a few extra days on a bigger claim I sent before as they had to get x rays too like you mentioned but they contacted the dentist and got them for me, I didn't have to do a thing. I'm guessing they don't always need them, probably to confirm some conditions on the policy.

But sure Id say you would have to expect that sort of craic with any insurance policy sure they all have conditions.

Funny, DeCare is located in Mayo. I hope this is a genuine post. FYI, no other insurance company are this bad. Even with all their T & Cs. I used to have VHI dental and I will be switching back. I already have them for health, I should have stayed. It changed when I moved roles.

CramCycle

2 claims this year, both processed within 10days from date of posting. Mistake on one where they misread the Dentists writing, but overall quick and decent.

cybrandian

GalwayMrktng wrote: »

Funny, DeCare is located in Mayo. I hope this is a genuine post. FYI, no other insurance company are this bad. Even with all their T & Cs. I used to have VHI dental and I will be switching back. I already have them for health, I should have stayed. It changed when I moved roles.

How long after they requested xrays was the payment made out of interest? Just got the request today for xrays 8 days after I submitted the claim.