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INDIVIDUAL PLANS
Individual plans are policies that you purchase for yourself (and your dependents)
from an insurance agent, broker or company. You may want to consider buying an
individual plan if you are not eligible for a group plan, or need additional coverage
to meet special needs – if, for example, your group plan does not include a type of
coverage that is important to you.
What Kind of Coverage Is Available?
You can purchase individual plans to cover many of the same supplementary
hospital and medical expenses and dental expenses that group plans pay, and to
provide a number of other health-related coverages described in the following
pages.
For a list of expenses typically covered by individual extended health plans, please
turn to page 3. Individual extended health plans often exclude expenses incurred
on account of pre-existing conditions, that is, injuries you sustained or illnesses
you had before you applied for coverage with the company. They always exclude
expenses insured by any government or group plan under which you are covered,
along with those related to suicide, self-inflicted injury, war or military service,
alcoholism or drug addiction. Be sure you know what is excluded so you won't be
surprised if the company refuses a claim.
Individual dental insurance plans cover many of the same services as group
dental plans. For a list of expenses typically covered by individual dental insurance
plans, please turn to page 3.
A few insurers offer individual dental plans on a stand-alone basis. Others only
offer them in conjunction or along with individual health insurance plans. Like group
plans, extended health and dental plans often feature deductibles, coinsurance
and maximums on specific expenses. Read the policies and make sure you
understand these features and how they apply. If you have any questions, talk
to your agent or broker.
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