Choosing Family Insurance Coverage by janet ashby

Many insurance companies offer family insurance coverage as an alternative to covering family members individually. This type of insurance typically covers healthcare costs for family members and premiums are usually the same however many children are in the family. For this reason it can be an excellent choice if you have two or more children. The cover is for any dependant children and for both parents. Other family insurance may include householder's insurance to cover damage to the home and insurance to cover mortgage payments in the event of illness, disability or death to the principal wage earner.
Employers Health Coverage - Adding Children
It can be extremely expensive to add a child to an already existing health coverage plan offered by employers and you may be advised taking out a separate family insurance cover, especially if you have two or more children.
What Does Family Insurance Cover?
This type of insurance coverage very often provides regular once a year medical examinations for any children below sixteen (or 18 in some plans) and prenatal and maternity cover. Many of the policies include children until they reach twenty four provided they are full time students. Plans may perhaps also include cover for hospital stays, x-rays and laboratory tests, operations etc. It is important to always check you are aware of precisely what coverage the plan offers. You may perhaps be able to select maternity coverage for every family member which may be a good choice for those with female children. Though none of us wishes teenage pregnancy to occur it can happen and the family insurance can be very useful in these circumstances.
Family Dental Coverage
Some insurance policies include family dental coverage or you may perhaps want to take out separate family dental insurance coverage. These plans differ in the type of cover offered and also in age maximum for any dependant children. Naturally the coverage you receive is dependant on the the monthly premiums.
Full Time Students
As noted above several insurance plans include children over eighteen provided they are in full time education. Insurance cover sometimes extend to 23 or 24. Ensure that the facilities on campus, local hospitals or physicians are willing to accept the family's insurance and you need to give the student an insurance certificate when they leave for school.
What Might Not Be Included
Family insurance coverage may perhaps not include certain treatments common in childhood, replacement for spectacles, allergy tests or braces. Find out about the cover provided by the plan under consideration and think about taking out a savings plan for circumstances not included in your family insurance.
Conclusion
Family insurance coverage is a good option for large families to cover most healthcare costs. Although individual policies may vary all dependent children up to the age of eighteen, or even twenty three or four if they are in full time education, are usually covered.