Tesco to offer free dental accident cover

Tesco Personal Finance is to shake up the dental insurance market by offering customers a free dental accident plan alongside two new dental insurance products.

These will give customers peace of mind and help protect them against the cost of dental check-ups as well as planned and unplanned treatment. The move follows the launch of Tesco Health Insurance in January.

Tesco Dental Accident Plan is completely free for 12 months and offers £1,000 worth of protection for up to 4 dental accidents during the year, with up to £250 towards the cost of treatment for each accident. To apply, customers simply call 0800 678 1790 and give name, address, date of birth and contact details.

The move by Tesco into the dental insurance market also sees the launch of two paid-for products offering different levels of cover. With Tesco Dental Insurance Core Cover, from just £8.95 a month, customers will be able to insure themselves for the cost of all NHS dental appointments and courses of treatment received in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, plus worldwide dental accident and emergency benefits.

A second level of cover, Tesco Dental Insurance Premium Cover, from £16.95 a month, will provide up to £200 a year for maintenance including check-ups, diagnostics, scale and polish, on the NHS or privately, and up to £2,000 a year for general treatments such as fillings and crowns, plus worldwide dental accident and emergency benefits.

The new Tesco Dental Insurance products combine value and simplicity and are easy to apply for; there is no need to provide your dental history and no maximum age limit on joining. Customers can buy the products over the phone (or online from 24 September) without having to fill in a complicated questionnaire. The dental insurance leaflets will be available in stores from August 15.

Jeremy Sutton, head of Tesco Health and Dental Insurance, comments: “Only a small number of organizations currently offer dental insurance. Our approach will open up the market to people who want the choice that dental insurance offers.We aim to offer products that are simple, good value and easy to buy.”

Tesco Personal Finance has teamed up with AXA PPP healthcare to offer the dental insurance products. Says Fergus Craig, commercial director of AXA PPP healthcare: “‘Tesco Dental Insurance will be a big help to people who want to manage the cost of staying in good oral health. And, if they should need emergency care, the cover will cushion them from painful dentists’ bills. With a plan for patients who go NHS, and a plan for those who prefer to go private or to mix their NHS and private care, Tesco Dental Insurance should have a positive impact on the dental health of the nation.”