Vision care insurance will often cover routine eye health expenses such as eye exams, contact lens fittings, contact lenses, and eyeglass lenses and frames and may provide a discount on LASIK procedures. The plan may cover the cost of these items in full, up to a preset limit, or it may require the policyholder to pay a flat fee or percentage fee to share the expense with the insurer.
Vision care insurance tends to be inexpensive compared to other types of insurance because many of the covered costs are predictable and expensive claims are rare. In fact, it more closely resembles a discount plan than a true insurance plan because insurance is meant to protect against unforeseen and potentially catastrophic expenses.
It's important you fully understand what each plan costs and the benefits they come with when you buy vision care insurance. Take a look at the cost for one year of vision insurance compared with the cost of an eye exam. Although vision care insurance is inexpensive, it may not be a good deal for the consumer, if the costs of premiums and co-payments under the plan are higher compared to the costs of paying for vision care expenses out of pocket.
Vision care insurance can often be obtained through your employer, association union, or through a government program such as Medicare or Medicaid. Most vision insurance providers also offer policies that you can purchase individually.