Thoughts on Aflac?

[pugs3602]

MH signed up for an appointment with an Aflac representative. I wanted to get some thoughts and experiences before hand so I don't get blindly sucked into their sales pitch. Anyone had any positive or negative experiences they don't mind sharing? In your opinion, is Aflac worth it or just a waste of money?

[Doctorblue]

I have no idea about the insurance itself. However, the sales people are quite pushy. We have different reps coming into our business multiple times monthly. We have asked many times for them to stop soliciting, but they just keep coming. We were supposedly put on a no contact list but either we aren't actually on it, or the reps just ignore it.

[cahabalily]

My Mom uses Aflac as double coverage for health. She also has their cancer policy (she's high-risk for breast cancer) which pays her to get annual mammograms (she gets a $50 check every time she one, and the mammogram itself is covered by her primary carrier).

She's never had a problem with them, and recommends them to all her friends...

[sjh722]

We just signed up for the hospital policy. Several friends of ours have used it, timed to sign up a month before you start TTC. (There's a 10-month waiting period before they will pay maternity benefits.)

It will pay roughly enough to cover our deductible for me for a vaginal birth ($2200), plus possibly another $2200 if any diagnostics are done on the baby. If you have a c-section, it pays around $3200 for you.

The cost for me is about $48/month, and neither of our employers offer it, so we're signed up independently. It'd be more cost-effective if you can have it deducted from your paychecks, but we have HSA insurance with a high deductible ($2400 per person, $4800 family), so this will soften the budget blow for us.

[ellipses84]

I had it once for a year until I switched employers. In hindsight, I didn't really need it at the time, so it was probably a waste of money. I think they have a good maternity option, so if you are planning on having a baby in the next year or two (but not less than a year) it might be worth it.

[shopgirl07]

I own a business and offer it to my employees.

I think it's very worthwhile, depending on the policy. The best thing about it is that the policy stays with you and is not employer driven, so you can have it for life.

Each policy is very inexpensive, $5-$20 per week which varies based on policy, dependents, etc.

In my state I think there are 6 policies offered. Some are better than others depending on your individual needs.

[pugs3602]

May 20, 2012 17:36:19 GMT -5 sjh722 said:

We just signed up for the hospital policy. Several friends of ours have used it, timed to sign up a month before you start TTC. (There's a 10-month waiting period before they will pay maternity benefits.)

It will pay roughly enough to cover our deductible for me for a vaginal birth ($2200), plus possibly another $2200 if any diagnostics are done on the baby. If you have a c-section, it pays around $3200 for you.

The cost for me is about $48/month, and neither of our employers offer it, so we're signed up independently. It'd be more cost-effective if you can have it deducted from your paychecks, but we have HSA insurance with a high deductible ($2400 per person, $4800 family), so this will soften the budget blow for us.

Thanks for the info, especially the 10-month waiting period...I didn't know about that. We are hoping to TTC in a year or two, so it sounds like now would be a good time to get started.

Thanks to everyone else for your thoughts as well. I have been reading reviews online and they are mostly negative (probably biased by the fact that people usually write reviews when they have a bad experience), so it is good to hear that there are also people who have positive experiences.

[smiley]

I don't personally have Aflac but a co-workers son does and it covered most of his medical bills his primary insurance did not cover when he was in a really bad car accident. Without the Aflac he would have been paying thousands out of pocket. He was grateful for that second policy.

[meandhim]

I have a cancer and intensive care policy. I get paid $$ from the cancer policy when I have my yearly checkup. I think I get $75. Luckily I haven't had to use either policy but if I ever do, it has a very good payout to help with expenses.

The sales rep we have is very pushy. He talked my coworkers into several policies that they really don't need.

[leshoequeen]

I have a short term disability policy that I utilized once during my first pregnancy and will utilize again during my second. It has been worthwhile for me.

[whitterbugk]

I have the hospitalization policy that PP talks about. I think I pay around $30/month.

However, I'm cutting it realllyyy close on the 10 months. My 10 months are up July 1 and I'm due July 13. Fingers crossed that the kid stays in there for awhile.

[AJ]

H was offered them through work and we looked over the brochures for the plans and figured out that, for the plans they were offering, the premium far outweighed the benefits. We make out better putting the money in savings than paying premiums for such small benefits. But we also have major medical insurance and do not plan on having kids so...

[geek96]

I don't know much about Aflac but am interested in short term dis. insurance and can't exactly ask my HR rep my questions if I plan to stay home after having a baby. Does Aflac pay you benefits after you give birth or is it more of a 6 or 12 week maternity leave payout? Should I purchase it through my job since they offer it (tax deductible) or separately since I will probably give notice before I have a baby whenever that is?

[Melissa W.]

My employer recently began to offer this. Seeing how they screwed up my enrollment, I decided I wasn't THAT interested in the policy.

[geek96]

I went on their website it seems like they offer many different options. How do I select which option would best benefit me? Wouldn't short term disability and accident cover the same thing?