Aflac, a leading provider of supplemental health insurance products in the U.S., today announced the launch of its new Dental, Vision and Hearing insurance plans, specifically designed for individuals and families without access to insurance through a traditional worksite.

A variety of factors play into the need for benefits options outside of the workplace. According to Pew Research, about 50% of U.S. adults 55 and older are out of the labor force due to retirement, in part because of the pandemic.¹ Additionally, gig and contract work is on the rise. The most recent data shows a 33% increase in 1099-K form (indicating revenue collected outside of an employer/employee relationship) filing from 2020 to 2021.² What's more, 16% of Americans say they've earned money from an online gig platform.³

"Whether entering retirement or pursuing solopreneur, gig or contract work, there is a growing number of Americans earning a living outside of the traditional worksite; but what hasn't changed is their need for the type of financial security that Aflac products can help provide," said Aflac Senior Vice President of Distribution Expansion and Consumer Markets Jeramy Tipton. "Because benefits are traditionally obtained through the employer, these trends leave a gap in accessibility to insurance coverage for many Americans, a gap that Aflac is helping close by introducing popular products with these individuals in mind."

The new Aflac Dental, Vision and Hearing product includes three plan tiers so individuals can select the coverage that best meets their needs. For basic dental care and major dental services, out-of-pocket costs paid by the policyholder decrease over time, while the annual maximum benefit paid by Aflac can increase. Additionally, all plans offer preventive service benefits with no out-of-pocket costs.

"Americans outside of the traditional workforce are carrying the responsibility for many aspects of their financial security, which can leave them vulnerable if they do not properly insure themselves and their families," said Tipton. "This new Aflac Dental, Vision and Hearing product can help this growing segment of the U.S. workforce to better manage their preventive and ongoing health care needs. In addition, the product is a natural complement to Aflac's senior market product portfolio that includes Aflac Medicare Supplement and Aflac Final Expense insurance."

• All plans offer preventive dental service benefits with no out-of-pocket costs.
• For basic dental care and major dental services, the deductible and percent of costs paid by the policyholder can decrease over time, while the annual maximum benefits paid by Aflac can increase.
• Dental plan benefits are the same for in- and out-of-network treatment, giving policyholders flexibility in choosing a provider while enabling lower out-of-pockets costs when using a participating network provider.
• By electing to add Vision and Hearing to a Dental plan, policyholders will receive coverage for annual vision and hearing exams, plus an allowance for corrective lenses and hearing aids.

For more information visit www.aflac.com/dental.