Renaissance Ancillary Benefits: Benefits Members Can Actually Understand and Use

In addition to your medical insurance, you may also have access to ancillary benefits. These are the plans that sit alongside your primary medical coverage: dental, vision, life insurance, disability and supplemental health. Renaissance builds its ancillary benefits around a simple idea: you should be able to understand how to use your coverage before you actually need it. 

They’re called “ancillary” because they support your core medical plan, but that label doesn’t always capture how much they can matter in practice. When something unexpected happens (a diagnosis, an injury, a stretch of time away from work, etc.), these are often the benefits that provide real financial help and make a noticeable difference in your household budget and stress level.

The hard part? Most people don’t think much about these benefits until they’re in the middle of a situation. And when that moment arrives, figuring out what’s covered and how to file a claim shouldn’t be another challenge to deal with on top of everything else.

Below is a plain-language walk-through of what each type of benefit usually covers, how claims typically work and what you can do right now to be ready.

What’s Covered: A Plain-Language Look at Each Benefit Type

Before we dive in, it’s important to note that coverage details always depend on your specific plan, so be sure to check your individual documents. But, in general, here’s how each type of benefit is built to work.

Dental

Dental coverage typically breaks down into three tiers:

1. Preventive care includes routine cleanings, exams and X-rays. Most plans cover these at or near 100%, usually twice a year. This is the easiest benefit to use: schedule your visits within the proper timeframe, and your plan often covers them in full or close to it.
2. Basic procedures include things like fillings and simple extractions. These are usually covered at a percentage (often around 80%) after you’ve met any applicable deductible, which is the amount you pay out of pocket each year for covered services before your plan begins to pay.
3. Major procedures include things like crowns, root canals, bridges and dentures. Coverage is typically around 50% and may have waiting periods (a set amount of time you need to be covered before certain services are eligible for benefits) for new plan members.

Some plans also include orthodontic coverage for dependents. If yours does, it will be listed in your plan summary.

When it kicks in: You visit your dentist, show your insurance information and the provider submits the claim on your behalf. After processing, you’ll receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) showing what was covered and what you may owe (if anything). For preventive visits, you may owe nothing out of pocket. Whenever possible, choosing an in-network dentist can also help lower your costs. In-network providers agree to discounted rates with your carrier, which can reduce what you pay out of pocket.

Vision

Vision coverage usually includes:

• An annual eye exam
• A set allowance toward eyeglass lenses, frames or contacts
• Sometimes, discounts on services like LASIK or other corrective procedures

When it kicks in: You visit an in-network eye care provider (a doctor or retailer that participates in your plan’s network, which typically means lower out-of-pocket costs), present your plan information, and the provider processes the benefit. Similar to dental, much of the claim work happens behind the scenes for you. At the end of your visit, your eye care provider can help you apply your benefits toward glasses or contacts and will show you what your plan covers versus what you’ll pay out of pocket. That way, you can see your options clearly before you decide what to order.

Life Insurance

Life insurance provides a cash benefit to the people you designate (your beneficiaries) if you pass away while covered. Many group life insurance plans also include accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) coverage, which can pay an additional benefit if your death or certain serious injuries are the result of a covered accident.

Many employers offer a base amount of coverage (for example, one to two times your annual salary) at no cost, with the option to purchase additional coverage. The benefit is designed to help loved ones cover everyday expenses and larger obligations during a difficult time, giving them some financial space to make important decisions.

What to check now: Make sure your beneficiary designations are up to date. This is one of the most commonly overlooked steps in benefits enrollment. If you’ve had a life change (marriage, divorce, a new child, etc.), review your beneficiary information and update it accordingly.

Disability

Disability coverage replaces a portion of your income if you can’t work due to an illness or injury. There are usually two types:

1. Short-term disability (STD) typically covers you for a few weeks to a few months, replacing around 60% of your salary. It’s designed for temporary situations such as surgery recovery, a pregnancy or an injury that keeps you out of work for a limited time.
2. Long-term disability (LTD) picks up where short-term leaves off, providing income replacement for extended periods. Some plans last a set number of years; others continue until retirement age.

Short-term disability benefits are often paid weekly, while long-term disability benefits are typically paid monthly. In some states, you may also have access to separate paid family and medical leave (PFML) programs, which can work alongside or in addition to your employer’s disability coverage.

When it kicks in: Disability benefits generally start after an elimination period (a set number of days you must be unable to work before benefits begin). After you notify your employer or HR team, the carrier will reach out to explain what documentation is needed and what to expect. Because disability claims can feel unfamiliar — and often come at stressful moments — knowing ahead of time that there are real people involved in reviewing your claim and answering questions can make a real difference.

Supplemental Health (i.e. RenSecureHealth)

Supplemental health coverage pays direct cash benefits when you’re diagnosed with a covered condition or experience a qualifying health event.

Renaissance’s supplemental health coverage, RenSecureHealth, is diagnosis-based. That means benefits are tied to specific diagnoses and qualifying events rather than being limited to accidents or hospital stays. The plan covers 13,000+ conditions, grouped into moderate, severe and catastrophic categories. If a covered event happens, you receive a cash payment you can use however you need: toward deductibles, copays, transportation, childcare or any other expense related to that event.

When it kicks in: Say you’re diagnosed with kidney stones after an ER visit. You first create an account on a desktop computer, then open the RenSecureHealth app and log in, answer a few guided questions, upload a photo of your bill and submit. Once your claim is approved, a cash payment is usually sent within about 72 hours, via direct deposit, Venmo or PayPal. You decide how to use it.

How Filing a Claim Works

The process after you file isn’t always obvious, which is one reason people sometimes leave money on the table. Here’s what the journey can look like for different types of benefits, including dental, vision, supplemental health and disability.

Benefits Your Provider Files for You

For dental and vision, your provider typically submits the claim. You’ll then receive an explanation of benefits (EOB) afterward showing what was covered and what you owe, if anything.

Your main job here is simple:

• Make sure your provider has your current insurance information
• Whenever possible, choose an in-network provider since your plan may provide discounts for those visits and help keep your out-of-pocket costs lower. Some plans may pay the same regardless of which provider you see, but in many cases, in-network care can save you money.

Benefits You File Yourself

For supplemental health, the process is designed to be guided and straightforward. As in our example in the RenSecureHealth section above, start by creating an account on a desktop computer. Then, open the app or portal and log in, answer a few questions about your diagnosis or event, upload your document (like an EOB or visit summary) and submit. No stacks of paper forms or long phone trees required.

For life and disability (DI), you don’t have to rely only on phone calls or paper forms. Renaissance’s secure employer portal and employee portal let you submit many life and disability claims online and track their progress in one place, so you can manage the process on your own schedule. If you prefer, you can also find claim forms on our site if you need them. The important thing is that you’ll have support through every step of the process so you can focus on your health and recovery.

Across all benefits, Renaissance’s approach combines technology plus human support: automated steps where they help standard things move quickly and experienced team members stepping in when something is complex or sensitive.

What to Expect After You File

Most people aren’t sure what happens after they hit “submit.” Here’s the short version.

• Dental and vision claims are typically processed within a few weeks. You’ll receive an EOB in the mail or through your portal showing what was covered. When you log in, be sure to select the correct portal for your coverage (Group or Individual) so you can see the right benefits and claims information.
• Supplemental health (RenSecureHealth) claims are often resolved within days. After you submit through the app (or through the online portal), you’ll receive confirmation and, once approved, payment typically arrives within 72 hours. You can also see claim status and details in your member portal.
• Disability claims can take longer because they involve medical documentation and ongoing eligibility review. Short-term disability claims are usually reviewed within one to two weeks. Your carrier will communicate the timeline and let you know if additional information is needed.

If your claim requires additional review or isn’t approved, Renaissance’s member services team walks you through what happened and what your options are. You can talk to a real person who can explain the decision and help you understand next steps.

5 Things You Can Do Right Now to Get More From Your Benefits

You don’t have to wait for a health event to start getting value from your ancillary benefits. Here are a few things you can do today.

1. Read your benefit summaries. 

Your employer likely shared these during open enrollment so you may have an email or document that outlines this in your records. They’re usually one or two pages per benefit and will tell you what’s covered, what’s not and how to use each plan. You can also review the full certificates of coverage for each product line if you want more detail. If you can’t find these materials, ask your HR team. If you’re enrolled in RenSecureHealth, watch for a welcome email series that walks through how the coverage works and how to use it.

2. Schedule your preventive visits. 

Dental cleanings and vision exams are typically covered at little or no cost. You’re already paying for this coverage through your enrollment — using it is one of the easiest ways to get more value from your plan.

3. Download the app or register for your member portal.

If your plan offers app-based claims (like RenSecureHealth), download the app or register for your member portal now and click through the steps once while things are calm. A few minutes of familiarity today means one less thing to figure out if you ever need to file a claim fast.

4. Update your beneficiaries.

For life insurance, benefits go to the people listed on your beneficiary designation, no matter what your current circumstances are. Take a moment to confirm that those names and relationships reflect your life today.

5. Know who to contact. 

Save the phone number and website for your carrier’s member services in your phone or password manager so you’re not searching when a question or claim comes up. The right contact can depend on how you get your coverage:

• If your coverage is through your employer (employer-sponsored group plan): Call 800-894-4532 (TTY users call 711), Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET.
• If you purchased coverage on your own (individual & family coverage): Call 888-791-5995 (TTY users call 711), Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. ET.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

See your options below based on your role.

• Members: Have questions about your coverage? Visit your member resources or download the RenSecureHealth app to review your plan and learn how to file. If it’s your first time using the portal, you’ll get started by registering your account on a desktop computer and creating your password. Then, you can easily download the app on your smartphone, log in and file claims from anywhere.
• Employers: If you’re interested in bringing this kind of benefits experience to your team, learn how Renaissance works with employers, or speak with your broker about your options.
• Brokers: Explore broker resources to see how Renaissance supports your clients with benefits designed to be easy to offer, implement, administer and use.