Guardian Vision Insurance Review (2024)

As one of the largest mutual life insurance companies in the world, Guardian Life Insurance Company offers life insurance among other policies, including vision insurance.

Guardian vision insurance provides extensive coverage for your routine eye care services, like routine annual eye exams, eye surgery, and prescription eyewear.

Their eye policy comes in three plans: Standard, Core, and Achiever. All three plans include a $15 annual vision exam, but there are different rates for frame allowance per year. Plan availability also varies by state.

Policyholders can see their savings increase by up to 20% when they purchase an additional pair of glasses. For individual vision plans, rates typically start at $12.73 per month, but your location could well influence how much you might be paying. Eye insurance is also available for seniors who have limited Medicare vision coverage.

Take a look at our review as we break down all that is covered under Guardian vision insurance, including the benefits and limits.

About

Founded in 1860, Guardian Life Insurance Company is headquartered in New York City. They currently provide life, disability, dental, and vision insurance.

State availability

Guardian eye insurance is available across all states; however, coverage options vary by state.

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Guardian vision insurance coverage and benefits

Guardian individual plans will pay for the total cost or a part of your routine care treatment. Here is what the company typically covers you for:

• Wellness eye exam: Regardless of the selected plan, you will be entitled to an annual Well Vision Exam. If this is done with an in-network doctor in VSP, you would be charged a flat rate of $15. However, if you choose an outside provider, your rates could quickly add up.
• Routine retinal screening: Guardian pays the cost of preventive eye care procedures like retinal screening up to your policy limits.
• Lenses: You are also covered if you need any type of prescription lenses, including lined trifocal lenses, lined bifocal lenses, or single vision lenses. This also covers polycarbonate lenses for children. A $25 copay is required for prescription glasses.
• Laser corrected vision: This covers laser eye surgery or refractive surgery.
• Frames: When you purchase frames as part of your vision plan, you will receive coverage up to your policy limits.
• Contact lenses: If you wear contact lenses and require a contact lens exam, which generally includes fitting and evaluation, you will be covered for the cost of the exam and the contacts. This will pay up to the amount provided in your policy.
• Hearing aid: Policyholders also get hearing aid coverage included in their policy.

Guardian vision insurance plans

Whether you are on a budget or looking for comprehensive eye protection, Guardian individual insurance plans will suffice for your needs.

• Standard: This particular plan is designed to offer basic routine care services along with a $150 frame allowance per year. It is a great option for individuals who require minimal eye protection and comes with an annual vision exam valued at $15.
• Core: For those who need in-between standard and extensive coverage, the Core plan is a suitable option. This plan features many benefits, including an annual frame allowance of $160 and $15 for a vision exam.
• Achiever: This is the highest plan offered by Guardian and features all available benefits. Those who need the most from routine eye checks will find the plan handy. It includes a $15 annual vision exam and a $225 frame allowance per year.

Policy limitations and exclusions

According to the Guardian, below are some limitations in their vision insurance:

• Surgical or medical treatment of the eyes.
• Two pairs of glasses instead of bifocals
• Refitting of contact lenses after the initial (90-day) fitting period
• Contact lens modification, polishing, or cleaning
• Services, including materials not specifically included in the schedule as covered by plan benefits.

Cost of Guardian vision insurance

While coverage is available nationwide, the cost of vision insurance from Guardian differs from state to state.

In New York, the average monthly cost of Guardian individual eye insurance without dependents is $27.93 for the Achiever plan and $17.60 monthly for the Core plan. These are the average monthly rates for some other states.

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How to get a vision insurance quote from the Guardian

If you are interested in getting coverage, go through their website; select the plan you need to see the level of coverage that is being offered to you in your location, and get a quote.

For more details on policy coverage, call (866) 569-9900 or send an email to direct_support@glic.com.

Who accepts Guardian Vision Insurance?

Guardian uses three main networks to provide vision insurance. They include:

• VSP: Founded in 1955, VSP is one of the best eye care providers that offers coverage for eye care services and products. They have one of the largest independent eye care provider networks in the United States, which spans over36,000 providers. According to a 2024 review by USA TODAY, VSP has the best vision insurance for glasses.
• Davis Vision: As part of the Guardian network of vision providers, Davis Vision has over 152,000 independent eye care providers that operate in all 50 states, including Washington, D.C.
• Avesis: Guardian members can also receive eye care services through Avesis. The company has over 15,000 network providers and has been offering vision insurance for over 40 years.

Eye doctors that accept guardian insurance

There are thousands of doctors who accept Guardian vision insurance. To find a provider that is close to your area and offers all the services you may need, visit the Guardian Anytime webpage and do the following:

• Select your network provider (Avesis, VSP, or Davis Vision).
• You will then be redirected to the respective network site that you chose.
• Now search for or find a doctor and eye care center that is close to your location by providing your ZIP code, city, doctor, or state.
• After entering your ZIP code, all network eye care centers available in your provided ZIP will be displayed for you.

You can also search for doctors who accept Guardian insurance through Zocdoc. Just like the first step, enter your medical condition, doctor, or ZIP to get a list of available doctors in your area.

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Rating

Guardian Life Insurance is not currently accredited with the Better Business Bureau, but they currently hold a rating of A in terms of their trustworthiness. This indicates that the company has a perfect business profile with minimal complaints.

On AM Best, Guardian has the strongest financial strength rating of A++ Superior.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Offers discounts
• Has a mobile app
• Affordable plans
• Large independent in-network providers

Cons

• Does not provide coverage for individual vision insurance
• Customer service is not available 24/7

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Guardian good vision insurance?

Guardians’ extensive vision coverage and affordable plans make it a good fit for individuals, families, and businesses alike. In addition to this, Guardian has the highest financial rating on AM Best, which overall tells how solid the business is and its operations.

Who provides Guardian eye insurance?

While Guardian issues group vision insurance policies for businesses, the individual vision insurance policy available on their website is provided by VSP. Guardian underwrites and issues group vision policies, but VSP is the sole provider of individual vision insurance.

Do retail outlets like Walmart and Costco accept Guardian Vision insurance?

Yes, you also have the option to use convenient retail options like Costco and Walmart alongside online vision services like Visionworks to get all the eye care services you need, including eye exams, frames, and lenses.

Is Guardian vision the same as VSP?

No. Guardian Insurance is not the same insurance company as VSP. Guardian only partners with VSP to offer individual vision insurance.

How to file a claim

If you purchased individual vision insurance through Guardian’s website, your provider is VSP. You will need to submit a claim with VSP to receive reimbursement. You can reach out to a claims specialist at 800-877-7195 to submit your claim.

Businesses with group vision policies can submit claims directly on the Guardian’s website by downloading and submitting a claims form or call 1-888-482-7342 for assistance.