Reliance Medical Finance

• Business experience
• Easy application process
• Patient resources
• Interest rates

Business Experience

They were created back in 1998, which means they have had almost two decades of business experience. The longer a company has been in business, the more time they have had to learn what customers really want, to hone their business practices toward success, and to develop their products to be more satisfactory. In addition, they've proven that they can stay afloat in a changing industry. Reliance is also a national company. With this come both pros and cons (for example, fees and terms are state-specific, which may be a pro or a con). However, it means the company is more widely available than a local financer.

Easy Application Process

You can apply for a loan here online, which is actually the way the company encourages you to apply, or you can apply through your doctor's office if that's easier. But aside from being conveniently online, the application is also free, and you will receive an answer (approval or denial) within 15 minutes of submitting it! That's record-fast time and prevents you from waiting around to see if you even qualify for a loan here.

Patient Resources

The company doesn't make a lot of mention about a patient portal, but aside, from this, they have several conveniences for patients. First of all, you can contact the company by phone, fax, in person of course, or through their online contact form. The phone number they provide is for their collections department, so you might have an easier time getting specific answers by submitting a question online. Aside from these, there is a handy payment calculator on the company's website, and they allow you to payments by check or money order, with a credit card, over the phone, or even via automatic withdrawal. The flexibility with that is really nice.

Interest Rates

Any interest is too much interest if that isn't the truth! However, the interest rates at Reliance are comparatively low for the industry. They start as low as 6.9% but depend on your credit score coming from the loan. Fortunately, though, there are some payment plans for those eligible that come with zero interest for the first three, six, or twelve months. This helps curb the costs for some customers.

• Only cosmetic and elective procedures
• Lack of control over funds
• Lack of information
• Missing customer service tools

Only Cosmetic and Elective Procedures

First of all, the company only handles loans and not credit, so if you prefer a credit option, you'll have to move on from Reliance. Perhaps a more widely affecting limitation, though, is that their loans only cover cosmetic surgeries and elective procedures. They list off several examples of these: liposuction, urology treatments, dental and vision treatments, rehabilitation, fertility procedures, and rhinoplasties are just a few. Some customers, however, may need something like a veterinary expense covered or a more rare medical treatment. If your treatment doesn't fall under one of these two categories, then the company can't fund your loan.

Lack of Control Over Funds

Once you are approved for a loan, the funds for it are actually paid right to your doctor; they aren't deposited into your bank account to be spent at your discretion. Now, for some people, this is nice because they might otherwise misspend the money and run into further trouble. However, self-control implied, it would be nice if your loan was given directly to you so you could use it how you prefer. This format creates a lack of control that you might prefer to have.

Lack of Information

Reliance isn't very upfront about some details that will affect the price you pay (and the experience you have) getting a loan. For example, fees for late payments are specific to each state, so those aren't given out until you apply for and are approved for a loan. In addition, the company really doesn't mentioned a patient portal for managing your loan. Potential and new customers want to know these details so they can know what to expect out of their loan; it would be nice if the company were more transparent about these details.

Missing Customer Service Tools

Aside from being a bit avoidant about some information, the company is also missing some essential resources for contacting customer service. First of all, they aren't available 24/7; they're only around during certain business hours to help you. In addition, they don't have a clear way for you to search through their provider network to see if your doctor is enrolled; this would be a good tool to provide, since they prefer that your doctor be enrolled with them to use their loan.