It might be hard to think about this now, but chances are—somewhere down the road—you may need help taking care of yourself. One question that arises from this situation is: how will you pay for it? One way to prepare for the potential cost of long-term nursing care is to purchase long-term care insurance. Unlike traditional health insurance, long-term care insurance is designed to cover the cost of long-term care services and support in a variety of settings, such as your home, a nursing home, or another facility.
Long-term care insurance policies cover such costs as assistance with routine daily activities, like bathing, dressing, or getting in and out of bed. They also help cover the cost of care if you have a chronic medical condition, disability, or disorder.
Taking into consideration long-term care costs is an important part of any long range financial plan. If you wait until you need care to buy coverage, it will be too late. Most policies require medical underwriting, and if you already receive long-term care services, you may not qualify. As a result, most people purchase long term care insurance plans in their mid 50’s to mid 60’s.
As we mention in the above video, there are two different types of long-term care insurance policies: traditional long-term care insurance, and asset based (hybrid) long-term care insurance. Both of these options have their pros and cons, but—as we mention—asset based insurance is usually the preferred option.
Traditional long term care insurance is a “use it or lose it” type policy, similar to homeowner’s insurance. If you do not need it or use it during your lifetime, you do not benefit from paying the monthly premium. The monthly premium that you do pay is based on your age, and how much coverage you want. This premium payment will increase over time, and can also continue to increase…even after you take out the policy.
On the other hand, a hybrid policy creates a pool of money for long-term care that is equal to several times your premium payments. The pool of money created for long-term care can either be used for a specified minimum period of time, or for a lifetime (depending on the insurance company). If you do not need these benefits, the policy pays a death benefit to your heirs upon your passing.
Long term care insurance is something everyone should consider, and it is important to understand the differences in the types of policies that are available. If you are apprehensive about navigating the long-term care maze, please join estate planning attorney Bill Miller for an upcoming free workshop using the form below. We’ll answer
