We have separated part of our U.S. business from MetLife to become its own company, called Brighthouse Financial, Inc. As a separate company, Brighthouse Financial focuses on retail products for consumers.1 Learn more about Brighthouse Financial. Show
What this means is that certain policies are still with MetLife and others have moved to Brighthouse Financial. Either way these changes have no impact on your life insurance policy or annuity contract. The same terms and conditions apply and the same premiums need to be paid. Owners of active individual life insurance policies and annuity contracts that moved to Brighthouse Financial were sent an endorsement (a notice) changing the name of the issuing company for their policies/contracts. For more specific information about how each type of policy or contract is affected, please refer to our separate support pages for life insurance, disability insurance, and annuities, (long-term care insurance was not affected). Long-Term Care InsuranceLong-Term Care (LTC) insurance is one option many people choose to provide financial protection when they can no longer perform the most basic functions of daily activity. LTC insurance coverage in Pennsylvania provides services in your home, a medical facility, or a combination of the
two. It is our hope that you will use the following materials as a tool to learn about long-term care insurance and decide whether or not it’s right for you. Always remember to work with a licensed insurance company and/or agent when researching and purchasing any type of coverage.
Act 51 - Long-Term Care Benefit Trigger DeterminationsIn 2010, Pennsylvania signed into law Act 51. This law added a provision to existing long-term care insurance laws that grant the right to appeal an insurance company's determination that a benefit trigger is not met. Benefit trigger determinations are subject
to the right to an internal appeal and then to the right to an external independent review by an entity certified by the department. Please see the links below for more information:
The Long-Term Care PartnershipOn July 17, 2007, Act 40 was signed into law and the
Long-Term Care Partnership was established. The new law contains strong consumer protections, including a requirement that all long-term care policies in Pennsylvania offer comprehensive coverage, the ability to exchange existing policies for Partnership Policies, and an increase in the guaranty fund to protect consumers against loss if an insurance company becomes insolvent. The Partnership offers Pennsylvanians the opportunity to provide for their own needs while helping to conserve
taxpayer resources. Questions and answers about Pennsylvania's newest option for long-term care insurance can be downloaded here. Approved LTC Carriers in PA 7.21.16.pdf According to government estimates, 70% of people over the age of 65 will require some form of long-term care and support later in life. Long-term care insurance (LTC) can help you pay for the costs associated with your care as you get older and need help with everyday activities — such as bathing, dressing and eating — or care related to Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's and dementia. Read on to learn about the best companies offering long-term care insurance products. Our Top Picks for the Best Long-Term Care Insurance Companies
Best Long-Term Care Insurance Reviews
HIGHLIGHTS A.M. BEST RATINGA+J.D. Power Rating813/1000 Nationwide is one of the largest insurers in the United States, and was ranked among the best for customer satisfaction in J.D. Power’s 2021 U.S. Life Insurance Study. As a well-known national insurer, Nationwide's reputability adds an extra layer of assurance for customers looking to invest in financially secure products. Nationwide sells universal life insurance policies with two long-term care options: as an LTC rider (an add-on to another policy) and a hybrid policy that includes both life insurance and LTC benefits called CareMatters. Nationwide policies have some pretty convenient perks. For one, unlike many competitors, once qualified, it doesn’t require you to submit receipts and bills monthly in order to get your benefit. You can also use your benefits to pay for care from informal caretakers, such as family members. Note that coverage for the LTC rider isn’t available in Montana or U.S. territories.
HIGHLIGHTS A.M. Best RatingA+J.D. Power Rating795/1000 Mutual of Omaha offers three types of discounts: 15% for partners who purchase the same policy, 15% for being in good health and 5% for married customers (and whose partners aren’t under the same policy). Discounts are stackable, with premium discounts applied to the total premium amount and additional discounts applied to the remainder. Mutual of Omaha also came in fifth place for customer satisfaction in J.D. Power’s 2020 U.S. Life Insurance Study and has a solid financial strength rating of A+. Mutual of Omaha offers long-term care insurance coverage exclusively as a stand-alone product. Available policy options include the MutualCare® Custom Solution and the MutualCare® Secure Solution, which include:
HIGHLIGHTS A.M. Best RatingN/AJ.D. Power ScoreN/A As an online insurance broker, Golden Care partners with some of the most prominent companies in the market to help customers find the best options for their long-term care needs. It partners with Mutual of Omaha, Transamerica, Aetna, Thrivent, Securian Financial, OneAmerica and National Guardian Life Insurance Company. The company matches clients with a long-term care specialist that will work with them on their care plan and guide them toward the insurer that best aligns with their situation.
HIGHLIGHTS A.M. Best RatingA++J.D. Power Score777/1000 New York Life is our top pick for the best long-term care insurer for financial stability. It has superior financial ratings — the third-highest of any insurance company on our list, regardless of type — and is one of the nation’s oldest mutual insurance providers. New York Life offers two types of long-term care insurance options: traditional stand-alone policies and combination long-term care and life insurance policies. Maximum daily benefits range from $50 to $400 per day and waiting periods between 90 and 180 days. You can choose a benefit period of two, three, five, or seven years.
HIGHLIGHTS A.M. Best RatingA++J.D. Power Score807/1000 Northwestern Mutual makes our list thanks to its superior financial strength and above-average customer service rankings. It also has a remarkably low complaint index for long-term care policies, according to the NAIC’s National Complaint Index Report. Northwestern's QuietCare traditional long-term care policy lets you select a maximum monthly benefit from $1,500 to $12,000 in $100 increments. It also lets you choose four elimination period alternatives: six, 12, 25 or 52 weeks. (An elimination period is the length of time between when you first need care and when the policy will start paying benefits.) One major drawback of this policy is that it will only cover services offered by providers approved by the plan, and not all approved care providers are certified in every state. Other long-term care insurance companies we consideredWhile these companies didn’t make our list of top insurers, they offer coverage and features some consumers might find attractive. Brighthouse Financial
Brighthouse Financial is an insurance company that specializes in annuities and life insurance policies. Unfortunately, its below-average customer satisfaction score, relatively low A.M. Best rating and high NAIC complaint ratio disqualified it from our main list. OneAmerica (State Life Insurance Company)
OneAmerica is a financial services and mutual insurance company that specializes in life insurance and annuity products. It offers hybrid life insurance policies and annuity plans, both of which include LTC benefits. Its relatively high NAIC complaint ratio and low financial strength rating kept it out of our main list. Lincoln Financial Long-Term Insurance
Although Lincoln Financial has attractive product offerings and a great financial stability rating, its extremely high NAIC complaint ratio (16.31) disqualified it from our main list. Transamerica
Transamerica allows policyholders to customize their long-term care insurance coverage based on the price range they can afford. However, its low J.D. Power score and high NAIC complaint ratio kept it out of our main list. LTC Resource Center
LTCResourceCenters.com is an independent general agency. The company is authorized to underwrite and price policies, administer programs and settle claims. The lack of information about plans on its site kept the company from making our list. California Long Term Care Insurance Services (CLTC)
California Long Term Care Insurance Services, also known as CLTC Insurance Services, is an independent insurance brokerage that specializes in selling long-term care insurance and related products in the state of California. Since CLTC’s services are limited to one state, it did not make our main list. Long-Term Care Insurance GuideMost people over 65 will require long-term care sometime in their lives, with women needing care longer than men and having to pay more as a consequence. Despite this, long-term care insurance isn’t as widely known as other types of insurance. Here's important information you need to understand and purchase a long-term care insurance policy. What is long-term care insurance?Long-term care insurance provides coverage for home health care or facility care if you can no longer perform at least two of the six basic activities of daily living: personal hygiene, dressing, using the bathroom, ambulation/transferring, continence and eating. Many people erroneously believe that Medicare will cover all of these costs when the time comes. However, there are limitations to what Medicare and other government programs will cover when it comes to long-term care, and many patients end up paying for these costs out of their own pocket. Long-term care insurance providers offer dedicated products that can help cover expenses related to long-term care. How does long-term care insurance work?A long-term care insurance policy can give you and your loved ones the financial security required to pay for professional care later in life. Still, the policy will only go into effect after the elimination period (the time between when you first need care and when the policy starts paying benefits). This elimination period is also known as the deductible or waiting period. Depending on your policy, there are specific events that can activate your coverage. These typically include having a cognitive impairment or not being able to perform between two to six activities of daily living. Long-term care coverage pays for costs that regular health insurance doesn’t, such as personalized care in your home by a family member or a healthcare professional, a nursing facility, an assisted living facility or an adult day care center. “Benefits are paid either monthly or daily, with traditional LTC insurance reimbursing the actual cost of the care up to policy maximums,” says Greg Kingler, director of wealth management at the Government Employees’ Benefit Association. How do long-term care insurance state partnership plans work?Many states have partnerships with long-term care insurance companies that incentivize people to purchase long-term care. Participating insurance companies agree to specific provisions in their partnership policies that financially protect policyholders who exhaust their benefits and want to request Medicaid. Before Medicaid starts paying benefits, it will require you to first use most of your assets — the specific amount varies by state. Partnership programs protect your assets up to the equivalent of your long-term care policy's total benefit amount. For example, if your state requires you to spend your assets down to $1,500 and you have a long-term care insurance benefit that is partnership-approved for $500,000, you would be able to maintain up to $501,500 in assets and still qualify for Medicaid. Types of long-term care insuranceUnderstanding which type of LTC policy is right for you and your loved ones can better help you make the right decisions and provide you with peace of mind. Read on for more information about the two main kinds of LTC insurance policies. Stand-alone long-term care insurance policiesA traditional long-term care insurance policy can reimburse you for some of the costs of the care you receive at home, at a nursing home or in a residential care facility. This type of policy usually offers some flexibility when it comes to the kind of care you receive, when and where you receive it and for how long. Stand-alone long-term care insurance policies provide a monthly benefit amount that is paid out during a benefit period. Benefit periods typically range from two to five years, and benefits are disbursed after an elimination period, which customarily ranges between 30 days to 90 days. You may add riders to your LTC policy that increase or modify coverage, such as one that adds inflation protection to prevent your benefit from losing value as the cost of living increases. Hybrid long-term care insurance policiesHybrid long-term care policies typically combine two types of coverage: a life insurance policy or qualifying annuity and a long-term care rider. The advantages of a hybrid life/long-term care insurance policy include:
But hybrid long-term care insurance policies also have drawbacks, at least for some:
Ultimately, the choice to purchase a stand-alone policy or a hybrid one will depend on your personal and financial goals. An insurance agent might be able to guide you towards the best option for you. If you're in the market for a life insurance policy, click here to see our ranking of the best life insurance companies. How much is long-term care insurance?Before we go into how much a long-term care insurance policy could cost you, it’s important to put the costs of long-term care itself into perspective, as these are rising exponentially. Between 2020 and 2021, the average cost of assisted living facilities increased by 4.65%, homemaker services by 10.64% and home health aide services by 12.50%. Long-term care costs can vary depending on the services provided and where they are rendered, whether in-home, at an assisted living facility or at a nursing home facility. According to Genworth's 2021 Cost of Care Survey, the daily median cost for homemaker services is $163, while a home health aide costs $169. Assisted living costs are lower, with a daily average of $78 for adult day care and $148 for assisted living facilities. The average annual cost of various care options are as follows:
As for the costs of long-term care insurance, the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI) says that, in 2022, the average annual premium for a policy benefit equalling $165,000 would cost a 55-year-old couple $2,080 (combined), while individual policies would cost $950 for a 55-year-old male and $1,500 for a woman of the same age. Long-term care insurance cost factorsThe following are some of the many factors that determine your LTC policy premiums: Age and healthPlanning ahead pays off — the younger you are, the less expensive your premium will be. According to a study by the AALTCI, most of the applicants whose requests for coverage were denied were those in the 60 to 79 age bracket. You may need to undergo a medical exam to receive coverage. GenderAccording to data from the Administration on Aging, on average, women outlive men by about five years. Since the odds of a woman making a claim are higher than those of a man, premiums for women tend to be more expensive. Marital statusThe cost of long-term care insurance tends to be lower for married couples than for single people. Insurance companyPrices vary depending on how the insurer prices risk and the benefits the policy offers. It's important to compare at least three quotes from different carriers to ensure you’re getting the best price for the coverage you need. Selected coverageThe cost of long-term care insurance will also depend on the policy's term length, the amount of coverage you select and whether or not you purchase additional coverage through a policy rider such as inflation protection or return of premium death benefit. What can disqualify you from long-term care insurance?Insurance companies price risk differently, which means some may be more lenient than others when it comes to certain risk factors. In general, long-term care insurers will pay special attention to your medical history and any family history of debilitating illness. Being in poor health or needing help with daily living activities could make it harder to get approved for coverage or to qualify for lower premiums. Alternatives to long-term care insuranceIf private insurance isn’t the right solution for your long-term care insurance needs, there are a few alternatives available, such as government programs and your own savings. Medicare and MedicaidAs a joint federal and state public insurance program for low-income Americans who need healthcare, Medicaid is the largest public payer for long-term care services, but not all nursing homes accept it. Medicare, on the other hand, only covers limited long-term services and supports. If you buy private long-term care insurance coverage, you run the risk of “spending down” your benefits while at a nursing home. If this happens, you could qualify for Medicaid, so make sure the nursing home is eligible for this program. In contrast, Medicare only offers very limited coverage for short-term care — applicable only in case of illness or injury and if you meet certain conditions, primarily if you need skilled services or rehabilitative care. These programs vary by state, and eligibility is based on your income and assets. Some states have higher income limits for nursing homes, for example. If you haven’t qualified for Medicaid in the past, you may while receiving skilled nursing home care. For more information on the coverage in your state, contact your state’s Medicaid office. Veterans Health AdministrationThe Veterans Health Administration and other state-run assistance programs offer aid to cover long-term care expenses to qualifying veterans and low-income communities. The Veterans Aid & Attendance Pensions Benefit is another federal program that provides long-term care assistance coverage for veterans and their spouses. The benefit is tax-free and can be used for in-home care, community and assisted living or paying for a private nursing home facility. However, it does have some requirements. Veterans must be unable to perform at least one daily living activity, have served during wartime and need financial assistance. SavingsPeople who have plenty of money saved for retirement can likely bear the costs of long-term care without help. This is especially viable if you own the house you live in, are willing to sell it to cover any long-term care costs (and have someone who can help facilitate the sale and help you move.) Additionally, if you have a health savings account (HSA), you may be able to claim a large portion of medical expenses associated with long-term care, thus allowing you to tap into the pre-tax benefits associated with HSA accounts. In fact, those who are 55 and older are allowed an additional $1,000 for “catch-up” contributions above the 2022 individual contribution limit of $3,650. Obviously, self-funding isn't an option for those who lack such resources, or who prefer not to risk depleting savings to pay for long-term care, perhaps because it's a priority for them to pass along their wealth to heirs. Latest News About Long-Term Care Insurance
Long-Term Care Insurance FAQWhen should I buy long-term care insurance?chevron-down chevron-up Although people put off purchasing long-term care insurance policies due to the potentially high cost of premiums, long-term care insurance specialist Carol Burk suggests looking into the coverage when you're in your early fifties. For couples looking for coverage, the sweet spot is around 55 years old. Beginning to shop at this time increases the odds of buying before your health declines and your premiums rise. The younger and healthier you are, the more likely you are to get the lowest rates. Is long-term care insurance worth it?chevron-down chevron-up Many people put off thinking about the prospect of needing care later in life or who will provide it, but the likelihood of needing care is high. Research shows that 70% of people aged 65 and older will need some form of long-term care, with women needing 1.5 more years of care than men. According to financial expert Greg Klingler, "Purchasing insurance is about managing your risk. If you ask someone who has been confined to a long-term care facility if it is worth it, the answer will be a resounding yes. But if you ask someone who never had the need, the answer will be no." Does health or disability insurance cover long-term care?chevron-down chevron-up According to LongTermCare.gov, there's a common misconception that medical insurance will cover most of the costs of long-term care. Most private health insurers and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) cover skilled, short-term, medically required care exclusively. Many private health insurers do not cover custodial care. Disability income insurance, on the other hand, is designed to replace your income in the event an illness or injury renders you unable to work, not to cover long-term-care expenses. In the event your disability also requires long-term care services, the cost of care may add up. What does long-term insurance cover?chevron-down chevron-up Long-term care insurance covers medical and non-medical care in a wide variety of settings including assisted living facilities, nursing homes or at home. It may also cover specialized services such as hospice, respite or Alzheimer's and dementia care. Some policies will include benefits for family member training, equipment and home modifications. Coverage depends on the policy you choose, so it's important to first understand your insurance needs and then work with an agent or professional to know what you'll pay out of pocket. Who should buy long-term care insurance?chevron-down chevron-up Most people will need some form of long-term care, but not everyone is a prime candidate for an LTC policy. Buying long-term care insurance is recommended for healthy people between the ages of 55 and 65. You'll find that premiums are lower for younger people; however, get the insurance too soon, and you'll be paying premiums a long time before you collect the benefits. That being said, you shouldn't wait too long to make a long-term care plan – almost half of the applications for insurance were declined for those aged 70 or older. How We Chose The Best Long-term Care Insurance CompaniesTo select the best long-term care insurance companies of 2022, we considered the customer satisfaction ratings from J.D. Power’s 2021 Individual Life Insurance Study. We also looked into financial strength as evidenced by A.M. Best's ratings for each company, along with the number of complaints filed against them with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Summary of Money’s Best Long-term Care Insurance of October 2022
Is it worth getting longYes, long-term care insurance is definitely worth it. In fact, it's a bargain considering what you get in return. The reality is that most Americans simply will not be able to afford the sky-rocketing costs of long-term care. Or they'll have to dip into their savings or retirement funds to pay for it.
Who is the best candidate for longIf you're in-between, you might be a good candidate for long-term care insurance if you're in good health, can afford the costs (including possible premium increases), don't want to use most or all of your assets and income to pay for long-term care, and don't want to burden family or friends.
Do longRates Only Get Higher
Another reason to be proactive about long-term care insurance is that premiums correspond to age. Every time people in their 50s reach a new birthday, the annual premiums they would be charged typically go up 2%-4%. Once they reach their 60s, premiums jump 6-8% for each year of age.
Can I take out a longYes, you can purchase long-term care insurance for your parents. Your parents would be the named insured on the policy and you would be the payor.
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