The possibility of acquiring a long-term care insurance policy can bring confusion, a waste of time and a headache.
The cost of nursing home care can be extreme and more and more people are looking at possible solutions to paying those costs. An industry arose to answer those concerns and insurers began offering policies to cover those costs. While it sounds like it might be a simple solution to a difficult problem, it appears the process isn't so simple.
Recently, The New York Times discussed the complexities in an article entitled "Long-Term Care Insurance Can Baffle, With Complex Policies and Costs."
The key thing to understand is that 90% of the companies that offered long-term care policies in the past no longer do so. These companies discovered it is very difficult for insurers to make money on the policies.
Those companies still in the market offer a confusing array of policies with benefits and costs that are not always easily understood. It can be migraine-inducing for people to figure out what they are getting if they purchase a policy.
It can also be a complete waste of time for a couple of reasons.
First, 40% of people who apply for the policies are turned down for health reasons. Second, the policies do not offer life coverage. They are short term policies and if your need for coverage exceeds the policy term then the money spent on premiums is wasted.
If you are looking into long-term care insurance it might be wise to seek independent advice such as from an estate planning attorney or elder law attorney to be sure the policy is of value to you and what benefits you would actually receive.
Reference: The New York Times (Dec. 18, 2015) "Long-Term Care Insurance Can Baffle, With Complex Policies and Costs."
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