Stand-alone, comprehensive coverage policies represent the bulk of policies sold. These plans strive to cover all long-term care services and are usually purchased with monthly, quarterly, semiannual or annual premiums which are paid for the life of the insured. Abbreviated payment options are also available with policies fully paid up after 20 years, 10 years or 1 year of payments. Comprehensive stand-alone policies are very much like the typical modern group or individual health insurance policy. They try to cover as many different care alternatives as possible.
There are other ways to package long-term care insurance as well. One is as a rider to a cash value life insurance policy. The policy represents 2 separate coverages and the premium is split up to pay for both. This LTC rider should not be confused with the "accelerated death benefit" which is a popular feature of many modern life policies. Accelerated death pays part of the death benefit for terminal illness or doctor-certified, terminal, long-term care confinement while the insured is alive. Since very little long-term care could be certified as terminal, this policy feature is a poor substitute for "real" long-term care insurance.
Another way to package LTC insurance is as an "either/or" feature in life insurance. When the insured dies, a death benefit results. If the insured needs long-term care before death, stipulated benefits are paid instead of life insurance. If all benefits are paid before death, the policy expires. Any benefits not used result in a reduced pay-out at death. These policies can be purchased with periodic premiums for the life of the insured or with a single premium of $50,000 or more. These policies offer the advantage that the insured is guaranteed a benefit since everyone eventually dies. A disadvantage is that many people who purchase LTC insurance don't need life insurance, but because the policy needs to cover the mortality risk of death as well as the morbidity risk of LTC, premiums are much higher than an equivalent stand-alone LTC policy. Another disadvantage is that underwriting standards for life insurance are more strict than standards for LTC insurance. Many who qualify for LTC insurance would be denied coverage for life insurance.
A third way to package LTC insurance is to integrate it into a single premium deferred annuity. Again, this usually requires a lump sum of $50,000 or more. Part of the earnings on the annuity pay for the morbidity risk of the LTC insurance. Thus an annuity that would normally yield 6% might only yield 4% when combined with LTC insurance. One advantage of this arrangement is that LTC premiums are paid with tax deferred earnings but since they are expensed inside the policy, premiums become tax free. Another advantage is the perception that no money is lost to an LTC policy that may never be used. In fact the lump sum even grows larger. A major disadvantage is that the money is tied up. Removing money will kill the LTC coverage, yet few people have $50,000 lying around that they're willing to tie up and never use. In most cases it's better to fund a stand-alone LTC policy with earnings from a separate investment account. This leaves the account unencumbered. Pending federal legislation will also make investment income used for LTC insurance premiums tax free.
A fourth way to package LTC insurance is combined with a disability income policy. Prior to age 65, the policy can only be used for disability income. Premiums paid after age 65 provide long-term care coverage. Premiums for such a policy will be higher than a stand-alone disability policy since long-term care coverage requires a portion of every premium be set aside as reserve for future claims.
Related Article:
Free Long-Term Insurance Quote:
UK Travel Insurance