Which long-term care insurance type is best?
Did you know that you have a nearly 70% chance of needing some form of long-term care at some point in your remaining years when you turn 65? Unfortunately, that care can be costly. That's where long-term care insurance comes in.
Long-term care insurance is a type of coverage that helps cover the cost of your long-term care if and when the need arises. However, there are three common options to choose from when you shop for a long-term care policy:
- Standalone long-term care insurance
- Long-term care insurance with a death benefit
- Life insurance with a long-term care rider
Each of these options provides a unique type of coverage, but which is best? The answer to that question largely depends on you and what you're hoping to get out of your long-term care insurance policy.
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Which long-term care insurance type is best?
Before you decide which long-term care insurance type is best, it's important that you understand how each of these products works. Here's what to know about each:
Standalone long-term care insurance
Standalone long-term care insurance provides a long-term care benefit. For example, if you have a $250,000 standalone long-term care policy, your insurance provider will pay up to $250,000 of your long-term care expenses if and when you need care.
Purchase a standalone long-term care insurance policy now.
Standalone long-term care insurance pros
- Your long-term care expenses may be covered up to your coverage cap.
- This insurance may cover costs associated with aging in place.
- You can add riders for inflation protection, spousal coverage and more.
- Your payments typically cease when you need coverage.
Standalone long-term care insurance cons
- There's no value if you don't need long-term care.
- The types of care covered may be limited so it's important to ask questions about the types of coverage available.
- Premiums can increase over time.
Long-term care insurance with a death benefit
Long-term care insurance with a death benefit, also sometimes called hybrid long-term care insurance, is similar to standalone long-term care coverage. The difference between the two is that this type of insurance converts your long-term care benefit into a death benefit if you don't use it before you die. For example, if you have a $250,000 long-term care policy with a death benefit and you don't need long-term care, the $250,000 in coverage will be transferred to your beneficiaries when you die. If you use a portion of your benefits for long-term care, any remaining benefit amount will be transferred to your beneficiaries upon your death.
Long-term care insurance with a death benefit pros
- If you don't need long-term care the value of your policy gets transferred to your beneficiaries upon your death.
- Payments typically stop when you need coverage.
- This insurance may cover costs associated with aging in place.
- You can add riders to customize your policy.
Long-term care insurance with a death benefit cons
- It's typically more expensive than long-term care insurance with no death benefit.
- The types of care covered may be limited so it's important to ask questions about the types of coverage available.
- Premiums can increase over time.
Life insurance with a long-term care rider
Life insurance with a long-term care rider is like a typical life insurance policy. The difference is that these policies give you the ability to use a percentage of your death benefit to cover your long-term care costs. For example, if you have a $250,000 life insurance policy with a 50% long-term care rider, you can use $125,000 of your $250,000 death benefit to cover the cost of your long-term care.
Life insurance with a long-term care rider pros
- There's value whether or not you need long-term care.
- You can add riders to customize your policy.
- Policy premiums don't increase over time.
Life insurance with a long-term care rider cons
- Long-term care coverage options are typically limited.
- Premiums usually continue even after you need care.
Which is the better option?
The type of long-term care insurance you should choose depends on what you're looking for from your coverage. "Standalone long-term care insurance will only pay out in the event of long-term care being necessary," says Joseph Fresard, an attorney at Simasko Law that specializes in elder law estate planning. If the long-term care policy includes "a death benefit, there will also be some amount of payment upon death."
He went on to explain that "life insurance with a long-term care rider will typically be less flexible than long-term care insurance, cover less and continue to require premiums be paid after the long-term care begins, but have a higher death benefit." So, it's important to consider the pros and cons of each type of policy before you decide which type of long-term care coverage is best for you.
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The bottom line
The bottom line is that there's a need for all three of these types of long-term care policies. After all, everyone has unique needs and expectations when it comes to insurance. Consider what you plan on getting out of your long-term care coverage as you determine which of these options is best for you and carefully review your budget both now - and what it is expected to be in the future - so that you can better manage costs.
