Long Term Care
Plan today so your family doesn't pay tomorrow.
Comprehensive guides to long-term care insurance, costs, and planning strategies. Protect your retirement savings and get the care you deserve.
What is long-term care insurance?
Long-term care insurance helps pay for extended care when you can no longer independently perform activities of daily living—bathing, dressing, eating, transferring, toileting, and continence—due to illness, disability, or aging. Unlike Medicare, which does not cover custodial care, LTC insurance fills that gap. About 70% of Americans over 65 will need some form of long-term care in their lifetime, and nursing home costs can exceed $100,000 per year.
Benefit Amount
Daily or monthly maximum the policy pays for care (e.g., $150–$250/day).
Elimination Period
Waiting period before benefits begin (30, 60, 90, or 180 days).
Benefit Period
How long benefits last (2 years to lifetime, or a pool of money).
Inflation Protection
3% or 5% compound increases so benefits keep pace with rising care costs.
How does long-term care insurance work?
You apply, go through underwriting (health questions, medical records, sometimes cognitive or physical exams), get approved, and pay premiums. If you later need help with activities of daily living or have cognitive impairment, you file a claim. After the elimination period, benefits pay for care in nursing homes, assisted living, or at home until you recover, no longer need care, or reach your policy maximum.
Types of long-term care coverage
Long-term care coverage comes in traditional standalone policies and hybrid policies that combine LTC with life insurance. Hybrids now represent over 80% of new sales—they offer a death benefit if you never need care and often have more stable premiums. Compare traditional vs. hybrid policies →
Traditional LTC insurance
Standalone policies focused on long-term care. More customizable benefits, lower initial cost for LTC-only protection, but premiums are use-it-or-lose-it.
Learn more →Hybrid LTC / life insurance
Combines LTC coverage with life insurance. Death benefit if you never need care; often more stable premiums and simplified underwriting.
Learn more →Care settings covered
Nursing homes, assisted living, adult day care, home health care, hospice, and respite care. Policies vary—review what each covers.
Learn more →State partnership programs
State programs that provide asset protection when you use qualified LTC insurance. Can help protect assets if you later need Medicaid.
Learn more →What does long-term care insurance cover?
What LTC insurance typically does NOT cover
- Pre-existing conditions (for a specified period after purchase)
- Mental or nervous disorders (except diagnosed dementia)
- Self-inflicted injuries
- Care provided by unlicensed family members
- Care outside the United States (unless international coverage is added)
How much does long-term care insurance cost?
Premiums vary by age at purchase, health, gender, benefit amount, elimination period, benefit period, and inflation protection. For a healthy 55-year-old with $150/day benefit, 3-year period, 90-day elimination, and 3% inflation: single males might pay $1,700–$2,300/year; single females $2,700–$3,400/year. Costs rise sharply with age.
Learn more about LTC insurance costs →Expert Tip: Buy when you're healthy
The ideal time to buy long-term care insurance is when you're still healthy, typically in your 50s or early 60s. Premiums are more affordable, approval rates are higher, and you lock in coverage before health issues emerge that could increase costs or lead to denial.
—Brad Cummins, Insurance Geek Founder
Ways to save on long-term care insurance
- •Buy younger — Premiums are lower and approval rates higher in your 50s
- •Longer elimination period — 90–180 days vs. 30 days lowers premiums
- •Shorter benefit period — 3–5 years costs less than lifetime
- •Shared care for couples — Some policies let spouses share a benefit pool
- •Compare carriers — An independent agent can shop multiple insurers for you
Long-term care guides
Why choose Insurance Geek for long-term care insurance?
Compare top carriers
We shop 20+ A-rated carriers so you get the best LTC coverage and rates. Benefit amounts, elimination periods, inflation protection—we compare it all.
Insurance Geek Wallet
All your policies in one place. The Insurance Geek Wallet stores policies from any carrier in one app — so you know what you have, when it renews, and never hunt for a document again. (Coming soon)
Expert guidance
Start online, finish with a licensed agent. Get digital convenience plus human expertise before you bind — so you're confident in your choice.
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How to get long-term care insurance
Assess your needs
Consider your age, health, family history, and assets. Most experts recommend buying between ages 50–65 when premiums are more affordable and approval rates are higher.
Get quotes
Use our quote widget above or click Get a Quote. Compare benefit amounts, elimination periods, benefit periods, and inflation protection from top carriers.
Apply and complete underwriting
Apply with your chosen carrier. Underwriting typically includes health questions, medical records review, and sometimes cognitive assessments or physical exams.
Accept your policy
Review your offer, pay your first premium, and activate coverage. Consider inflation protection—care costs rise over time, and you may not need benefits for decades.
Long-term care insurance FAQs
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