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Understanding Long Term Care Insurance

By Jimmy Carpenter


It's difficult to watch ourselves age. It's also difficult to watch our parents age. It's even more difficult when it comes to figuring out how to help them when the time comes. This type of help can be anything from some financial assistance, a few trips to the doctor's office, or helping them find a long term care facility they - or you - can afford. Perhaps you and your parents should have considered buying some long term care insurance years ago. But what is long term care insurance?

In short, it's probably one of the best investments you can make at any age. Of course, the younger you are when you buy it, the lower your premiums. But what 30 year old seriously considers his old age and associated health problems while he's young and healthy? Not many!

The longer we wait, however, the more expensive it gets, and the fewer options we can have on the policy itself. Finally, when the need arises, we can't do much about it. Most insurance carriers have policies that get pretty prohibitive when it comes to buying coverage after a certain age.

However, dollar for dollar, long term care insurance is one of the most affordable insurances on the market in terms of what you get for your money. This type of insurance provides exactly what it promises - funds to pay for long term care - whether in a medical facility such as a nursing home, or even at home.

Policies differ, as with all sorts of insurance, and you can pick and choose options according to what you can afford or according to what you believe you might need. For instance, if Alzheimer's runs in your family, you may want to get a plan that supports the in depth level of specialized care these patients need. If everyone in your family lives till 105 and drops dead on the golf course, you may decide to purchase a lesser type of coverage.

Depending on the insurance company will depend of course on your policy now, and what type of add ons and options you are able to buy at later dates. For instance, if your 62 year old husband is in a head on collision and you find that he will need extensive long term care, you may or may not be able to increase your policy to suit the current situation.

In the end, you'll be glad to have this type of coverage whether it's for your parents, or for yourself.




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