By Jennifer Williams
President J. Williams Personal Financial Planning
Comparing long-term care insurance policies – Part 2
Jennifer’s Thoughts
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How do the policies you’re considering stack up against each other? Which benefits and features mean the most to you? How much can you customize each policy to your needs? These are very important questions. Knowing how to evaluate LTCI (Long Term Care Insurance) coverage in light of your own needs is the key to comparing and weeding out policies. Your final list of policies should include only ones that can offer exactly what you’re looking for.
Compare premiums
Because LTCI policies vary so much, simple premium comparisons usually don’t provide useful results. You run the risk of comparing premiums for policies that don’t provide comparable coverage. For example, suppose you’re comparing two LTCI policies with different premiums. If the more expensive policy has a larger daily benefit and longer benefit period, it may be difficult to tell which policy is the better buy. Variations in the length of the elimination period and other features may further muddy the waters. The point is that you want a policy that gives you the best total value, and the premium is only one part of the equation.
Still, the premium is important because you don’t want to pay more for coverage than you have to. And you want to be sure you can afford the premiums as time goes on. Once you know your coverage needs and find a few policies that offer a good fit, you should then compare premiums. The price of an LTCI policy typically depends on the specifics of the coverage, your age at the time you buy the policy (most companies won’t sell you a policy if you’re under 40 or over 84), your medical history, the cost of long-term care where you live, and other factors. Note that premiums may vary widely between companies, even for policies that provide comparable coverage. The more similar the policies you’re comparing, the more the premium will tell you about a policy’s true value.
Consider getting help
Because LTCI is complicated, comparing and evaluating policies is no easy task. You can do it alone if you choose, but you’re probably better off getting professional help. A qualified insurance professional, or financial professional can assist you with this entire process. To find the right person to help you, seek word-of-mouth references and be very selective.
Article courtesy of Forefield. Securities offered through NPB Financial Group, LLC. A Registered Investment Advisor/Broker-Dealer Member FINRA, MSRB, and SIPC
