Wanting to feel safe and secure is part of being human.

It’s one of our basic needs.

Unfortunately, we can’t predict the future or know what life has in store for us down the road. So, how do we satisfy our basic need for security while facing an uncertain future?

Having a long-term care insurance policy might provide you with some peace of mind. This type of insurance can be a strong safety net for you as well as for your loved ones.

Our Top Long-Term Care Insurance Companies

Company Name Best For
GoldenCare Variety of Long Term Care Plans
LTC Easy Online Application Process
LTCRplus Free Legal Support and Unbiased Advice
LTCRescourceCenters.com Short and Long Term Care in Same Plan
CLTC Insurance Services Clear and Simple Plan Comparison
Northwestern Mutual LTC Insurance Top Financial and Security Ratings

Read more: Long Term Care Facilities: In-Home or Community-Based?

#1 GoldenCare

Best For: Variety of Long-Term Care Plans

 

GoldenCare LTC Insurance

GoldenCare, also known as National Independent Brokers, Inc., is one of the nation’s largest independent long-term care insurance brokerages.

The company partners with top-rated insurance carriers across the United States and has a nationwide staff of trained agents operating in 50 states.

GoldenCare offers a multitude of long-term care plans including traditional long-term care, hybrid policies (life insurance with a long-term care rider), and critical care plans with care in any facility.

It offers a stand-alone home health care, stand-alone nursing home care,  short-term home and nursing home care, and state partnership plans, where available.

In addition to stand-alone and hybrid products, the company helps prospective policyholders find state partnership plans and extends a long-term care policy that effectively addresses the progression of long-term care.

GoldenCare has been in operation for more than 40 years and has written over $750 million in annualized premiums. It is a Better Business Bureau (BBB) accredited company and holds an  A+ rating with the organization.

For more information, go to GoldenCare.

#2 LTC Financial Solutions

Best For: Easy Online Application Process

 

getltcins.com long term care

LTC Financial Solutions is a long-term care insurance brokerage or marketplace with over 65 years of experience in the industry.

The company works with you to select the best plans from the highest-rated carriers in the market.

LTC Financial Solutions is dedicated to providing you with valuable information on insurance products and asset protection.

Take advantage of their expert knowledge and learn the ins-and-outs of long-term care insurance during the application process, which is easy to complete and fully online.

LTC Financial Solutions provides a wide array of long-term care insurance coverage plans including traditional, hybrid (life insurance with a long-term care rider), group, tax-qualified, and state partnership plans (where available).

Policies cover different types of care, including in-home care, adult day care, assisted living, and nursing home care.

LTC Financial Solutions is a Better Business Bureau-accredited company and holds an A+ rating with the organization.

For more information, go to LTC Financial Solutions.

#3 LTCRplus

Best For: Free Legal Support and Unbiased Advice

 

lcrplus LTC policies

LTCRplus is one of the country’s leading long-term care insurance agencies. The company works with the top carriers in the long-term care insurance market, providing quality insurance policies for members of its affinity associations.

As a member, LTCRplus offers you four core services:

  • LTC Funding – Allows you to shop around for the right policy
  • LTC Navigation – Provides a “care concierge” to help you find care facilities in your area
  • LTC Care Audit – Evaluates any current care provided to either you or your partner to ensure it the best possible care
  • LTC Legal – Provides legal advice related to your long-term care, if required

Free legal support and unbiased advice is a unique service in the long-term care insurance industry.

LTCRplus has helped more than 600,000 individuals with planning their long-term care. It is a Better Business Bureau-accredited company with an A+ score.

#4 LTCResourceCenters.com

Best For: Combined short- and long-term care plans

 

Long-term care policy with LTCResources

LTCResourceCenters.com is an independent managing general agency that has provided long-term care solutions to consumers for the past 40 years.

It specifically developed this website to be a learning and resource center for consumers.

The company provides access to their online resource center where you can learn about a host of topics related to long-term care insurance, including the different types of policies and care, how to design a policy to meet your needs, the role of caregivers, long-term care partnership states, and how to qualify for long-term care with federal programs.

LTCResourceCenters.com works with the industry’s most reputable insurance carriers that offer a full spectrum of long-term care insurance products, including hybrid short- and long-term care policies.

#5 CLTC Insurance Services

Best For: Plan Comparison

 

CLTCInsurance policy

CLTC Insurance Services is an online insurance agency dedicated to matching California residents with the best long-term care insurance carriers in the state through its network of appointed agents.

The marketplace is a one-stop-shop for a host of insurance products and offers all types of long-term insurance policies through its affiliated carriers.

CLTC Insurance Services has become the state’s largest independent insurance brokerage.

Its team has 65 years of long-term care insurance experience and has helped over 30,000 Californians find the right long-term care insurance solutions for their needs.

#6 Northwestern Mutual Long-Term Care Insurance

Best For: Top Financial Ratings and Reputation

 

Northwestern mutual long term care insurance policies

As one of the most stable insurers in the long-term care industry, Northwestern Mutual is an excellent choice for those wanting to protect their assets for future generations.

The company holds and an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and was named one of the “World’s Most Admired Companies” in FORTUNE Magazine’s 2018 annual survey.

Northwestern offers a broader selection of monthly benefit options compared to other companies, as well as two inflation protection riders: automatic benefit increase and automatic additional purchase benefit.

Monthly benefits with the company range between $1,500 and $12,000, higher amounts than those offered by similar competitors.

The company distinguishes itself from other insurers in the market with its outstanding financial strength and stability.

It currently maintains an A++ with A.M. Best, an AAA with Fitch Ratings, an Aaa with Moody’s Investors Service, and an AA+ with S&P Global Ratings.

For more information, go to Northwestern Mutual.

Long Term Care Insurance Can:

  • Protect your assets
  • Secure your estate for your family
  • Preserve your independence
  • Safeguard your loved ones from the burden of care
  • Give you a broader range of care options

And isn’t that what all of us want?

Security. Peace of mind.

Unfortunately, disaster can strike at any moment and foil your plans. You could experience a long-term physical injury due to a traffic accident, for instance, or you could develop a physical disability or cognitive impairment.

That’s why purchasing long-term care insurance can be a wise investment at any age.

Helping you choose the right long-term care insurance policy from the best carrier is important to us. But we also know that shopping for long-term care insurance can be both daunting and time-consuming.

That’s one of the reasons we choose online insurance marketplaces for five out of our top six long-term care insurance companies. Let a qualified and experienced broker do the work for you and ensure you get the best product for your needs.

What Is Long Term Care Insurance?

Long-term care insurance is a flexible insurance product that helps cover your long-term care services for an extended period due to a physical injury, disability, or a cognitive impairment. The coverage is offered to people of any age (based on the provider) but is commonly thought of as insurance for people age 55 or older.

Long-term care can be administered in your home, in the community, at an assisted living facility, or a nursing home.

Read more: Traditional vs. Hybrid Long-Term Care Insurance

To qualify for benefits, you must be unable to perform two out of six activities of daily living (ADLs) — bathing, dressing, moving from bed to chair, using the toilet, eating, and maintaining continence.

A medical professional must also expect your disability to last at least 90 days.

What Does It Cover?

Long-term care insurance policies and coverage options vary greatly and depend upon many variables, including the benefit amount you want, the type of care you receive, and the setting in which you receive it (in-home or in a community setting or facility).

Overall, your LTC insurance policy should cover care:

  • Based on the benefits you selected
  • For a long-term injury, disability, or cognitive impairment
  • For assistance in completing at least two activities of daily living or ADLs, which are bathing, eating, transferring, toileting, incontinence, and walking

These may seem straightforward, but you will want to make sure you know exactly what a policy covers before purchasing it.

How To Choose The Best Long-Term Care Policy

There are several insurance carriers to choose from. You could literally spend days researching companies and then comparing their policies and quotes.

Don’t have time to waste? Don’t worry; we’ve done the legwork for you!

We’ve researched dozens of companies to get to our Top 6 long-term care insurance companies, including online marketplaces or brokerages.

Brokers are an excellent option when shopping for insurance because they have industry expertise and can help you identify the best policy for your situation.

Brokers also partner with the most reputable insurance providers out there, ensuring you’ll be paired with a leading carrier offering a product that aligns with your needs.

For our research, we evaluated our top long-term care insurance companies based on the following factors:

Claims and Benefits

  • Eligibility Requirements – Prerequisites you must meet before qualifying for coverage
  • Daily/Month Benefits – The maximum benefit amount you will receive
  • Waiting/Elimination Period – The period before you can start receiving benefits and have your premium payments suspended
  • Benefit Period – The total time of coverage, which and can range from 2 to 6 years (very few insurers offer lifetime benefits, yet they do exist)

Policies and Coverage

  • Policy Type – Hybrid vs. Traditional
  • Types of Care – In-home care or community-based care (assisted living facilities, nursing homes)
  • Policy Riders – Common options include inflation protection, increased benefits, spouse survivorship, shared care, and return of premium

Financial Strength

  • Credit ratings from A.M. Best, Standards & Poor, Moody’s

Reputation

  • Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating and reviews
  • Trustpilot.com score and reviews

We know the bottom line for many of you is pricing.

Long-term care insurance can be expensive, and the benefits and riders you choose can affect your overall cost.

Think carefully about your needs and preferences, specifically the type of policy you’d like to have, where you’d want to receive care, and the length of your benefit period.

Take your time. This is a big investment and one that can impact your future.

Whether you opt to buy insurance through a broker or directly from an insurance carrier, we highly recommend you make sure the underwriter of your policy is reputable and financially stable.

Don’t know where to start? Click here for more information on leading long-term care insurance providers, brokers, and marketplaces offering a variety of options to suit your needs.

Resources: www.NAIC.org