Longterm Care Insurance - What Optional Extras Are Available?
Longterm care insurance is an option that an increasing number
of Americans are using to secure their future care. Most of us
will eventually require long term care of some kind, and prices
are rising rapidly. Many people are worried about whether or not
their savings will be enough to cover the long term care they require.
Fortunately, there are options on long term care insurance plans
that will fit just about anyone's needs. Most long term care insurance
policies pay a preset amount of an individual's long term care
costs, should that individual be certified as chronically ill by
a health care practitioner. While all long term care insurance
plans will pay for a nursing home stay, you may have to purchase
coverage of at home care or assisted living facility care as an
additional option.
Other options that you can have applied to your long term insurance
plan are lifetime coverage, inflation riders, deductibles for certain
periods of time, and tax qualifications. Lifetime coverage is usually
a little more expensive than term coverage, but it means that you
will not have to worry about whether your insurance coverage will
run out while you still need long term care. Inflation riders make
sure that your coverage will match the rising cost of medical and
care services, meaning that you won't have to worry about paying
out of pocket. Since even a 3% inflation rate will halve the value
of your dollar over 25 years, this is an important option to add
to your long term insurance policy. A deductible means that you
will pay out of pocket for your care during the time specified.
A very common kind of deductible is for ninety days. For the first
ninety days of any long term care stay, the policyholder is responsible
for his or her own care fees. After that, the insurance benefit
kicks in and begins to pay for the care. Tax qualified plans allow
you to claim all or part of your premiums for long term care insurance
as a deductible on your tax return. This can be an excellent way
to recoup some of your costs.
When you look for long term care insurance plans, there are many
options. Because this kind of insurance has not yet been standardized,
the plans will all vary by kind and by company. This means that
it is important to read the fine print and talk to your insurance
agent about all of your choices. When it comes to long term care
insurance, you want to be sure that you're making the right choice
to protect your future. Looking carefully and choosing the right
options are part of being able to do so. Long term care insurance
is the only way that some people will be able to pay for their
eventual medical and care needs. Shopping for it intelligently
will enable us to afford the premiums without adjusting our quality
of life.