Long-Term Care Insurance

Geo depth: Class C

Long-term care insurance helps pay for extended personal care services, such as home health aides, assisted living, or nursing home care, that are generally not covered by health insurance or Medicare. Coverage is typically medically underwritten and is most commonly purchased well before care is needed.

Compare Long-Term Care Insurance rates

What is long-term care insurance?

LTC coverage generally pays for services health insurance and Medicare don't cover well, such as help with daily activities (bathing, dressing, eating) in a nursing home, assisted living facility, or at home. Benefits are typically triggered once you need help with a defined number of daily living activities or have a cognitive impairment.

Because LTC insurance is medically underwritten, it's typically easiest — and least expensive — to buy while you're relatively young and healthy. Waiting until care is imminent often means higher premiums or being declined coverage altogether.

What affects your long-term care insurance cost

Typical costs vary significantly by state, provider, and personal factors — {{VERIFY: national average long-term care insurance premium not yet sourced}}. Rather than a single number, the factors below are what actually move your quote up or down.

Age at time of purchase
Health status and medical history
Daily/monthly benefit amount selected
Benefit period (how long benefits last)
Elimination period before benefits begin
Inflation-protection rider, if added

How to compare long-term care insurance providers

Price is only one part of the decision. Before choosing a provider, compare each of the following side by side:

Coverage limits, and exactly what's included or excluded
Deductible options and how a higher or lower deductible changes the premium
Financial strength ratings from an independent rating agency (e.g., AM Best, S&P, Moody's) — an indicator of an insurer's ability to pay future claims
Customer service and claims-handling reputation, including complaint-ratio data where a state Department of Insurance publishes it
Available discounts and bundling options
Confirmation that the carrier is licensed to write this coverage in your state

Related calculators

Long-Term Care Cost Calculator

Explore long-term care insurance by state

Coverage requirements and licensed carriers for long-term care insurance vary by state. Here are a few popular starting points, or browse the full state directory below.

Long-Term Care Insurance FAQ

Does Medicare pay for long-term care?

Original Medicare generally covers only limited, short-term skilled nursing or rehabilitation care following a hospital stay — it does not pay for extended custodial care like help with daily activities, which is the gap long-term care insurance is designed to fill.

When should I buy long-term care insurance?

Because premiums are based on age and health at application, and coverage can become harder to qualify for later in life, many people purchase LTC coverage in their 50s or early 60s — though the right timing depends on your individual health and financial situation.

What's a hybrid long-term care policy?

Some insurers offer hybrid or linked-benefit policies that combine life insurance or an annuity with an LTC benefit, so unused LTC benefits pass to your beneficiaries as a death benefit instead of being forfeited. Structures and rules vary significantly by carrier. {{VERIFY: specific hybrid product terms}}.

Ready to see long-term care insurance options?

Compare providers side by side using the factors above, then see options tailored to your state and situation.