With nursing home care in some parts of the country costing as much as $10,000 a month, a long-term need for care can deplete even the best-planned estate. Buying long-term care insurance can be crucial for a senior needing care, as well as for his or her spouse and children. One great advantage of this insurance is that most policies now cover care in the home or at an assisted living facility as well as in a nursing home.
The biggest problems with policies are the cost of the premiums, which are out of reach for most seniors, and the refusal of insurance companies to guarantee their rates. Another problem with long-term care insurance is that by the time many people decide to purchase policies, they are uninsurable due to health problems. One solution to this problem, of course, is to purchase policies while you are young and healthy. The other solution is to shop around; every company has its own underwriting criteria.
For more information on long-term care insurance, click here.