Sunday, January 31, 2010

Long Term Care Insurance May Protect Your Financial Future

By Tim Franks

It's difficult to watch ourselves age. It's also difficult to watch our parents age. It's even more difficult when it comes to figuring out how to help them when the time comes. This type of help can be anything from some financial assistance, a few trips to the doctor's office, or helping them find a long term care facility they - or you - can afford. Perhaps you and your parents should have considered buying some long term care insurance years ago. But what is long term care insurance?

In short, it's probably one of the best investments you can make at any age. Of course, the younger you are when you buy it, the lower your premiums. But what 30 year old seriously considers his old age and associated health problems while he's young and healthy? Not many!

The longer we wait, however, the more expensive it gets, and the fewer options we can have on the policy itself. Finally, when the need arises, we can't do much about it. Most insurance carriers have policies that get pretty prohibitive when it comes to buying coverage after a certain age.

This type of insurance, in actuality, is one of the most reasonably priced types of coverage when it comes to costs vs. Benefits. A policy purchased in your forties, for example, with standard coverage such as nursing homes and rehab (or hospice), will probably be less expensive than your car insurance!

These policies can be virtually custom designed. There are so many options and so many riders that almost everyone can afford at least some level of coverage. It's important to note that long term care isn't always for the sick and elderly. Something as simple as a bad car accident can put that same 30 year old in a rehab facility for a year or more

Different carriers have different types of coverage, different options, and even different health providers. For example, if Uncle John stayed in a particular facility a few years ago and everyone in the family had good things to say about that place, you may want to check out insurance companies that use this facility as a provider.

When the instance comes, a long term coverage policy can provide a tremendous amount of financial help along with the peace of mind you and the rest of your family will need in order to get through the current health crisis at hand. Typically, additional out of pocket expenses are minimal, or nothing at all.

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