Part of our guide: Long-Term Care Insurance: Costs, Options and Planning →
Clients rarely buy long-term care insurance because of a statistic. They buy it when they see what a care event would mean for them and their family. Three questions help them get there on their own.
Key takeaways
- Asking “What’s your plan?” reveals that most clients have never thought about where or how they’d receive care.
- Asking “Who do you know?” brings up real experiences that make the need personal.
- Asking “How will you pay?” shows that health insurance doesn’t cover most long-term care, and savings may have to.
Health insurance and Medicare don’t pay for most long-term custodial care. Many clients don’t know that until you ask how they’d pay.
1. What’s your plan?
Most clients haven’t considered what happens when they need help with everyday tasks. Where would they live? Who would help them? Would they stay at home? These questions turn an abstract risk into a planning gap they can see.
2. Who do you know?
Ask whether they know someone who has needed long-term care, or has provided it. Clients who have watched the emotional, physical, and financial toll on a family usually don’t want the same for theirs. Their own stories are more persuasive than anything you could say. More on using storytelling in LTC sales.
3. How will you pay?
Many clients assume health insurance or Medicare will cover it. Neither pays for most extended custodial care. Without a plan, the cost comes from retirement savings or forced asset sales. A long-term care policy helps ensure funds are there, so they can choose the care they want without draining their savings.
After the questions
Once the need is clear, move to design: benefit amount, benefit period, and whether a traditional, hybrid, or rider-based product fits best. Our LTC team can help you run options.
Frequently asked questions
Does Medicare pay for long-term care?
Medicare generally doesn’t cover long-term custodial care, such as help with bathing or dressing. It covers limited skilled care after a hospital stay.
What questions should I ask a client about long-term care?
Start with what their plan is, whether they know someone who needed care, and how they would pay for it.
Why don’t statistics sell long-term care insurance?
Most people don’t see themselves in the numbers. Personal questions and real stories make the need concrete.
Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25
Tim Fuller
President, SRS Inc.
Tim leads SRS Inc., a full-service IMO (Independent Marketing Organization) and BGA (Brokerage General Agency), connecting independent financial professionals with life, annuity, disability income, and long-term care solutions from 60+ carrier partners.
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