LTC Archives - Page 3 of 7

Why Long-Term Care Statistics Don’t Sell, and What Does

September 25, 2026October 28, 2021 by Tim Fuller

Adult daughter and her aging mother sharing a warm moment while discussing long-term care planning

If statistics alone sold long-term care insurance, sales would grow every year. They don’t, because clients hear the numbers and think, “That won’t be me.” Numbers support the conversation, but they don’t start it.

Key takeaways

People make buying decisions emotionally, then justify them with facts.
Humanize the need through personal stories and experiences before sharing numbers.
A few well-chosen statistics can reinforce the story: the odds of needing care and what it costs.

Statistics are the evidence. The story is the argument.

Why numbers fall flat

Clients filter statistics through optimism: most assume they’ll be in the healthy majority. Without a personal connection, numbers don’t create urgency.

What works instead

Humanize the need with stories, experiences, and emotions clients can connect with. Ask about people they know who needed care. See eight storytelling tips.

The statistics worth using

Once the client is engaged, a few facts support the case:

Close to 70% of people turning 65 will need some type of long-term care.
In 2025, assisted living cost a national median of about $74,400 a year, and a private nursing home room about $129,600 (CareScout). See current costs.
Medicare doesn’t cover most extended custodial care.

Frequently asked questions

Why don’t statistics sell long-term care insurance?

Most people believe the risk applies to others. Personal stories create the emotional connection that drives decisions.

What long-term care statistics should I share with clients?

The odds of needing care (close to 70% after 65), current care costs, and the fact that Medicare doesn’t pay for most long-term care.

When should I use statistics in an LTC conversation?

After the client is engaged through questions and stories, to support what they’ve already started to feel.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

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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3 Ways to Start a Long-Term Care Conversation With Retirement-Age Clients

September 25, 2026October 21, 2021 by Tim Fuller

Many retirement-age clients looked at long-term care insurance years ago and walked away because of the premium. They still carry the risk, and today’s flexible designs give you a reason to reopen the conversation.

Key takeaways

Some protection is better than none: partial coverage still hedges a large share of the risk.
Retirees respond to conversations about protecting assets and not burdening family.
Flexible plan design lets coverage fit most budgets.

Retirees who said no to LTC because of cost are still carrying the risk. A smaller plan is still a plan.

1. Reframe coverage as a hedge

Clients often think it’s full coverage or nothing. Explain that even a modest benefit can cover a meaningful share of care costs, with savings or income covering the rest. Having some protection is far better than ignoring the risk.

2. Talk about what they care about

Ask about protecting their retirement assets, how they want to spend retirement with family, and whether they worry about burdening their children with care. These concerns motivate more than product details. See why family shouldn’t be the long-term care plan.

3. Show that it can fit their budget

Modern designs offer choices in benefit amount, benefit period, elimination period, and inflation protection, so coverage can be sized to what a client can afford. Hybrid products funded with idle assets are another option. See five ways to make LTC more affordable.

Frequently asked questions

Is it too late to buy long-term care insurance in retirement?

Not necessarily. Many carriers issue coverage into the 70s, though premiums are higher and health matters more. Hybrid options can also fit retirees.

How can retirees afford long-term care insurance?

By choosing a smaller benefit, shorter benefit period, longer elimination period, or using idle assets to fund a hybrid policy.

What motivates retirees to buy LTC coverage?

Protecting their savings and not burdening their children are usually the strongest motivators.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

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Improving Long-Term Care Placement Rates: 4 Things to Know Before You Quote

September 25, 2026October 14, 2021 by Tim Fuller

Long-term care underwriting has become stricter. Declines on one spouse, and offers at worse rate classes than quoted, lead to policies that are never placed and clients who lose confidence. The fix starts before the first quote.

Key takeaways

Stricter LTC underwriting has increased declines and not-taken policies, especially for couples.
Four questions predict most outcomes: height and weight, tobacco use, recent or pending health issues, and current medications.
Pre-screening lets us recommend the carrier most likely to approve the client at the quoted rate class.

Medications tell you more than almost any other answer. Ask for the full list before you quote.

Why placement rates suffer

When a proposal is built without knowing the client’s health, the underwriting decision often doesn’t match the quote. Couples are especially vulnerable: if one spouse is declined, the other often walks away too. The result is wasted time and frustrated clients.

The 4 things to know first

Height and weight
Tobacco use
Recent major health issues or pending surgeries
Current prescription medications, which often reveal conditions clients forget to mention

With this information we can estimate insurability and rate class, and point you to the carrier most likely to view the client favorably.

Tools to make it easy

We offer a one-page LTC health questionnaire covering the issues that drive underwriting decisions. Reviewing a carrier’s underwriting guide once or twice also helps you learn what matters. The same approach works for life insurance; see field underwriting that gets the rate class right.

When one spouse is declined

Even with good field underwriting, it happens. Here’s how to handle the couple rejection objection.

Frequently asked questions

What health questions affect long-term care insurance approval?

Build, tobacco use, recent or pending health issues and surgeries, and current medications are the biggest factors.

Why are LTC insurance applications declined?

Common reasons include cognitive issues, recent major illnesses, mobility problems, and certain medications. LTC underwriting focuses heavily on future care needs.

How can I avoid LTC declines?

Pre-screen clients with a health questionnaire before quoting, and submit to the carrier most favorable to their health profile.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

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When One Spouse Is Declined for Long-Term Care Insurance: Handling the Objection

September 25, 2026October 7, 2021 by Tim Fuller

Couples usually buy together. So when one spouse is approved for long-term care insurance and the other is declined, the approved spouse often cancels too. That’s exactly when their coverage matters most.

Key takeaways

If one spouse is declined, the healthy spouse is likely to become the caregiver.
Caregiving can drain savings and leave little for the caregiver’s own future care.
The insurable spouse’s coverage protects the couple’s plan, not just one person.

If your spouse can’t get coverage, you’re likely their plan. Who will be yours?

Why couples walk away

The approved spouse may not want coverage from a carrier that declined their partner, or may decide coverage isn’t needed at all. It’s an emotional reaction, and an understandable one, but it leaves both spouses exposed.

Why the insurable spouse needs coverage more

If one spouse can’t be insured, the healthy spouse will probably try to provide care, with all the physical, emotional, and financial demands that brings. Along the way, they may spend down savings that were meant for their own future care.

How to respond

Client: “My spouse was declined, so I don’t want my policy.”

You: “Caring for your spouse could take a little effort or a great deal. Either way, you may need to use your savings, which could leave little for your own care later. Would you be ready to handle that alone?”

Options for the declined spouse

A decline from one carrier isn’t always final. Other carriers, hybrid products, or life insurance with a chronic illness rider may be available. Better field underwriting before you quote also helps avoid the situation. Our LTC team can review options.

Frequently asked questions

What should a couple do if one spouse is declined for LTC insurance?

The insurable spouse should usually keep their coverage, since they’re likely to become the caregiver. Look into alternatives for the declined spouse.

Can a spouse declined for LTC insurance get other coverage?

Sometimes. Another carrier, a hybrid product, or a life policy with a chronic illness rider may be possible.

Why is LTC coverage important for the healthy spouse?

They often provide care for the other spouse and may use up savings meant for their own future care.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Connect on LinkedIn →

5 Steps to Build a Long-Term Care Business Plan for Your Practice

September 25, 2026September 30, 2021 by Tim Fuller

Most advisors intend to write more long-term care business. Without a plan, months slip by. A simple, written business plan keeps LTC on the agenda all year.

Key takeaways

Write the plan down, keep it visible, and review it weekly.
Set realistic, measurable goals such as applications, meetings, or referrals.
Track results and adjust what isn’t working.

Instead of “sell more LTC,” commit to making long-term care part of every planning conversation.

1. Stay motivated all year

Write your plan down and put it where you’ll see it every day. Set a recurring weekly calendar entry to review progress. Start small with goals you can actually hit.

2. Set realistic, measurable goals

A vague goal like “increase LTC business” is hard to act on. Instead, commit to integrating long-term care into your practice and attach numbers: applications written, client meetings held, or referrals received.

3. Create a strategy

Decide how you’ll reach those goals. That might mean raising LTC in every financial planning review, or hosting quarterly education events. Set monthly or quarterly milestones. Ideas for building visibility are in four ways to become the LTC expert in your community.

4. Take action

Begin each day with one task tied to a specific goal. Small, consistent steps build momentum.

5. Track results and adjust

Review whether you’re ahead or behind. Keep what works, drop what doesn’t, and stay flexible.

Frequently asked questions

How do I grow my long-term care insurance sales?

Set measurable goals, make LTC part of every planning conversation, build referral relationships, and track your results.

What goals should an LTC business plan include?

Measurable targets such as applications, client meetings, seminars, and referrals, with monthly or quarterly milestones.

How often should I review my business plan?

Weekly for progress, with a deeper review quarterly to adjust strategies.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Connect on LinkedIn →

4 Ways to Become the Long-Term Care Expert in Your Community

September 25, 2026September 23, 2021 by Tim Fuller

In a crowded financial services market, becoming the local long-term care resource is one of the clearest ways to stand out. It builds trust and a steady flow of referrals.

Key takeaways

Join community organizations and publish local content to build a reputation as the LTC resource.
Educate estate attorneys and CPAs, who see clients’ LTC risk but rarely address it.
Seminars and webinars reach many prospects at once, but follow-up calls turn them into appointments.

Estate attorneys and CPAs see clients’ long-term care risk every day. Be the professional they call about it.

1. Build your brand

Join groups such as your local Council on Aging, Rotary, or Chamber of Commerce and offer to educate members on LTC planning. A bylined article in a local publication also establishes expertise.

2. Create awareness with professionals

Estate planning attorneys and accountants often see clients whose assets are at risk from a care event. Show them how LTC planning protects their clients’ plans and quality of life. Social media is another way to share expertise and ask for referrals.

3. Build relationships

Keep your schedule full and your contact list growing. Long-term care is a topic people need to hear about more than once, so consistent education builds your reputation over time.

4. Generate leads

Seminars and webinars put you in front of many people at once, and we provide marketing materials to use. Always follow up by phone to schedule appointments and answer questions. Then use eight ways to ease into the talk in your meetings.

Frequently asked questions

How can I get more long-term care insurance leads?

Seminars, webinars, community involvement, and referral relationships with attorneys and CPAs are reliable sources.

Should I partner with estate planning attorneys on LTC?

Yes. Attorneys see clients whose plans are at risk from long-term care costs and value a trusted LTC resource.

Does SRS provide LTC marketing materials?

Yes. We offer seminar and marketing materials for advisors presenting long-term care planning.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Connect on LinkedIn →

Cross-Selling Long-Term Care Insurance to Existing Life Clients

September 25, 2026September 16, 2021 by Tim Fuller

Your existing life insurance clients already trust you with their family’s protection. That makes them some of the best long-term care prospects you have, if you know how to raise it.

Key takeaways

Frame long-term care as the biggest financial risk of living a long life.
Questions about retirement assets and monthly costs make the risk concrete.
With care costs of $6,000 to $10,000 or more a month, most clients can’t absorb it without a plan.

Ask: “If you had to spend an extra $6,000 to $10,000 a month on care, what would that do to your retirement?”

Open with longevity, not illness

Life insurance protects against dying too soon. Long-term care protects against the cost of living a long life. Talk about what a long retirement means for their family, and offer to build a plan for the biggest risk they’ll face after they stop working.

3 questions to ask

What share of your retirement assets have you set aside for long-term care?
Are you concerned about what a chronic illness would do to your retirement savings?
If you needed to spend an extra $6,000 to $10,000 a month on care, would that concern you?

That range reflects 2025 national medians for assisted living and a private nursing home room. See current cost of care figures.

Product options that pair with life insurance

For clients who already own life insurance, a hybrid policy or a chronic illness or LTC rider on new coverage may feel like a natural extension. See when asset-based LTC is a fit.

Frequently asked questions

How do I introduce long-term care to existing clients?

Frame it as the financial risk of living a long life, and ask how they’d pay for care without drawing down retirement savings.

How much does long-term care cost per month?

In 2025, national medians were about $6,200 a month for assisted living and $10,798 for a private nursing home room.

Can life insurance include long-term care benefits?

Yes. Hybrid life/LTC policies and LTC or chronic illness riders add care benefits to a life policy.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Connect on LinkedIn →

Long-Term Care Planning for Clients in Their 30s and 40s

September 25, 2026September 9, 2021 by Tim Fuller

People approaching retirement are the obvious long-term care prospects. But a meaningful share of buyers are much younger, and they have good reasons.

Key takeaways

A significant share of long-term care policies are sold to people in their 40s and early 50s.
Many younger buyers are caring for aging parents while raising families and don’t want the same for their kids.
Buying young means lower premiums, better health discounts, and protection against becoming uninsurable.

Health can change overnight. Buying while young and healthy locks in insurability that may not be available later at any price.

Personal experience drives the decision

Many younger buyers are in the “sandwich generation,” caring for aging parents while raising children. They’ve seen what caregiving costs, and they don’t want to put their own children through it. See why family shouldn’t be the long-term care plan.

Lower premiums

Premiums are based on age at purchase. Younger buyers pay less each year, and even though they may pay for longer, buying earlier is often less costly overall than waiting.

Future insurability

A new diagnosis can make coverage unavailable. Younger, healthier applicants are also more likely to qualify for preferred health discounts. See the cost of waiting.

Designs for younger buyers

Hybrid life/LTC and life policies with LTC riders can make sense for younger clients who also need life insurance. See life insurance with an LTC rider.

Frequently asked questions

Is it worth buying long-term care insurance in your 40s?

For many, yes: premiums are lower, health discounts are more likely, and coverage is locked in before health changes.

Can young people need long-term care?

Yes. Accidents and illnesses such as MS, stroke, or cancer can require care at any age.

What type of LTC coverage fits younger buyers?

Traditional LTC, hybrid life/LTC, or a life policy with an LTC rider, depending on budget and life insurance needs.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Connect on LinkedIn →

In-Home Care Benefits: What Long-Term Care Policies Actually Cover at Home

September 25, 2026September 2, 2021 by Tim Fuller

Ask clients where they’d want to receive care, and almost all say home. Many picture long-term care insurance as paying only for a nursing facility. In fact, most policies can pay full benefits for care at home.

Key takeaways

Most long-term care is provided at home, much of it by family.
Many policies pay up to 100% of the benefit for home care.
Highlighting home care benefits addresses clients’ strongest wish: to stay independent in familiar surroundings.

Most clients want to stay home if they need care. Most policies are designed to let them.

Ask where they’d want care

It’s the simplest question in the LTC conversation, and it almost always leads to home. Clients find it hard to imagine leaving their house for help with bathing, dressing, or eating.

What home care benefits typically include

Home health aides and personal care (bathing, dressing, eating)
Homemaker services such as meals, laundry, and light housekeeping
Skilled nursing and therapy at home
Adult day care
Respite care to give family caregivers a break
Care coordination, and in many policies, home modifications and caregiver training

Benefit levels vary; many policies pay up to 100% of the daily or monthly benefit for home care.

Make it part of every presentation

Point out the home care benefits built into the plan. It shows you listened and appeals to the client’s desire for independence. For costs, see home health care costs; for a real example, see long-term care isn’t just for nursing homes.

Frequently asked questions

Does long-term care insurance pay for home care?

Yes. Most policies cover home care, often up to 100% of the benefit amount.

What home care services does LTC insurance cover?

Typically personal care, homemaker services, home health care, adult day care, respite care, and care coordination.

Can long-term care insurance pay for home modifications?

Many policies include benefits for modifications such as ramps and grab bars.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

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Home Health Care Costs and How Long-Term Care Policies Pay for Them

September 25, 2026August 19, 2021 by Tim Fuller

Health care providers increasingly recognize what the long-term care industry has long known: helping people receive care at home is what they prefer, and it can cost less than facility care. But home care isn’t cheap.

Key takeaways

In 2025, in-home care cost a national median of $35 an hour, about $80,000 a year at 44 hours a week.
Around-the-clock home care can cost more than a nursing facility.
Modern LTC policies pay for home care plus care coordination, respite, homemaker services, caregiver training, and more.

Part-time home care is often more affordable than a facility. Round-the-clock home care can cost far more.

What home care costs

According to the CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey, the national median for in-home care was $35 an hour, or about $80,080 a year at 44 hours a week. Costs vary widely by location. Full-time or 24-hour care can exceed the roughly $129,600 annual median for a private nursing home room. See all 2025 cost figures.

Why home care is growing

Home-based care is widely seen as more humane and, for many needs, more affordable than institutional care. Most clients prefer it, and families feel more connected to the care.

How LTC policies pay

Home health aides and personal care
Care coordination services
Respite care so family caregivers can take a break
Homemaker services
Caregiver training
Funds for home modifications, medical alert systems, and durable medical equipment

These built-in benefits give families peace of mind, especially high-net-worth clients who want control over their care.

Frequently asked questions

How much does in-home care cost per hour?

The 2025 national median was $35 an hour, according to CareScout.

Is home care cheaper than a nursing home?

Part-time home care usually is. Full-time or 24-hour home care can cost more than a nursing home.

Does LTC insurance cover respite care?

Many policies include respite care benefits to give family caregivers a break.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Connect on LinkedIn →

Why Long-Term Care Statistics Don’t Sell, and What Does

Why numbers fall flat

What works instead

The statistics worth using

Frequently asked questions

Tim Fuller

We’re Here to Help

1. Reframe coverage as a hedge

2. Talk about what they care about

3. Show that it can fit their budget

Frequently asked questions

Tim Fuller

We’re Here to Help

Tim Fuller

We’re Here to Help

Tim Fuller

Tim Fuller

Tim Fuller

Tim Fuller

Tim Fuller

Tim Fuller

Tim Fuller