Explore the USAA long-term care insurance offering
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Does USAA offer long-term care insurance?
USAA does not currently offer a stand-alone long-term care insurance policy.
Stand-alone long-term care (LTC) insurance policies are also known as traditional long-term care insurance.
The USAA long-term care insurance offering is a universal life insurance policy with a long-term care rider. This policy, from John Hancock Life Insurance Company, focuses more on the death benefit than the long-term care benefit.
How the USAA long-term care protection works
- The long-term care rider is an accelerated death benefit rider.
- The death benefit of the life insurance policy is also the long-term care benefit amount. If the death benefit is accelerated for long-term care expenses, the death benefit is reduced dollar for dollar, and the cash value is reduced proportionally.
- There is NO extension of benefits like most hybrid long-term care insurance policies. The accelerated death benefit rider only uses the death benefit to pay for long-term care expenses.
- There is no benefit increase rider (inflation protection) to keep the long-term care benefit in pace with rising long-term care costs.
Comparing the USAA long-term care insurance offering
A good comparison to the USAA long-term care insurance offering is the Nationwide Insurance universal life policy. It makes a great comparison because the Nationwide policy is also built on universal life insurance, like the USAA LTC insurance offering. But one significant difference is that Nationwide includes a Cash Indemnity Benefit.
Nationwide Cash Indemnity Long-Term Care Benefit
The Cash Indemnity benefit works like this:
- Nationwide pays the entire monthly long-term care benefit each month
- Nationwide Insurance places no restrictions on how you use your LTC benefits
- Even family and friends can be paid to provide care
- The policy will pay 100% of benefits internationally
Most long-term care policies provide reimbursement benefits. With reimbursement benefits, bills and receipts must be submitted to the insurance carrier for approval. The insurance company then reviews the claim and reimburses the exact amount of approved expenses, up to the amount of the monthly benefit.
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Types of long-term care insurance plans
Traditional LTC, Hybrid Life LTC, and Hybrid Annuity LTC are the three most commonly chosen long-term care insurance plans. Another option is Short-Term Care, which is most often chosen because of health or age limitations.
Traditional Long-Term Care Insurance
- The most comprehensive long-term care protection for your dollar
- The broadest set of options, including inflation protection
- About half of all long-term care policies purchased
- Recurring premiums
- Learn more about Traditional LTC >
Hybrid Life Insurance with Long-Term Care
- A permanent life insurance policy that can be used during your lifetime if you need long-term care
- If care is not needed, your asset passes to your estate as a tax-free death benefit
- May build cash value and have a return of premium option
- Premiums will not increase and 1035 exchanges possible
- Learn more about Hybrid Life with LTC >
Hybrid Annuity with Long-Term Care
- A deferred annuity contract with a fixed interest rate and possible indexing for asset growth plus long-term care benefits
- If not exhausted paying for long-term care, the annuity will transfer to your estate
- Long-term care benefits are typically double or triple the value of the annuity
- Premiums will not increase and 1035 exchanges possible
- Learn more about Hybrid Annuities with LTC >
Why Long-Term Care Insurance?
Almost 70% of people turning age 65 today will need some type of long-term care in the future. The average length of time people need care is 3 years.1
One-third of people may never need long-term care, but 20% will need it for longer than 5 years. On average women need 3.7 years of care while men need 2.2 years.2
In 2022, the average cost for 3 years of long-term care in Arizona was $289,080 ($96,360 per year). That cost is projected to be $522,111 ($174,037 per year) in 2042.3
Does Medicare Cover Long-Term Care?
No, Medicare does not cover long-term care (custodial care). This type of care makes up more than 90% of all long-term care services. Examples of custodial care is when you need help with walking, bathing, eating, dressing or using the toilet. This is what people need most when they have a physical impairment from a stroke. Or, due to cognitive impairment from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Don’t make the mistake of thinking Medicare covers long-term care costs. It doesn’t.
Further, about 80% of care at home is provided by unpaid caregivers. More than half of this care includes intensive caregiving assistance with personal care such as bathing or feeding.4 And it’s not only seniors that need long-term care. Over 35 percent of people currently receiving care are between the ages of 18 and 64.5
When To Buy Long-Term Care Insurance
Like most advisors, we recommend buying long-term care insurance in your fifties or early sixties for the following reasons:
- The younger you are when you buy a policy, the lower the annual premiums
- By the time you reach your mid sixties, you’re more likely to have a medical condition that makes you ineligible for a preferred-health discount, or makes it tough to get coverage at all
- Even though you pay premiums a longer period of time, you’ll typically pay less overall than someone buying at an older age
So it almost never pays to wait. And, while you’re waiting, you’re uninsured. If an accident or illness happens causing you to need long-term care, you’ll have to pay out of pocket.
Find out if your current health conditions will make it hard to qualify >
How Much Does LTC Insurance Cost?
Your long-term care insurance rates will depend on your age, health history, plan design and type of coverage selected. The following choices let you choose how much protection is right for your situation:
- Benefit Period
- Daily Benefit
- Elimination Period (a deductible in days)
- Inflation Protection (if chosen)
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Connect with an LTC Advisor >What Our Customers Say
- If you are shopping for long-term care insurance, then I strongly recommend that you contact Craig Matesky … More at ACACIA Insurance Services. Craig helped me get the best policy for my needs and budget. He is knowledgeable, friendly, and was always available to address my concerns. Thanks Craig!
- I have had the good fortune to work with Rhona Unsell in getting my LTC policy. Ms. Unsell is a true … More professional – her expertise, her ability to listen and to provide accurate information – all were so valuable to me. In making important life decisions, qualities like trust, knowledge, and the understanding of how to listen to a client’s needs are critical. Rhona has all these qualities and more. I strongly recommend Ms. Unsell to anyone looking for excellent ongoing service and a caring attitude.
- With the new long term care laws passed in Washington State, I was in the market for private LTC insurance. … More I worked with Michael Berger and I was blown away with how hard he worked to get me a plan that met my needs. As the market changed during this process, he was always the first on the phone explaining options and walking through what's next. I was able to get a great plan, at a great price, and can't recommend him and this group enough!
