Studies show that most of us are going to need long term care at some point in our lives. Keep in mind that long term care does not necessarily mean care for the rest of your life. Long term care needs can stem from an automobile accident in which your injuries may only be severe enough to require assistance for a few weeks or months, to just plain old age in which case you may need assistance for the rest of your life.
Since so many of us are going to need long term care at some point, we have to wonder whether or not we should purchase long term care insurance. It is a daunting decision, given the fact that we spend so much of our lives working and sending payments for so many other kinds of necessary insurance. We buy auto insurance because it is required. We buy life insurance because we do not want to leave our loved ones financially strapped. We buy health insurance because it is just smart. After a while, all of those insurance bills begin to add up.
Compared to the costs of other types of insurance the cost of long term care insurance is probably one of the trickiest costs to figure out. Prices vary depending on how old you are, how much long term care insurance you want to purchase, the kinds of options you choose to go along with your long term care insurance policy, and of course the long term care insurance provider you choose to purchase your policy from.
Because of these variables, the cost of long term care insurance can vary anywhere from lower than $100 every year to up in the thousands of dollars every year. This kind of widespread price range undoubtedly makes a person wonder whether or not purchasing a long term care insurance policy is really worth the cost – or, even feasible budget-wise.
Long Term Insurance Costs
In the many different discussions about the importance of long-term care insurance costs, there is often very little discussion about how much it will cost an individual. For many, the long-term care insurance cost is immaterial when compared to the benefits it can bring to an individual who is in need of long-term care.
For typical long-term care, that which does not come from an insurance plan, the cost is taken on by the family or friends of the individual. This is too often the case and for some families, the cost of paying hundreds or even a thousand or more a month for nursing home costs, is simply too much to handle.
However, what can one expect to pay in long-term care insurance plans? Well, generally for a lifetime payment of premiums that gives $500 a week benefits for 250 weeks, a male aged 40 would pay $38 a month, while a female aged 35 would pay $39. At age 55, a female would pay $75, while at age 60 a male would pay $140.
Once they reach the age, or situation, where they will need the long-term care, they can expect to pay as little as $800 per month to have a room in a nursing home, or as much as $5,000. If an individual needs a homemaker or personal care provider in their home, it will be $15 to $25 per hour, while nursing home care can be between $25 and $65 per hour.
This is why it is incredibly important to make sure you get the insurance plan that will allow you to handle long-term care costs like those. At $500 per week, you will bring in $2,000 per month that will give you the ability to stay in a mid-range nursing home, which is better than having nothing at all because you did not have a long-term care insurance plan.
Medical insurance does not pay for these expenses, and unless you have very deep pockets you are not going to be able to last on your savings for long when you are paying those kind of rates. As a result, long-term care insurance is one of the most important forms of insurance you can ever get. Conclusion Long-term care is a reality of our existence. At some point, if we live long enough, we are most likely going to need someone to help us with day-to-day activities. It is unfortunate, but it is life. The costs of this are often taken on by family, and they can run into the thousands of dollars per month in some cases. This is a horrible situation for many families to be in because they want to provide the care for loved ones, but simply cannot do so.
As a result, long-term care insurance alleviates that pain and helps make the experience bearable, financially speaking. It can help you get the care you need, while keeping your family from having to pawn their items to pay for it. It is the best solution for everyone and if you start early, it can cost you less than cable television per month.
You should just ask for help from an insurance representative who specializes in long term care insurance to answer any questions.
Both Elizabeth Newberry & Terry Stanfield are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.