Mount Airy Long Term Care FAQs

What is Covered

Below are some frequently asked questions and misconceptions about Long Term Care insurance and insurance coverage. If the answer you seek is not listed here or you would like more information, just give us a call at (301) 831-5075.

Q. Long-term care means nursing home care.

A.Not true. Most long term care is provided at home. Approximately 7.6 million individuals receive care at home at a yearly cost of $53.4 billion. Another one million reside in Assisted Living communities.

Q. It's really an issue for the elderly.

A. One of the more recent studies looked at the age when an individual with long term care insurance first filed a claim. One in 10 (9.5%) were between the ages of 60 to 69. A third (32.9%) were between the ages 70 and 79. Three percent were younger than 60 and the rest were 80 and older.

Q. My health insurance covers long term care.

A. It does not. Long term care is generally not covered by an individual or group (employer) health plan. It is also very different from disability protection. Also, disability insurance generally ends at age 65, just when you are more likely to need long term care.

Q. Medicare covers long term care.

A. Medicare covers a very limited amount of long term care for just a limited number of days. Because of the need to health qualify for long term care insurance, you should find out more well before you reach Medicare- eligibility (generally age 65).

Life Insurance FAQs

Q. How much life insurance do I need?

It depends on your situation. Your agent can help you determine how much money your beneficiaries might need. Things to consider are: 

• Any immediate expenses, such as hospital bills, funeral costs and estate taxes 
• Ongoing and future expenses like a mortgage, household expenses, food, tuition and healthcare
• Additional expenses that might arise from you not being there, i.e. childcare costs and household maintenance
• The amount of your current assets, including checking and saving accounts, investments and any other life insurance you may have

Q. If I have a medical condition, will that stop me from obtaining life insurance?

Not necessarily. It depends on the medical condition, the insurance company, the policy and other factors. Some medical conditions could simply mean paying a higher premium.

Q. I already have life insurance with my employer.

Is that enough? For most people, no. First, employer-based policies often don’t provide enough coverage to replace your income for very long. Second, employer-based policies typically end soon after you leave the job. This means if you quit your job or get laid off or fired, your family could find themselves without coverage when they need it.

Q. Will my family pay taxes on my death benefit?

In most cases, the death benefit goes to the beneficiary tax free.

Q. What is a cash value account?

A cash value account is one of the advantages of many universal life policies. A portion of your premiums go into a cash value account that can be accessed while you’re alive. If you cancel your policy, you’ll get back the money currently in the account, less any surrender charges and applicable taxes. You can also borrow from it, generally at rates lower than you would find in the marketplace.