Long-Term Care Insurance

Last updated: December 9, 2025 Recently updated

Long-Term Care Insurance Guide

Coverage for nursing home, assisted living, and home health care costs

Not sure what coverage you need? Take our free 2-minute quiz to get personalized insurance recommendations.

What is Long-Term Care Insurance?

Long-Term Care Insurance provides essential protection for you and your family. Understanding how it works helps you make better coverage decisions.

Key Features

Coverage details and benefits
What’s typically included
Common exclusions to be aware of
Cost factors that affect premiums

Who Needs Long-Term Care Insurance?

Learn whether this type of coverage is right for your situation and how to determine the appropriate coverage amount.

How to Choose a Policy

Tips for comparing policies, understanding terms, and finding the best value for your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about long-term care insurance answered.

Retiring Checklist - Planning for retirement coverage

Medicare - Federal coverage that doesn’t include long-term care
Life Insurance - Some policies include long-term care riders

Insurance for Seniors (65+) - Medicare and long-term care options
Insurance for Pre-Retirement (55-64) - Planning before Medicare

Official Resources

LongTermCare.gov (opens in new tab) - Federal resource on long-term care planning
NAIC Long-Term Care Insurance (opens in new tab) - Regulatory guidance and consumer tips
Eldercare Locator (opens in new tab) - Find local aging and disability resources
Medicare.gov Long-Term Care (opens in new tab) - What Medicare does and doesn’t cover
AARP Long-Term Care Calculator (opens in new tab) - Estimate potential care costs

Data Sources

Long-term care insurance data in this guide come from NAIC (opens in new tab) long-term care reports, Genworth Cost of Care Survey (opens in new tab) , ACL (opens in new tab) (Administration for Community Living), and AALTCI (opens in new tab) (American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance). Learn more about our data collection methods on our Methodology page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is long-term care insurance?

Long-term care insurance covers services for people who can’t perform daily activities (bathing, dressing, eating) due to chronic illness, disability, or cognitive impairment. It pays for nursing homes, assisted living, adult day care, and in-home care—expenses that health insurance and Medicare don’t cover.

When should I buy long-term care insurance?

The ideal buying age is mid-50s to mid-60s: premiums are still affordable, and you’re more likely to qualify medically. Buy too early and you pay premiums longer; wait too long and you may not qualify or premiums become prohibitive. About 70% of people over 65 will need some long-term care.

How much does long-term care cost without insurance?

National median costs (2024): nursing home private room ~$115,000/year, assisted living ~$64,000/year, home health aide ~$75,000/year for full-time care. Costs vary significantly by location. The average long-term care need is 3 years, though many people need care for much longer.