I have seen more changes in the long term care insurance market in the last year than in over the 14 years I've been selling it! A major change is that we now have gender-specific ratings. Why? because women utilitze care more than men! Two carriers have already raised rates on new applications for single women 24-40% higher than men for the same coverage. Buy now, while there are still a few carriers left that have not implemented this change.
We're seeing that women face a significant risk of needing care for an extended period as they age. Actually, statistics show that women receive 66% of all long term care benefits paid by insurance companies. That is why we now are seeing "gender specific" ratings for those who choose to purchase LTC insurance.
The Alzheimers Association released new Facts and Figures for 2013 this week. Currently, 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer's or another dementia. Deaths from Alzheimer's rose 68% between 2000 and 2010, while deaths from other major diseases, including the number one cause of death which is heart disease, decreased. In 2012, the costs of caregiving for those with dementia are estimated to $203 billion.
