N.Y. Life Finds Boomers Value LTC Insurance

Baby boomers generally recognize the advantages of having long term care (LTC) insurance but for the most part have not purchased it, New York Life Insurance Company finds.

N.Y. Life’s survey of boomers–those between age 46 and 64–showed 87% believed having LTC insurance helped protect families from having to pay for care, 85% thought it provided peace of mind, 84% said it helped keep retirement savings intact and 70% thought it would help them to leave an inheritance.

Of boomers whose parents had LTC coverage and used it, 72% called it a good value. The benefits of LTC coverage: reducing the family’s financial contribution to care (cited by 84% of those surveyed); lessening the time family members devoted to parental care (77%); increasing the quality of care (76%); and preserving the parents’ nest egg (70%).

Baby boomers whose parents had LTC insurance were more apt than other boomers to think about how they would pay their own LTC bills. Of boomers whose parents had the coverage, 64% stated they were likely to buy the insurance, compared to 37% of boomers whose parents did not have the coverage.