Nationwide Adds Life-LTC Hybrid

News May 15, 2019 at 12:16 PM
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Life insurance units of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company will be issuing a new product that combines universal life insurance with cash indemnity long-term care (LTC) benefits.

The new Nationwide CareMatters II policy is an updated version of a product introduced in 2014.

One change is an expansion in access to the product. In the past, the target market for the product was ages 40 to 65. Nationwide now allows issue ages from 30 to 75,

Some details may differ from state to state.

In Nationwide's home state, Ohio, a purchaser can choose from a list of different payment arrangements, including: making just one payment; making five payments, either monthly or annually; making 10 payments, either monthly or annually; paying annually or monthly to attained age 65; or paying annually or monthly to attained age 100.

In Ohio, the purchaser can choose LTC benefit periods ranging from two years to seven years, and the LTC benefit total can range from $60,000 to $500,000. The menu of inflation protection options include 3% simple interest, 3% compound interest, 5% compound interest, and the U.S. medical care inflation rate.

All of the LTC benefit can be used for informal care, including care by family members.

Nationwide is offering the product throughout the country. Some product features may be somewhat different in some states than in others.

If the insured lives outside the United States and needs benefits, "the policy will pay 100% of the maximum monthly benefit amount of the LTC acceleration rider and 50% of any LTC inflation protection rider," according to Nationwide's description of the version of the product available in Ohio. "No international benefits are available under the LTC Extension of Benefits rider or any LTC Inflation Protection Rider benefit associated with it."

The Nationwide company that issues the insurance is guaranteeing that the cash value of the policy will never be lower than the premiums paid.

If the policy owner exhausts the LTC benefits, heirs will still receive a death benefit equal to 20% of the policy's specified amount.

Nationwide is issuing the new policy through Nationwide Life and Annuity Insurance Company.

Nationwide says the policy comes with separate, identifiable LTC premiums. That means policy purchasers may be able to pay for the LTC benefits with cash from health savings accounts, according to Nationwide.

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