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The 26th annual Intercompany Company Long-Term Care Insurance Conference in Orlando drew more than 1,000 long-term care insurance professionals: actuaries, claims specialists, underwriters, compliance and legal teams, and, yes, agents like me.
Annuity-LTC Combinations
Several carriers are launching new products, making this a breakout year for LTC annuities.
The ideal target: Clients with "lazy money" — CDs, money market accounts, low-interest savings — who don't need those funds for their lifestyle, want safety and guarantees, and are uninsured or underinsured for LTC.
This product also works well for clients with difficult underwriting histories and for second marriages.
The underwriting can be just a phone interview, with no exam and no need for the client to provide labs or no medical records.
Speakers suggested framing conversations with clients about the annuities as "repositioning money they already have" for leverage, tax-free benefits and care support when needed.
Working With Consumers
About 70% of LTC decisions are driven by emotion; 30% by finances.
Conference speakers called for leading with family impact and tax-free solutions.
The claims tsunami is real: Traditional LTC carriers paid $16 billion in claims in 2025. The total is projected to triple within eight years.
Today's policies offer value now: wellness benefits, care navigation and a support system for families.
Here's how Gen X is learning about LTC insurance, according to survey data from Genworth:
Internet and social media: 86%.
Family and friends: 41%.
Financial advisors: 38%.
Agents: 24%.
ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools: 13%.
Tools that can work for reaching GenX include LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, blogs, e-newsletters and video.
Old standbys like seminars, direct mail and print still have a place too.
Working With Business Owners
Hybrid LTC coverage gives self-employed owners an above-the-line tax deduction and serves as a powerful executive benefit, with tax advantages for both employer and employee.
Notably, the client conversation is shifting: It's no longer about why plan for LTC, but how to plan for it most efficiently.
Marketing That Actually Works
A 10-person focus group — educated, affluent, all current LTC policyholders — offered candid feedback on marketing materials:
What doesn't work: Scare tactics
What works: Statistics
Preferred formats: Print, digital comparison tools, interactive websites and email
The focus group participants' favorite lead messages? "Protect the life you built and build the life you deserve," and "Because your independence should never be put to chance."
The Disney Lesson: Go the Extra Inch
The kick-off speaker from Disney set the tone for the entire conference.
Disney trains its cast members around three simple goals: make everybody happy, pick up trash, and do the job you were assigned.
The key message? Consistently exceed customer expectations by going the extra inch — something small, but meaningful.
That philosophy resonated deeply with me.
As a longtime LTC specialist with clients now going on claim, I want them to feel genuinely glad they have a policy — and eager to tell others about it.
Margie Barrie, an agent with ACSIA Partners, has been writing the LTCI Insider column since 2000. She is the author of two books and a frequent conference speaker.
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