The best long-term care insurance company is , according to Investopedia’s research.ꦬ The best companies are financially strong with generous benefits and quality customer service. We compared 11 companies on 24 criteria tಞo find the best options.
Best Long-Term Care Insurance
- Best Overall: 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网: Northwestern Mutual
- Runner Up: 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网: Thrivent
- Best for No Waiting Period: 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网: Mutual of Omaha
- Best for Lifetime Benefits: 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网: National Guardian
Best Overall : Northwestern Mutual
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Northwestern Mutual
- Maximum monthly benefit: $12,000
- Customer complaints: Far fewer than expected
Northwestern Mutual’s long-term care insurance could be a strong option if you want comprehensive coverage with a high benefit limit.
High maximum benefit
Online claim filing
Very few customer complaints
Financial strength
Must wait six weeks for benefits
Northwestern Mutual is Investopedi💖a’s top choice for long-term care insurance. It offers a monthly maximum benefit of $12,000, second only to Thrivent among companies we reviewed. A high benefit amount is helpful for covering bills if you need comprehensive care.
When you need to access benefits, Northwestern offers the convenience of online claim filing. The company receives very few 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:customer complaints and is financially strong, so it’s more likely to be able to pay out claims in the future.ꦑ
However, the company increased rates oܫn some long-term care policies sold before early 2013. Many long-term care insurance companies have done so in recent years to ma꧙ke sure they can pay future claims as insurers previously charged too little in premiums to cover what they were paying out for these policies.
The industry has since adjusted. The American Association of Long–Term Care Insurance published a study that showed under new regulations, policies sold today are unlikely to face future rate increases. Northwestern Mutual has maintained the highest possible finan𓃲cial strength ratings.
Northwestern’s standalone long-term care insurance policy is called QuietCare, and it includes coverage options such as 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:inflation protection, survivorship benefits for couples, and paid-up nonforfeiture benefits, which allow you to retain somꦿe level of coveraౠge if you stop paying premiums. However, there is a six-week elimination period before you can access benefits.
In long-term care insurance, an 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:elimination period is how long you wa🎃it to get benefits after yo𒊎ur injury or illness starts.
In 2022, the company launched a hybrid 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:life insurance policy called Long-Term Advantage, which pays a life insurance benefit if you don’t need long-term c🔥are.
Northwest♌ern Mutual was founded in 1857 and is based in Milwa⛎ukee.
Runner Up : Thrivent
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Thrivent
- Maximum monthly benefit: $15,000
- Customer complaints: Far fewer than expected
Thrivent is a financially stable company with a strong customer complaint record and benefit offerings, making it an attractive option if you’re Christian.
Up to $15,000 monthly benefit amount (h﷽ighest in Investopedia’s study)
8-year maximum benefit period
Financial strength
Very few customer complaints
Policies include care coordinator
Must be Chri𝓡stian or married to ওa Christian to apply
No online claims
Thrivent could be a good alternative for long-term care insurance. It’s 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:financially strong, so it’s likely to meet its long-term obligations to policyholders. Long-term care insurance is designed to provide benefits many years into the future, so an insurer’s financial outlook is important.
AM Best rates insurance companies on their ability to meet financial obligations, grading each on a scale. Thrivent and Northwestern Mutual each received the highest possible grade, A++.
A low rate of customer complaints suggests Thrivent has effective customer service and claims-handling 𓆉processes. Customer service is especially key for long-term care i♔nsurance because claims can be complex and emotionally charged.
Thrivent boasts the highest maximum monthly benefit amount in Investopedia’s study ($15,000), and an 8-year maximum benefit period, the second-longest in our review. You can access significant financial support to cover potentially high long-term care costs over an extended period. Since the average length of long-term care is 3.6 years for women and 2.5 years for men, Thrivent’s extended window could provide coverage even for someone who needs care well beyond what’s typical.
Thrivent’s long-term care insurance policy includes a benefit that provides a licensed health care coordinator to assist in developing💞 a formal care plan, help identify local care providers and resources, and monitor ongoing care needs. A Shared Care ꦉBenefit Rider allows couples to share their benefits. For example, if you exhaust all benefits in your policy, you can access your partner’s.
However, Thrivent has some limitations. Applicants must be Christian or married to a Christian, which limits accessibility for many people. And Thrivent doesnꦑ’t offer online claims filing, which may make the process less convenient.
Thrivent was foun𒈔ded in 1902 and is based in Minneapolis.
Best for No Waiting Period : Mutual of Omaha
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澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网: Mutual of Omaha
- Maximum monthly benefit: $10,000
- Customer complaints: Far fewer than expected
Mutual of Omaha includes policy options with no waiting period for benefits, so you can be covered for care immediately.
Policy with no waiting period available
Few customer complaints
No online claims
Mutual of Omaha offers t🧜wo long-term policy options, MutualCare Secure and MutualCare Custom. MutualCare Custom allows you to t꧅ailor coverage to meet your needs with customizable policy limits, benefits, and waiting periods.
Mutual of Omaha even has the option for no waiting period. This enables you to access benefits as soon as you qualify from a future illness or injury. Note that you must be healthy enough when you apply to pass medical 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:underwriting. Someone who already needs long-term care at the time of application ౠlikely will be denied coverage.
Both policies include th🤡e option for a cash benefit, which provides part of the monthly benefit in advance, with no elimination period, for any expenses related to your long-term care needs. Mutual of Omaha receives few customer complaints, indicating customers are generally satisfied with the service.
However, Mutual of Omahaꦜ doesn’t offer online claims filing, which may be inconvenient.
Mutual of Omaha was founded in 1909 and is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.
Best for Lifetime Benefits : National Guardian
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Maximum monthly benefit: $9,000
Customer complaints: Far fewer than expected
National Guardian’s long-term care insurance includes the option for lifetime benefits, ensuring that coverage continues as long as care is needed.
Lifetime benefits available with rider
Policy with no waiting period available
Few customer complaints
Lower maximum monthly benefit than competitors
No online claims
National Guardian’s long-term care insurance policy, EssentialLTC, can include an optional rider that extends the initial three-year 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:benefit period to four, five, or six years, or a lifetime. National Guardian is the only company in our study to of💟fer a lifetime benefit option. A lifetime benefit can provide peace of mind that you’ll still be covered for an extended ongoing issue, such as Alzheimer's, which can exhaust benefits in other policies. You can also choose an elimination period of zero days in some areas, so the policy starts paying as soon as you get sick or injured.
EssentialLTC includes flexible premium payment options. You can pay over 10 years, all at once, or over the life of the policy, allowing you to choose a payment plan that aligns with your finan𝔉cial goals.
꧑ National Guardian receives few customer complaints for a company of its size. This i💦ndicates that customers are generally satisfied with the service and handling of their policies and claims.
There are some potential drawbacks. National Guardian does not꧋ offer online claims filing, which might make the process less convenient.
The $9,000 maximum monthly benefit isn’t as high as those provided by Thrivent or Noꦛrthwestern Mutual, so it might not be enough to cover the total costs of care in some areas. The national average cost for a private room in a nursing home is more than $9,500 a month.
National Guardian Life Insurance Company was founded in 1909 and is based in Madison, Wisconsin.
Why You Should Trust Us
Investopedia’s financial product reviews are based on unbiased research and analysis by our staff. This list of top long-term care insurance companies is based on data from 11 companies, evaluating coverage, financial strength, customer complaints, and other features to help you choose the best provider. Investopedia has been a trusted source of financial information since 1999 and has reviewed long-term care insurance companies since 2020.
How 🎐We Chose the Best Long-Term Care Insurance Companies
Investopedia’s list of the best long-term care insurance companie🍎s is based on research of 11 companies. Each company had to ♊meet Investopedia’s standards for online transparency and financial strength to be included.
We collected 32 data points from each company from company web pages, media representatives, rating agencies (AM Best and the ✃澳洲幸运5官꧅方开奖结果体彩网:National Association of Insurance Commissioners), and customer se🌄rvice calls. The research tookꦅ place from April 2 to April 24, 2025.
Staff editors and research analysts then scored each company using a weighted quantitative model based on eight major categories. We weighted the categorie🎉s as follows:
- Coverage limits: 38%
- Financial strength: 15%
- Customer complaints: 10%
- Types of care covered: 10%
- Online claims: 10%
- Riders: 9%
- Discounts: 4%
- Standalone policy availability: 4%
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