November Is Long-Term Care Awareness Month — Why This Matters for Your Clients and Your Book

November 5th, 2025

5 min read

November marks a great moment to bring LTC insurance front and center in your conversations. Many of your clients may be focused on year-end planning, Medicare or retirement issues. But long-term care (LTC) risks often lurk out of sight until they become urgent. As an agent, you have the opportunity to help your clients think ahead — protect assets, preserve independence, relieve family burden — and in doing so, build deeper value and trust in your relationships.

What’s driving the LTC need right now

Here are some of the key trends agents should keep in mind:

Costs of care continue to rise. For example, the average cost for a private-room nursing home in 2025 is estimated at over $10,000/month, and in-home care at more than $6,000/month nationally.
Claims paid under LTC insurance are increasing. One study shows industry paid claims of about $16 billion in 2023, with projections to grow toward ~$42 billion by 2041.
Premiums and underwriting are under pressure. Rate increases are common across states, driven by longer claim durations, higher care cost inflation, and lower than-expected policy lapses.
Product design is evolving. Stand-alone traditional LTC policies are no longer the only path; hybrid products, asset-based designs, and shorter-term care solutions are gaining traction.
The client profile is shifting. You’ll find more people in their 40s, 50s and early 60s who are thinking about LTC proactively, rather than waiting until later.

Why this matters for agents

Opportunity to differentiate: Many advisors focus on retirement income, Medicare, life/disability—but fewer deeply engage LTC planning. By making it part of your conversation this month, you stand out.
Deepens client relationships: LTC risk is personal—it touches care for self or spouse, assets, family burden. Engaging these topics builds trust.
Cross-sell / expand your offering: LTC touches multiple product lines—stand-alone LTC, hybrid life/LTC, annuities with LTC riders. Depending on your agency’s offerings, you can broaden your portfolio.
Compliance and education: Be sure you’re up to date on state licensing/training requirements for LTC insurance (or partnership programs) and accurate disclosures/expectations.

What to talk about with clients

When you engage clients this November, here are suggested conversation points:

Start with the “what if” question:
“If you or your spouse needed long-term care in 10 or 15 years, how would you pay for it? How would you want care delivered (at home vs facility)? How would it impact your savings or family?”
This warms them up to the concept and shows you’re thinking holistically.
Show the cost reality:
Use up-to-date stats to illustrate costs (nursing home, assisted living, home care). Many clients assume Medicare or their health insurance will cover this — remind them that typically it won’t.
Explain the product-options clearly:
- Traditional stand-alone LTC policies: These pay for long-term services/supports (home, assisted living, skilled nursing) if benefit triggers are met. But they often require medical underwriting, premiums can rise, and some carriers have exited the market.
- Hybrid/asset-based LTC solutions: These may combine life insurance or annuities with LTC benefits (so if you don’t use the LTC benefit, there’s still a death benefit). They’re increasingly popular and can be easier to sell/qualify.
- Short-term-care / indemnity LTC solutions: These may offer more modest benefit periods and underwriting, aimed at clients who either can’t qualify for full LTC or want a lower-cost option. Agents should know their limitations.
- State-partnership programs or tax-qualified policies: Some states link LTC policies with Medicaid asset-protection features if certain criteria are met.
Highlight the “sweet spot” for purchasing:
Many insurers prefer applicants in good health, and premiums are lower when purchased earlier rather than later. For example, coverage is generally available to adults up to age ~75, but the most value is often when bought in the 50-65 age band.
Address inflation, premium risk and underwriting:
Clients should understand that as care costs rise (driven by inflation, aging population), premiums may rise (in traditional policies) or benefit structure may change. You’ll need to help them assess premium sustainability.
Connect to their retirement/asset protection plan:
LTC insurance is not just about care—it’s about protecting retirement savings, preserving quality of life and giving clients and their families choices. Position it as part of their holistic retirement/asset protection strategy.

Market and product trends worth knowing

Many carriers are tightening underwriting, managing in-force blocks, and focusing on rate-increase filings. Agents should keep an eye on which carriers remain active in their state.
Hybrid LTC products are gaining momentum—offering alternatives for clients who may not qualify for full traditional LTC. Agents who are product-savvy in this area will be more competitive.
Technology and data analytics are influencing claims, underwriting and product design (though more on the care-facility side).
Regulatory oversight is evolving. For example, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has been working on multistate rate review frameworks for LTC insurance.

Practical tips for agents this month

Use November (Long-Term Care Awareness Month) to schedule LTC reviews with your clients—especially those in their 50s-early 60s, or clients who bought LTC years ago and may need an update.
Prepare a case study or story (compliance-friendly) to illustrate how LTC insurance financially helped a family stay at home or preserved assets. Stories resonate.
Create a client-facing hand-out or checklist on LTC planning risks and options (you could tie it to your brand, e.g., “PSM Brokerage Long-Term Care Planning Snapshot”).
Keep your product knowledge sharp: Know which carriers in your state are selling what, the underwriting requirements, the inflation protection options, and premium-increase risk.
Collaborate with your compliance team to ensure all LTC marketing follows your state’s rules (e.g., training, disclosures, suitability) and tie it into your broader offering (e.g., Medicare plans, retirement income, life insurance).
Look for cross-sale opportunities: For clients buying or reviewing life insurance or annuities, see if a hybrid LTC-rider solution makes sense.
Encourage early action: Emphasize that waiting too long or waiting until a health issue arises can reduce options or increase cost.

Sample Conversation Starter

“John, we’ve just wrapped your annual retirement review and touched on your Medicare plan, life insurance and savings. One piece we haven’t yet discussed is long-term care risk. As you’ve told me, preserving your lifestyle and not becoming a burden to your children is very important. Given the rising cost of care and the kind of support you told me you’d prefer, it may be wise to review how you’d pay for long-term help if it becomes necessary. Would you allow me to run two scenarios with you—one with no LTC insurance, the other with a policy in place—and we can see how your overall plan holds up?”

Compliance and Disclosure Reminders

As with all insurance marketing, be mindful of compliance. If you discuss LTC insurance, ensure you're abiding by your state’s licensing and training requirements for LTC sales. Also make sure your marketing materials are accurate, don’t overpromise, and clearly state the limitations of the product. Use disclosures as required.
If your firm does not offer every LTC carrier available in the market, use the TPMO/TPMO-style disclaimer (adapted to LTC) to remind clients you only offer certain carriers and do not represent every plan available.
Likewise ensure your marketing copy avoids unsubstantiated superlatives (e.g., “best,” “top,” “#1”) unless verifiable, consistent with your standards.

Conclusion

November gives you a natural conversation hook. By positioning LTC insurance as part of the broader retirement/asset-protection puzzle, you help clients see beyond just “Medicare plus life” and move toward a more comprehensive plan—one that truly protects them and their families. Clients will appreciate the forward-thinking, and you will deepen your role as a trusted advisor—not just during the LTC sales moment, but across their full planning horizon.

LTC Insurance 101 Client Presentation

Sources & References

Topics:

Risks in retirement

Success Tips

Health Insurance

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Retirement Planning

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