Hybrid life insurance with LTC benefits: tap into or pass on

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Baby boomers postponing purchasing long term care insurance, despite what may be going on in their parents advanced age, have plenty of reasons to balk at conventional LTC plans.

One of the six primary reasons people do not buy long term care insurance.  pdf

Sixth, the structure of policies themselves (benefits
denominated in dollars per day, inflation risk of purchasing insurance for an event that is probabilistically far away, increases in premiums for everyone when insurance companies face insolvency, denial of applications) reduces purchase rates.

Potential premium rate increases, big ones, are are the glaring weakness of stand alone LTC plan. The track record of existing policies has not been good with the double digit premium increases over the past few years.

To the rescue for viable avenue of coverage, Hybrid life/LTC insurance offers rate stability. Guaranteed Universal Life (GUL) products lock in a fixed premium guaranteed for life.  The majority of these GUL products come with some sort of accelerated benefit targeted for long term care.

Hybrid Life plans provide a benefit one way or another. If you never need LTC coverage, your beneficiaries get the life insurance. Then if long-term care becomes a necessity, accelerate out a portion of the benefit. It may be only a small portion of the benefit ends up being needed; the rest can remain as a life insurance benefit.

Life hybrids are not perfect. Look for plans that specifically titled “long-term care” for more comprehensive benefit. Life policies with “chronic care” accelerated benefits are not as inclusive as their long term care benefit counterparts. With chronic care, the condition must likely be permanent. That benefit threshold would be a problem with for example a stroke, however debilitating a stroke might be, it may be considered to be recoverable. Many more conditions like a broken hip are not going to qualify for a chronic care benefit where they would if the plan’s benefits are full fledged long-term care.

There are other limitations that pull from the edges of rock solid LTC coverage. For example, the structure of benefit is generally limited by a monthly amount or daily maximum tied to the HIPAA per diem limit currently allowed by IRS rules, but just review carefully what’s optimal given the choices for plans and your situation.

Look for plans that have indemnity benefit, paid in cash, rather than reimbursement: better to receive a check than submit bills to be repaid.

How much coverage is enough?

Fifth, a sizable portion of the population has neither sufficient wealth to protect nor income to pay long-term care insurance premiums.

Most people have a desire to leave something to their children, or if nothing else, not be a financial burden on their children. It’s hard to judge how much money would be needed to cover LTC.  It really runs the gambit but coverage for $100,000 provides at least something. One life plan with chronic care starts at a $25,000 face amount.

With the exception of certain plans like Lincoln National’s MoneyGuard, hybrid life benefits do not provide inflation protection. LTC benefits are no higher than the death benefit. Chronic Care plans have no upfront charge, but reduce the benefit with a discount charge. How big a policy is enough if determined by the face amount: $100k, $250k, $1m?  The solution to choose a plan that builds cash value with an increasing face amount death benefit, either an Indexed Universal Life or a Current Assumption UL, to access cash value through policy loans or partial surrenders.

Hybrid life premiums with accelerated living benefits for LTC are affordable, not for or some worst case scenario like Alzheimer’s, but still something is better for nothing. There are hybrid life plans with $100,000 to $250,000 face amounts for people in their 50’s or 60’s with reasonable premiums. Chronic Care riders have no up front charge for the benefit. Check them out by reviewing the sample quotes by age on this website.

AARP life insurance simply much more expensive

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I first posted about AARP’s high priced life insurance program two years ago. Has there been any reform to that profit mill taking advantage of seniors?  No.  AARP member options are only among the most expensive.

AARP now promotes “The AARP Life Insurance From New York Life” on a separate website.  It’s “exclusively for AARP members.” Their mission statement: “To help make it simpler for AARP members to apply for affordable life insurance protection, AARP selected New York Life to provide a life insurance program just for its members.”  (italics mine)

simple = more expensive

The AARP New York Life insurance web page has three choices, all of them no physical exam, i.e. paramed exam.  Simple.  Higher priced simplicity.

Are you in good, average or even slightly below average health?  Focus on fully underwritten life insurance requiring a paramed exam. It’s free, at home or wherever you choose at your convenience, takes about 20 minutes and saves you a considerable amount of money.

Best value in rapidly descending order:

  1. full underwriting:      paramed exam
  2. simplified issue:      no paramed exam
  3. guaranteed issue:   no health questions

Unsure if qualified for fully underwritten coverage?  Find out. You’d be surprised. Type 2 diabetics with good control can get standard rates. Always check first before applying. Even if a simplified issue product is advisable, shop around for the lowest prices. There are much better deals than those offered through AARP.

Doubly more expensive permanent

For example, $25,000 permanent coverage female 66 years old, monthly premiums

$70.00     Transamerica at preferred non-tobacco, GUL*, age 121
$74.00     Transamerica at standard non-tobacco, GUL*, age 121
$127.52    AARP Life Insurance program from New York Life, age 121

Why would an organization, supposedly acting in its members best interest, not promote fully underwritten life insurance options?  How about: ease of issue, faster turn around, lower labor costs, higher premiums, higher profits.

Term:  At your age?

Term is to replace lost income or to cover a debt like a mortgage. If there is a shorter duration need, term life insurance might be suitable, but generally retirees should get permanent life insurance for estate planning and final expenses, not term.  Outlive the term period, and there’s zero benefit.  If for some reason term is needed, get fully underwritten coverage. No physical exam term is much more expensive. The AARP program term rates are five-year age bands: e.g., 65-69, 70-74.  Tiered rate term insurance is an inferior product and much more expensive. Level premium term is the best. The rate is the same for the entire term period.

Please contact me for a free and confidential quote.  Many more options available.

sean's profile picLicensed Agent:  Sean Drummey
phone: (910) 328-0447
email: spdrummey@gmail.com

* Guaranteed Universal Life (GUL), also called no-lapse Guaranteed Universal Life, look for lifetime no-lapse guarantee level premium to age 120 or age 121; three major life carriers have GUL products starting at $25,000.

Product and carrier details:
Transamerica Life Insurance Company: “TransACE”
Genworth Life Insurance Company: “Colony Term”

quotes 6/14/2013, rates subject to change

Universal Life vs guaranteed UL what works best depends on age

Universal Life, UL, has many different life insurance product designations. One of the most basic distinctions is whether it is a UL or a Guaranteed UL.

Guaranteed Universal Life  (Guaranteed UL)
With guaranteed UL there is a lapse protection guarantee: as long as you pay your premium on time, coverage is guaranteed.  Lifetime guaranteed UL is guaranteed to age 121.  Great coverage: inexpensive, straightforward, easy to understand.  Put premium payments on bank draft and forget about it.  Is there a catch?  No.  Well, perhaps in a few ways: guaranteed UL’s lack flexibility on the adjusting the premium amount, the lapse protection is lost if the premium is not paid on time, and guaranteed UL’s do not build much cash value.

Universal Life (UL)
UL’s are called flexible adjustable life insurance for a reason. Premiums are flexible.  There is a target premium.  The real target is to make the life insurance coverage last for the rest of the policy holder’s life. Premium can be raised, lowered or kept the same to meet that target.  It’s sort of like gas in the car.  The idea is to have enough gas (cash value) to reach one’s destination, i.e.  go beyond the person’s lifespan. At the policy’s beginning, target premium is typically set to age 100.  The car’s (i.e. carrier) performance helps determine how much gas (premium) is needed.  With a UL the holder is obliged to take a much more active role in management of the policy.

Does my age affect which type I choose?
Yes, generally select a UL in 40’s and 50’s, and a guaranteed UL in 60’s, 70’s and 80’s

Universal Life: 40’s and 50’s
When younger, in your 40’s or 50’s, you want the flexibility of regular universal life to lower or raise premium payments depending on your financial situation, to build higher cash value and to possibly replace your coverage for a better product later on.

For example:

Mrs. Wright, age 46, takes out a $250,000 universal life policy with the target premium of $150 a month.   Five years later, her child needs braces and her monthly budget is tight.   Since there is $3,000 cash value in her policy, Mrs. Wright, after reviewing an in force illustration, lowers her premium to $100 a month.   One year later after getting back on better financial footing, Mrs. Wright increases her premium to $200 a month until the policy back on track to the original target of age 100.  Later she is able to lower the premium back down to $150 a month.

Guaranteed UL: 60’s, 70’s and 80’s

When older, lock in a benefit amount for a set premium for life.

For example:

Mr. Ward, age 68, would like to leave $500,000 to his son.  He chooses a guaranteed universal life product because the premiums are fixed and the policy is guaranteed to age 121.   He has a secure retirement income and can well afford a fixed premium payment.  He puts those payments on bank draft and can rest assured that this portion of his estate plan is secure.

Life insurance to pay off a reverse mortgage

First let’s assume a homeowner does adequate research including taking a long hard look at the disadvantages and alternatives decides a reverse mortgage appropriate for their situation. Granted, many homeowners will need every penny of this money, but some may desire to tap into home equity for discretionary funds and have broader goals.  For example, those who want an heir to keep the house, life insurance is a means to pay off the reverse mortgage’s loan balance.

For those in average or better than average health, life insurance is readily available in one’s 60’s, 70’s, and even 80’s.   For joint policies only one of a couple needs to be healthy to qualify; the other can be uninsurable.

There are two forms of life insurance: term and permanent.   Term level premium ends in 10, 15 or 20 years, so in generally term is not suitable to cover a reverse mortgage’s lifetime commitment.  For permanent there is whole life and universal life, which comes in many forms.  The best product to cover a reverse mortgages is guaranteed universal life.   It’s fixed rate and coverage for life, usually to age 121.   All the policyholder has to do to is pay the premiums on time.   Couples can get joint coverage, also known as second to die coverage, with a joint survivor guaranteed UL.  How much does a guaranteed UL cost?   There are sample rates by age on the right hand side for individuals.   Please contact me for your own personalized quote.  Here’s an example.

Mr. and Mrs. Jones, both 73 and in good health, needs funds for retirement but want to leave their lakeside home to their daughter, so they decide upon a reverse mortgage.  They qualify for a lump sum payment of $250,000.  They take out a $350,000 joint survivor life insurance policy so their daughter may pay back interest and principal on the loan, and also as a contingency against declining home value.  A $350,000 joint survivor guaranteed UL with Prudential is $650.00 a month, at the preferred non tobacco rate.

If this couple were in average health, this Prudential joint coverage is $887.00 a month at the standard rate.  To show you how joint policies compare to individual, using this example a $350,000 individual policy for a woman is $768.38 a month with Lincoln National and $1,009.23 a month for a 73 year old man with Banner Life.

Keep in mind the heirs can be the owners and beneficiaries of life insurance policy and pay a portion or all of the premiums.

Financial planners may be wrong on life insurance

Do you have a life insurance policy purchased in the 1980’s or 90’s? It’s time for an independent review.  Do not necessarily expect the agent or financial planner that sold it to you to give you objective recommendations on its status. I reviewed a policy this week where a financial planner gave years of bad advice and continued to do so, even as the policy projected to go off the cliff. A financial planner may be unqualified, too busy or lack the financial incentive in revamping your life insurance coverage. Here’s what you should recognize if you bought a policy in that era:

  • Do not assume the policy is whole life.   Generally, they are universal life (UL).    There’s a big difference.

Continue reading “Financial planners may be wrong on life insurance”

Small permanent life insurance in your 60’s and 70’s

Looking for a smaller life insurance policy for final expenses?   What’s best?   It depends on how much coverage you need.

American General Life recently sent agents and brokers a notice that they were lowering their prices on the whole life product, called American Elite Whole Life.   They had pretty good prices already, so I looked into it.  For example,  a $10,000 whole life policy with American General for a female 68 non tobacco is $48.20 a month.   That beats Liberty Bankers Life $51.97 a month.   Both are “non par” or non participating whole life: no dividends and so the face amount is level; it will always be a $10,000 benefit.  American General has paid up insurance.  That’s a plus if you decide to stop paying premiums.  You would have the option to surrender the policy for its cash value or keep a smaller paid up policy.   For example, after 10 years this 68 year old female would have the option of taking $2,330 in cash value or keeping $3,918 in paid up insurance. American General however requires full underwriting, meaning a blood test and possibly a review of medical records, for people over 55.  Liberty Bankers life is simplified issue, no blood test.

In contrast a $25,000 guaranteed universal life policy with North American is $47.68 a month at their best rate, $50.26 at preferred non tobacco and $64.03 at standard non tobacco.   This required full underwriting: blood test and usually medical records.

$25,000 of coverage for $50.26 a month or $10,000 for $48.20 a month?   Easy choice.  You pay about the same for a $25,000 guaranteed UL as a $10,000 whole life.  Both offer permanent life insurance coverage at a fixed rate.   American General’s whole life only real advantage is if you terminated the policy.  You have the choice of the guaranteed cash surrender value or reduced paid up coverage.  North American guaranteed UL builds little or no cash value, but if you pay on time the coverage is guaranteed to age 120.  Guaranteed Universal Life is a better deal.

What if all you need is something like $5,000 or $8,000 in coverage?   Let’s use female age 68 non smoker again as an example.   For $5,000 it’s $24.10 a month with American General and $28.22 with Liberty Bankers Life.  For $8,000 it’s $38.56 with American General and $42.57 a month with Liberty Bankers Life.   American General is less expensive.  It would depend on your individual health situation, because American General requires more underwriting.   Regardless, look to whole life for coverage amounts less than $10,000.

Face amounts as low as $5,000, $1,000 for term conversions.

8/8/2011, quotes , non tobacco, rates subject to change, quote accuracy or completeness not guaranteed

image source: Wikimedia commons

Term vs. Permanent it’s all a matter of age

Should one choose term or permanent life insurance?   Granted every situation is different, but a general guideline is simple.  Go by the age you need to cover.

Term before retirement and permanent after retirement –  Term to replace a breadwinner’s lost income: permanent for final expenses or estate planning.

Term –   pre-retirement

  • 20’s:  30 year term
  • 30’s:  30 year term
  • 40’s:  20 or 25 year term
  • 50’s:  10 or 15 year term
  • 60’s:  10 year term

7 to 10 times annual salary is general rule of thumb. Most important: get something with affordable premiums.  If need be, drop back on the term length, rather than the face amount, for affordability.

If you have children, get term long enough to cover your youngest child past college age.  For example, if your youngest is 9,  a 15 year term.   9 + 15 =  age 24.    It used to be that age 22 was the benchmark year for college graduation, but since the 5 year plan is more the norm, so you may want stretch it out a bit more.

Permanent  –    post-retirement:  60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s

Ideally, start a separate permanent policy in your 30’s, 40’s or 50’s.  If not, permanent is available into one’s 80’s.  If unhealthy, you can convert your term policy into permanent in your 60’s.

First choice: fully underwritten life insurance, which requires a blood test and medical records.  It’s less expensive, and you get more coverage.  There’s a big industry out there, including AARP, that misleads seniors into needlessly expensive no exam term and permanent. That coverage is only plan B if very unhealthy and for permanent only.  Don’t be fooled into no exam term.

North American currently has the best policy for final expenses, a $25,000 guaranteed universal life.

For estate planning purposes there are guaranteed universal life policies at whatever coverage level that suits your objectives.  The most choices are for coverage at $100,000 or more.  Please refer to my sample quotes by age.

Images: Wikimedia Commons

Life insurance bundled with long term care and critical illness

Life insurance can now fund long term care or critical care expenses. Turn your death benefit into a living benefit. American National now offers an impressive group of accelerated benefit riders at no extra charge.

There are three living benefits:

  • Chronic   –  Payment of an accelerated benefit if the insured cannot perform 2 of 6 activities of daily living or cognitively impaired. This is the criteria for long term care insurance benefits with traditional LTC plans.   Use your life insurance to augment your LTC insurance, cash comes in handier than expense reimbursement, or have your life policy serve as your contingent LTC insurance.
  • Critical   –  Payment of an accelerated benefit if the insured experiences a critical illness. American National says 16 different illness, but details and definitions must be referred to on the specific rider
  • Terminal  –  Payment of an accelerated benefit  if insured has less than 24 months to live. Most life insurance coverage has this terminal illness rider.   It’s 12 months in certain states.

Continue reading “Life insurance bundled with long term care and critical illness”

Couple considers life insurance as estate plan for children

A couple nearly 70 years old and in good health asked a newspaper financial columnist if it was too good to be true that a $200,000 life insurance policy could provide an $800,000 tax free benefit for their children.

Well, $800,000 sounds like a bit of a stretch, especially if you want to play it safe with a guaranteed policy.  Hovever, the general concept is valid.

They are talking here about a survivorship universal life policy, called a SUL or second-to-die.   And they’re probably talking about the $200,000 as a single pay, one single lump sum payment with no further premiums.    The columnist gave a fairly good answer, and warned about guaranteed and non guaranteed elements.   Well, that’s a traditional SUL, and to get anywhere near $800k with a $200k single pay, you’d have to look at a SUL.

There is also Guaranteed SUL, of G-SUL.  The benefit won’t be as high, but it’s guaranteed to age 120, so you don’t have to worry about the policy’s performance or outliving your policy.

Here’s what a Guaranteed SUL looks life for someone in “good” health.  Two rate classes, preferred and Non-Smoker Plus, with Prudential are health rates that mean good.  Prudential is generally the strongest carrier right now for G-SUL, but you would have to compare rate given the couple’s health factors.

Continue reading “Couple considers life insurance as estate plan for children”

Woman buying most life insurance plus long-term care insurance

Woman buy 60% of the life insurance plus long-term care insurance policies, according  to research by the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.  34% of the woman were between 55 to 64, and 40% were between ages 65 to 74.

North American has the best deal for life plus chronic illness benefit.   It’s a universal life policy that can accelerate out 24% a year in cash for chronic illness.   End up not needing long term care?   Your beneficiaries get the full policy face amount or whatever you haven’t accelerated out for long term care.    Also North American policy face amounts start at $25,000 of coverage, so premiums can fit any budget.

For larger face amounts there are single premium policies with Genworth and Lincoln National that offer many advantages such as return of premium.  There are also annuities that offer long term care riders which extend long term care coverage 2 or 3 times higher than the  face amount.