There is often a degree of confusion when individuals are dealing with long-term care (LTC) insurance and long-term disability coverage for obvious reasons. The average consumer can be forgiven for confusing the two forms of insurance, but it is important the difference is known to ensure that you do not get something which may not apply to what your long-term needs are.
First of all, long-term disability insurance protects your future earnings in the event you suffer a disabling event, such as broken legs, amputation or becoming paralyzed.
It tends to cover a percentage of what you would make normally at your job, in case of illness or injury. Disability insurance is incredibly important when you are working because very few people are prepared for the loss of their wages in the event of a workplace accident.
On average, you can expect the insurance to cover about 60 percent of your wages, but you will often require a doctor declaring that you are not physically, or mentally, able to return to work due to an accident or illness.
While you will only receive six months of coverage in short-term disability insurance, on long-term disability insurance policies, you will receive five to ten years of payments, and in some cases, payments to the age of 65.
LTC insurance is not meant to supplement your income in case of accident, but to provide a coverage of your expenses when you are in a nursing home, assisted-living facility or home-care program. Once a doctor has declared you need assistance with daily living activities, you will be able to quality for LTC insurance.
You will have to go through a waiting period for your LTC insurance benefits, which will last between 30 and 180 days. The length of the waiting period will depend greatly on the policy of the insurance company you use.
Typically, the longer the waiting period you will have on your LTC insurance, the lower the premium will be. In terms of benefit periods, they will run from two years to the end of your life.
As a result, LTC insurance is there to help you after you are done working and are unable to fully take care of yourself.
Conclusion
There is often a lot of confusion between disability insurance and LTC insurance, however the difference is quite clear. Disability insurance is meant to protect your future earnings due to an event that has left you disabled and unable to work. LTC insurance is there to cover your expenses in the event you are unable to care for yourself, either at your home or in a nursing home.
Overall, you want to make sure you find out what will be best for you in your current life stage. As a young man or woman, you may go with disability insurance, while if you are 50 or more, you will go for the LTC insurance.
Do your research and find out what you are looking for.
You should just ask for help from an insurance representative who specializes in long term care insurance to answer any questions.
Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Terry Stanfield
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