April 25, 2012
Could private long-term care insurance policies stop being sold? That's a distinct possibility, according to an article that recently ran in Investment News. The author notes that many of the companies that once offered the product no longer do so. In the past three years alone, Unum Group, Guardian, MetLife and Allianz have left the business. One challenge is that many companies did not know how much they would have to pay out once the policies were needed. Add in the low fixed-income returns insurance companies are making on the premiums, and the challenge becomes clear. According to some experts, insurers will have to revise coverage and increase premiums if they are to stay in this sector.