How to Have More Effective Long-Term Care Conversations With Clients: Insights From Nationwide’s LTC Experts
Families know that long-term care (LTC) is a topic that must be discussed — but it’s often avoided until there’s an urgent need for a family member. That’s why, since 2001, November has been considered Long-Term Insurance Care Awareness Month: to inspire more people to plan sooner.
Americans are living longer than ever before, requiring families to consider a wider range of caregiving needs than in past generations. That’s why financial professionals play such an important role in guiding clients toward realistic, compassionate planning.
During a recent session hosted by AIMCOR EIG and Nationwide Mutual Insurance, a panel of experts explored how to navigate these conversations with confidence, empathy, and smart-money insights. The panelists were Nationwide’s Shawn Britt, Director of Long-Term Care Initiatives, and Alan Gregoire, Senior Director of Underwriting.
Their advice in a nutshell: LTC planning isn’t about selling a product. It’s about solving a future problem your client may not even realize they have.
Here are the key insights from their presentation and discussion.
Start With a Conversation — Not a Sales Pitch
Don’t start by selling LTC insurance. Clients immediately put up walls when they sense a sales pitch — especially around a subject as emotionally loaded as aging and care. Instead, the panelists recommended focusing on:
● The consequences of not planning ahead
● How extended care needs affect loved ones
● The importance of staying in control of decisions, even during a health event
“Be a problem solver, not a salesperson,” Britt emphasized. If clients see the need to plan, they’ll naturally want to understand how to fund that plan. So, it’s important to pay close attention to the language you use, such as:
✔️Avoid starting with “long-term care”: That phrase causes many people to freeze up. It also makes some people think: “You’re trying to sell me nursing home insurance.” Instead, try to frame the conversation around a solution. Ask them: “Let’s talk about how we can help you stay in your home as long as possible, if you ever need a little help.”
✔️Use gentler phrases: Don’t use “burden”; instead, say “challenge.” Replace “stuck in the middle” with “juggling responsibilities” when referring to a person who’s taking care of both an elderly family member and children. These small shifts keep clients from feeling defensive or judged.
✔️ Focus on home care: People value their independence. It’s hard for some people to accept the idea of ending up in an assisted-living situation. But also, many people will never need to face that reality in today’s world. Since 73% of LTC claims start in the home, it’s a truthful and client-friendly entry point.
Why Women Often Drive the LTC Decision
Women tend to buy LTC insurance for peace of mind. They are frequently the family members with the most caregiving experience, and they’re motivated to prevent other loved ones from dealing with the emotional and financial strain they themselves have witnessed.
Behavioral research has repeatedly shown that men, on the other hand, often default to ignoring the issue or falling back on a belief that they “won’t need it.” Knowing these dynamics are often in play, our panelists recommend these tips when interacting with clients:
● Encourage women to speak first
● Be ready with multiple solutions to meet different concerns
● Use investment-oriented language (like internal rates of return) when talking with analytically minded clients – especially men
Three Types of LTC Prospects – and How to Approach Each One
1. Clients who waited too long
These are the “knocking down your door” clients. One spouse may already need care and is no longer insurable. Although their options may be limited, you can still create a plan by:
● Insuring the healthy spouse, thereby reducing long-term financial costs
● Using life insurance with an LTC rider (see more on this below)
● Leveraging cash-indemnity benefits to help cover the uninsurable spouse
● Using tax-efficient strategies for paying LTC expenses (including potential deductions)
It’s not ideal, but it’s far better than having no strategy at all.
2. Clients who have been caregivers
This group usually understands the need for LTC immediately. They’ve lived the consequences of caregiving putting a strain on their own family, which can include lost income, emotional burnout, and tension between family members. For these clients, try to work with them on formalizing what they would like to happen, and then, creating a strategy that lays all of that out:
● Help them write down their wishes clearly
● Create a dedicated funding stream to execute those wishes
● Protect those LTC funds from market volatility
The most effective approach for these clients? Ask them to talk about their experience. It naturally leads them to want to protect their own children from the same challenges.
3. Clients who resist planning
These clients are often in denial — and, according to our experts, frequently male. Common statements you’ll hear that suggest a client may fit this category:
● "My wife will take care of me."
● "My kids can help if needed."
● "I can self-fund."
● "The government will pay for it."
Your #1 tool in these situations? Offer agreement and reassurance — at first. Make them feel comfortable and then find an opening to advance the conversation. Analytically-minded people often respond well to a thought exercise, so nudge them to consider what happens if they’re wrong without lecturing or pressuring. Ask them: “What happens if the market is down when you need care?”
When presented calmly and respectfully, these questions shift the client from denial to planning mode.
Policy Options to Fund Your Plan
Once clients acknowledge the need to plan, funding becomes straightforward. Nationwide offers several flexible approaches:
● Life Insurance with LTC Riders: This option is a good fit for clients who are concerned about “use it or lose it” scenarios. These policies provide a leveraged death benefit that pays out whether or not care is ultimately needed. It can also work well in tandem with survivorship policies.
● Linked-Benefit (Hybrid) LTC Policies: An ideal choice for clients who want stronger LTC protection with guaranteed benefits. You can take out a linked-benefit policy for either an individual or married couple. They provide flexible cash-indemnity payments, along with a death benefit that often equals or exceeds premiums paid.
● LTC-Enhanced Annuities: These policies are a good fit for people who don’t qualify for traditional LTC policies. Eligibility runs up to age 80, plus they offer easier LTC underwriting than most options. When unused, the insurer will pay out the contract value to beneficiaries.
How We Can Help
Both speakers closed with the same core message: Don’t talk about the risk of needing care; talk about what happens without a plan. Clients relate to consequences and want the best for their families over the long run. When the conversation starts there, LTC solutions become not just understandable — but welcome.
At AIMCOR EIG, we offer a range of creative insurance solutions to help clients navigate the unknown. Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can achieve the best financial outcomes for you and your family.