Know your policy guidelines

-Make sure that the policy clearly states what is covered. Some policies cover nursing home care, but not assisted living, others are more inclusive. Choosing a limited form of coverage is often cheaper, but a guess, because the need is difficult to predict.

-Make sure the policy covers a period during which you pay all your expenses from your own pocket for LTC coverage kicks-a kind of LTC insurance deductible. The disadvantage is that the expenditure in this period (the elimination period) can be very expensive and drain the resources you have. The headline is that some companies their premiums in proportion to the length of the waiting period can be up to 100 days.

-Look at the skills policy requires that the benefits to kick in. Is it required a hospital stay? What about the existing conditions? Cover change if dementia is thrown in the mix?

-Do a background check on the financial strength of your provider. Companies like Moody's and Best hours to do the annual reviews of all insurance companies reporting such events as complaints of loss. Avoid providers with a reputation for the release of customers when the health changes.

Finally, for all these tonik health insurance options, remember the bottom line: Will your plan ensure full coverage, the total savings and real value, or simply cut down on an annual cost?