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Thursday, May 14, 2009

Understanding LTC Insurance Company Rating

By Terry Stanfield

Companies are like people, and just like people, they can fall on financial hard times and suffer through bankruptcy. This is especially true for long-term care (LTC) insurance companies, who have to deal with an expensive and complex insurance system. As a result, some companies end up going into bankruptcy because they are unable to afford to pay out benefits due to a variety of factors. This means it is very important for individuals to look at LTC insurance company ratings so that they are not left with nothing to show for the premium payments.

One of the best ways to determine if a company is going to head into financial difficulties is by looking at LTC insurance company ratings, which come from several companies including Standard & Poor's, Moody's and A.M. Best. The rating system was created to ensure that insurance companies were financially sound when issuing a policy.

Currently, Standard & Poor's publishes a rating on thousands of insurance companies, while A.M. Best publishes 50 different reports about insurance companies and has been in business for over 100 years, as well as being one of the largest insurance rating companies in the world.

The credit ratings provided by these evaluation companies can give a clear indication about the risk potential of putting your money into a company, however this is not an endorsement of that company, as many individuals think.

The rating system will differ, but the results are generally the same. While Standard & Poor's best rating is AAA, Moody's is Aaa and Best's is A . This signifies an excellent record of financial stability and an ability to meet the demands of policyholders.

Low ratings are generally universal in how the insurance evaluators rate them, with F being the lowest of the low. You will not want to be a part of a company with an F rating because they are nearly bankrupt, or they have begun bankruptcy proceedings. In terms of companies with a C or a D rating, you should avoid taking out long-term care insurance with them because their LTC insurance company rating is not that great. Try and only go through companies with a high rating. Remember, it is your money and you don't want to pay into something you won't be able to benefit from later on down the road.

Conclusion When you pay money into a policy that will keep your head, as well as your family's heads, above financial water when you are in need of long-term care, you want to make sure that the company you pay to is going to be around in 30, 20 or 10 years.

You should just ask for help from an insurance representative who specializes in long term care insurance to answer any questions.

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