Is Your Long-Term Care Insurance Agent Certified?

If you can afford the premiums and you are insurable, the best solution to the prospect of significant long-term care costs is long-term care insurance. However, long-term care insurance is a complex product, and insurance agents and brokers who sell it need to be highly trained and able to offer impartial advice about competing products. Unfortunately, many sellers do not meet these standards.

ElderLawAnswers believes that a good way to gauge whether an agent or broker is qualified and can offer unbiased advice about long-term care insurance plans is to look for the 'CLTC' designation after his or her name. CLTC, which stands for 'Certified in Long-Term Care,' is the long-term care insurance industry's first professional designation. The rigorous training and testing program, created by The Corporation for Long-Term Care Certification (www.ltc-cltc.com) (CLTCC), has gained wide acceptance in the insurance industry and currently has more than 4,000 graduates and students.

'In many instances long-term care insurance is an appropriate solution to financing long-term care based on the limited options provided by states and the federal government,' said attorney Harry Margolis, founder and president of ElderLawAnswers. 'But we recognize that this is a complex product that needs to sold properly. That is why ElderLawAnswers is pleased to be affiliated with the CLTC program.'

Mr. Margolis continued: 'ELA particularly appreciates CLTC's 'third party' status; the program is not affiliated with any insurance company and does not receive support financially from the industry. That gives it credibility with elder law attorneys and the public.'

'CLTCC is proud to be associated with ElderLawAnswers,' said CLTCC president, Harley Gordon, who is a founding member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and a former member of its Board of Directors. 'Our goal has always been to offer the industry an unbiased comprehensive program that educates producers about how long-term care insurance can be properly used to solve a client's long-term care needs. ElderLawAnswers' support confirms that CLTC graduates offer consumers the professional advice they need to choose the right product.'

ElderLawAnswers encourages you to visit the CLTCC Web site at www.ltc-cltc.com, where you will find a directory of CLTC graduates in your area, the CLTCC mission statement, and course material.