Sample Cover Page for Long Term Care Insurance Policy
| COMMENT: The following is sample wording for the cover page of a typical long term care
insurance policy. The design of the cover page will vary from one company to another, but the
substance will be similar because much of the wording is required by state or federal law. |
Sample Life Insurance Company (Sample Life) will pay the benefits of this Policy according to
its provisions.
Long Term Care Insurance Policy
- RENEWABILITY: THIS POLICY IS GUARANTEED RENEWABLE FOR LIFE. PREMIUM RATES ARE SUBJECT
TO CHANGE. This means You have the right, subject to the terms of the Policy, to continue
this Policy as long as You pay Your premiums on time. We cannot change any of the terms of this
Policy without Your consent, except that We may change the premium rates, subject to applicable
state insurance department approval. Any such change in premium rates will apply to policies in
the same class as Yours in the state where this Policy was issued.
- The Schedule of Benefits provided by this Policy is shown on page 3.
- This Policy is not eligible for dividends.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please read the copy of the application attached to this Policy.
Carefully check the application and write to Sample Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 123456,
Anytown, NY 22212-7890, within thirty (30) days, if any information shown on it is not correct and
complete, or if any past medical history has been left off of the application. This application
is part of the Policy and the Policy was issued on the basis that answers to all questions and the
information shown on the application are correct and complete.
| COMMENT: Guaranteed renewable for life means that the insurance company cannot, for any
reason, cancel your policy. But it can increase your premiums. If the policy were what is
called "non-cancelable," then the insurance company could not, for any reason, cancel your policy
OR increase your premiums. |
If the insurance company changes the premium rates on your policy after it is
issued and in force, the rates can only be changed on a class basis. In other words, the premium for every policy "in the same class"
that was issued in the same state where your policy was issued will be changed based on the same
actuarial formula. "Class" means underwriting class, which can mean many things, all based on an
insurance risk category determined by the insurance company. This may be something as simple as
age group, gender, policy type, occupation, or other special criteria, or it may be a broader,
more inclusive, category, based, for example on an over-all risk analysis, such
as "Preferred", "Standard" and "Substandard".
Each underwriting class has its own premium level. At time of initial underwriting, the
insurance company determines your class based on its assessment of the degree of risk you present
to the company. In the example, if your policy was issued as "Preferred", that would mean the
company considered you a good (safe) insurance risk.
If the company decides to change insurance premiums on your type of policy, the proposed rate changes must be filed with the insurance
departments in the states where the company wants to make the changes. Insurance departments look
for two things when they review rate change filings: First, are they reasonable and justifiable;
second, does the insurance company plan to apply the rate change to every insured in the classes
where the change is proposed. In other words, in the above example, the insurance department will
want to make sure that the rate increase will be the same for all those who were issued your type
of policy on a "Preferred" basis.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please read the copy of the application attached to this Policy.
Carefully check the application and write to Sample Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 123456,
Anytown, NY 22212-7890, within thirty (30) days, if any information shown on it is not correct and
complete, or if any past medical history has been left off of the application. This application
is part of the Policy and the Policy was issued on the basis that answers to all questions and the
information shown on the application are correct and complete.
| COMMENT: This is a very clear warning that makes you responsible for the accuracy of the
information on your application for insurance. This IMPORTANT NOTICE gives you thirty days to
correct any misinformation on the application. In other words, it gives you a second chance. Often
inaccurate information is a result of a mistake, when the agent inadvertently reports your
information incorrectly. The NOTICE also tells you that the application is part of the policy. In
other words, it is part of the legal contract between you and the insurance company. Then it
states that the policy was issued on the assumption that the answers and other information on the
application are correct and complete. The insurance company is telling you that it relied on the
information you provided on the application when it decided to issue your policy. |
This wording is an attempt to provide the company with a sound basis for rescinding, or
canceling your policy if information on the application later is found to be false. False
information usually is discovered when a claim is filed and medical records received in connection
with the claim contradict information on the application.
NOTICE TO THE BUYER: This Policy may not cover all of the costs associated with long term
care incurred by the Buyer during the period of coverage. The Buyer is advised to review
carefully ALL policy limitations.
| COMMENT: You are encouraged to read the entire contract to be sure it provides exactly
what you thought it was going to provide. Often, with any kind of insurance a great chasm exists
between what the applicant thinks he or she is getting based on discussions with the agent and
what actually is delivered. You should be sure to read through the policy when you receive it.
|
This Policy is intended to be a qualified long term care insurance contract under Section
7702B(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. If in the future, it is determined
that this Policy does not meet the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, We will make every
reasonable effort to amend the Policy if We are required to do so in order to gain favorable
federal income tax treatment. We will offer You an opportunity to receive these amendments, with
any appropriate adjustments, as determined by Sample Life, to premium rates and and/or
benefits.
| COMMENT: In many respects, a long term care insurance policy is different than your normal
health insurance policy.
For example, it does not provide benefits for treatment to improve health, but basically provides
coverage for maintenance services, some of which having nothing to do with medical care. However,
if the policy meets certain requirement of the Internal Revenue Code, premiums paid and benefits
received will be treated, for tax purposes, as though they were for accident and health insurance.
This provision assures that if federal rules change, the company will try to comply with them if
they apply to this policy. |
| Joan A. Smith
Senior Vice President and Secretary
|
Harry T. Andrews
Chairman of the Board President and CEO |
Thirty Day Right to Examine Policy
Please read this Policy carefully. It is a legal contract between You and Sample Life. If
you are not satisfied for any reason, You may return this Policy to Us or to the sales
representative from whom You bought it within thirty (30) days from the date You receive it. If
You return it within the thirty (30 ) day period, this Policy will be void from the beginning. We
will refund any premium paid within thirty (30) days after We receive the returned Policy.
This is your basic 30-day free look provision which required by every state. It ties in
nicely with some of the other provisions. |