Does Long-Term Care Insurance Cover Assisted Living?

Part of long-term care for many seniors is staying in an assisted living facility. Fortunately, long-term care insurance can cover the costs of various facilities, including nursing homes. It's helpful to have coverage when choosing between your assisted living options.

When you're ready to find the right coverage, an independent insurance agent can help you get set up with long-term care insurance. Your agent will help you find the best policy to pay for senior living expenses, elder care services, and more. But first, here's a guide to how long-term care insurance can cover assisted living.

Table of Contents

Q. What Is Long-Term Care?
Q. What Is Assisted Living?
Q. Who Needs Long-Term Care or Assisted Living?
Q. How Much Does Assisted Living Cost?
Q. How to Pay for Long-Term Care
Q. What to Look for in an Assisted Living Facility
Q. What Are the Benefits of Assisted Living?
Q. Can Couples Live Together in Assisted Living?
Q. How Can an Independent Insurance Agent Help?

What Is Long-Term Care?

Long-term care (LTC) refers to ongoing care that extends for a period of time, usually 12 months or longer. Long-term care services can include daily living assistance and health monitoring within a patient's home or treatment and care at an assisted living facility, such as a nursing home. Common LTC services that can be covered by long-term care insurance include:

Some types of long-term care include medical services, while others offer non-medical care and involve assistance with daily tasks, such as bathing and dressing. Long-term care insurance can cover the costs of many different long-term care services for seniors. 

What Is Assisted Living?

The definition of assisted living is residential senior living that provides personalized help with daily activities and a safe, engaging environment. Many of the common services offered in assisted living facilities include the following:

Assisted living services can also be provided in a patient's home, otherwise known as home care or home healthcare, depending on whether medical treatment is required. 

Who Needs Long-Term Care or Assisted Living?

Many adults and seniors may need long-term care or assisted living as they age and suffer worsening health. Typically, doctors determine that patients need long-term care when they are no longer able to perform at least two of six daily activities (e.g., bathing, dressing, and toileting) for an extended period of time. This may be due to health issues, mobility issues, or cognitive impairments. Many people start planning for long-term care in their 50s to 70s.

How Much Does Assisted Living Cost?

The average cost of assisted living can range from about $2,000 per month to well over $10,000 per month. The cost of assisted living can vary considerably depending on several factors, such as your health status, location, and the level and type of care required. Here are some average rates for assisted living services in 2025. 

Average monthly cost of long-term care services 

How to Pay for Long-Term Care

You can pay for LTC with a long-term care insurance policy, which is designed to cover many different types of assisted living facilities and ongoing healthcare services. However, you might not need this coverage if you have enough set aside in your personal savings or retirement fund. Various life insurance policies with LTC coverage riders are also available to help pay for long-term care services. 

In some cases, veterans' benefits can help pay for long-term care. You might also qualify for Medicaid coverage if you meet the eligibility requirements. Health savings accounts can also be used to help cover LTC expenses. 

What to Look for in an Assisted Living Facility

There are several factors to consider when choosing the right assisted living facility. When reviewing your options, consider the following:

It's helpful to start by researching your options for the best assisted living facilities near you online to find resident reviews and ratings. These reviews can give you insight into patients' satisfaction levels with their care and other components of the facility, including meals and cleanliness. It's also critical to find a facility that has the proper accreditation and licensing. This information should be publicly available. 

What Are the Benefits of Assisted Living?

Assisted living can offer many benefits for aging adults and seniors in need of care, including an improved quality of life. Assisted living facilities and nursing homes also provide a safe environment where patients can engage in social activities, such as communal dining. If you're still wondering why choose assisted living, perhaps most importantly, assisted living facilities offer patients access to 24-hour support and healthcare. This can greatly reduce the burden on family members who might otherwise need to provide your care.

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Can Couples Live Together in Assisted Living?

Yes, depending on the specific facility, couples can live together in assisted living. Be sure to research your options to find an assisted living facility that allows couples to share a room. Depending on each individual's treatment needs, some facilities may have restrictions on who is allowed to room together. 

How Can an Independent Insurance Agent Help?

Independent insurance agents can help you find the right long-term care insurance to help you pay for LTC and assisted living facilities. These agents have access to multiple LTC insurance companies, so they're free to shop and compare policy options and quotes for you. And down the road, your agent can help you file LTC insurance claims and update your coverage when necessary.