When one spouse or partner cannot qualify for long-term care insurance, many couples assume the planning process is over. In reality, securing meaningful long-term care insurance for the healthier spouse may still be one of the most important financial protection strategies available.
For couples, the goal is not simply to get coverage for both people. The goal is to protect the household from the financial impact of a long-term care event, even when only one person is insurable.
Prepared by 525 Advisors LLC, a nationally recognized independent long-term care insurance brokerage. Specializing in helping individuals and families plan for the financial costs of long-term care by finding the right insurance solutions tailored to each person’s health, finances, and retirement goals.
What should couples do if one spouse cannot qualify for long-term care insurance?
If one spouse or partner cannot qualify for coverage, the healthier spouse should still consider applying for a meaningful long-term care insurance plan.
It is common for couples to step back from the process entirely when one person is declined or appears unlikely to qualify. In our experience helping families evaluate long-term care options, that decision can create unnecessary financial risk.
When one person cannot be insured, the couple is effectively self-insuring that person’s future care costs. That means care expenses may need to be paid from savings, retirement accounts, home equity, or other household assets. If those assets are reduced significantly during the first care event, the second spouse may be left with fewer resources if they later need care.
Why coverage for one spouse can still protect both people
Long-term care planning is often viewed as an individual decision, but for couples it is really a household financial decision.
If the uninsured spouse needs care first, the cost of that care may reduce the couple’s shared assets. This can leave the surviving or healthier spouse financially exposed later in life. A well-designed policy for the insurable spouse can help protect against that second care event.
This is why the healthier spouse may need a stronger plan than they originally considered. Depending on the couple’s age, health, budget, and goals, that may mean looking at a policy with:
- A larger monthly benefit
- A longer benefit period
- Inflation protection
- Shared or joint policy features, when available
- Asset-based or lifetime benefit options
The right design depends on the couple’s full financial picture. The key point is simple: one policy can still create meaningful protection when no coverage is not the only alternative.
How one long-term care policy may help the uninsured spouse
In some situations, benefits paid to the insured spouse may also indirectly help the uninsured spouse.
For example, if the insured spouse goes on claim first and the couple moves into an assisted living facility, the policy benefits may help pay for the insured spouse’s care. That can reduce the amount the household needs to withdraw from savings each month, preserving more assets for the uninsured spouse’s living expenses or future care needs.
This does not mean one person’s policy automatically provides direct benefits for the uninsured spouse. Policy language matters, and benefits depend on the type of coverage purchased. But from a household planning standpoint, paying for one spouse’s care with insurance dollars may help protect the couple’s overall financial stability.
Why doing nothing can be the riskiest choice
The ideal situation is for both spouses or partners to have long-term care insurance when they can qualify. But if only one person is insurable, having one policy may still be far better than having no plan at all.
Doing nothing means the couple is accepting the full cost of care for both people. That can be especially risky if the first care event lasts several years or requires assisted living, home care, memory care, or nursing home care.
A more balanced approach is to ask:
- Which spouse is insurable?
- How much household risk remains if only one person has coverage?
- Would a larger policy for the healthy spouse help protect future assets?
- Are asset-based or lifetime benefit plans available?
- Are there alternative planning options for the spouse who cannot qualify?
These are important planning questions. Couples should understand their options before assuming they have none.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we still get long-term care insurance if one spouse is declined?
Yes, the healthier spouse may still be able to qualify for coverage. If one spouse is declined, it does not automatically prevent the other spouse from applying or receiving meaningful long-term care insurance protection.
Is it worth buying long-term care insurance for only one spouse?
Absolutely. If one spouse cannot qualify, coverage for the healthier spouse may become even more important.
The couple is already self-insuring the uninsurable spouse’s care risk. If that spouse needs care first, household assets may be significantly reduced, leaving the healthier spouse financially exposed later.
One strong long-term care insurance policy is often far better than no plan at all.
Should the healthy spouse buy more long-term care coverage?
Often, that is worth considering. If one spouse is uninsured, the healthy spouse may need a stronger plan because household assets could be reduced by the uninsured spouse’s care costs. The appropriate amount depends on the couple’s savings, income, age, health, and retirement goals.
Can one long-term care insurance policy pay benefits for both spouses?
Some policies may offer joint or shared features, but not all do. A policy written only on one spouse usually pays benefits only when that insured person qualifies for a claim. However, those benefits will still help the household preserve assets.
What should we do if we are not sure one of us can qualify?
Start with our pre-screen form. This will allow us to tell you which plans you will qualify for prior to doing any application.