KIRKLAND, Wash., Nov. 17, 2016 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The long-term care insurance market seems to be in turmoil thanks to rate increases, waning consumer demand, and carriers exiting the business. Pessimism prevails, but not for ACSIA Partners, one of America’s largest long-term care insurance agencies. The company is quite bullish, in fact. ā€œWe’re looking for 150 new agents,ā€ says Denise Gott, CEO. ā€œWe need them right now to handle current need and projected demand.ā€ What’s going on?

ACSIA Partners LLC
The company is not immune to the industry turmoil. ā€œOur traditional business, individual LTC insurance, has temporarily levelled off,ā€ she says, ā€œbut it’s still substantial and continuing; and two new segments are surging: hybrid care solutions and worksite plans.ā€

Hybrid solutions are annuities or life insurance policies with long-term care riders. They are based on tangible assets that may be tapped to pay for care when needed.

This has several advantages that make them attractive buys:

  • Premiums can never increase.
  • Benefits cannot change.
  • Funds not used for long-term care go to beneficiaries tax-free.

Also, ā€œIt’s easy to add a care rider to instruments the client needs anyway, like a life policy or annuity,ā€ says Gott.

Worksite plans are group or multi-life plans that offer long-term care protection as an employee benefit. ā€œThey’re in demand because they appeal to both the company and the employee,ā€ says Gott.

  • The plans bolster employee effectiveness and earning power. In the absence of LTC plans, long term care issues cost American industry $29 billion annually in lost productivity, according to a study by the MetLife Mature Market Institute. And employees jeopardize their income when they have to assume care duties.
  • The plans offer multiple tax benefits. Premiums can be 100% tax-deductible to a business. For employees, premiums are not considered income, and the benefits received are generally tax-free.
  • Economies of scale simplify everything. For example, there is relaxed health screening; and group rates keep premium costs down.

ā€œAdvantages like these make worksite LTC a no-brainer,ā€ says Gott. ā€œAnd we think it could become as common as group healthcare, which has become the norm for most employers.ā€

ā€œOverall, for businesses as well as families, the need for LTC solutions is enormous,ā€ says Gott. ā€œThat’s why we’re so bullish.ā€

Also, Gott predicts that the traditional LTC insurance business will start growing again fairly soon. ā€œThere are products out there, already developed, but sitting on carriers’ shelves because the near-zero interest rate environment makes them uneconomic. As soon as interest rates start going up again, it’s a whole new ballgame.ā€

ā€œSo we’re looking for 150 senior solutions agents to join us in serving this large and growing market.ā€ Information for candidates is available at https://www.acsiapartners.com/career-center/.

For employers interested in group protection for their employees, information is available at https://www.acsiapartners.com/business-owners/.

Information for consumers is available at https://www.acsiapartners.com/consumers/.

About ACSIA Partners LLC:

ACSIA Partners LLC — https://www.acsiapartners.com — serves organizations as well as families in all states. The company is also a co-founder and sponsor of the ā€œ3in4 Need Moreā€ campaign, which encourages Americans to form a long-term care plan.

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*Photo Caption: ACSIA Partners logo.

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