CareScout's 2025 survey put the national median for a private nursing home room at $129,575 a year, assisted living at $74,400, and an in-home caregiver at $80,080. Long-term care insurance premiums depend mostly on your age and health when you apply, which is why people who buy in their 50s and early 60s usually pay less than those who wait.
| Type of care | Median annual cost |
|---|---|
| Nursing home, private room | $129,575 |
| Nursing home, semi-private room | $114,975 |
| Assisted living community ($6,200 a month) | $74,400 |
| In-home caregiver, 44 hours a week ($35 an hour) | $80,080 |
| Adult day health care, 5 days a week | $24,700 |
Source: CareScout Cost of Care Survey, 2025 results (formerly the Genworth Cost of Care Survey), published March 2026. These are national medians. Costs vary widely by state and city, so ask Guy Jean for figures in your area.
Premiums are priced on the age you are at purchase. Waiting five years generally costs more every month for the life of the policy.
Carriers review medical history and sometimes cognitive screening. A diagnosis that develops while you wait can make coverage costlier or unavailable.
A higher daily benefit and a longer payout period raise the premium. Many people choose a benefit that covers a share of costs rather than all of them.
A rider that grows your benefit over time costs more up front. It matters most for younger buyers, since care costs rise over the decades before a claim.
Long-term care insurance is underwritten, unlike Medicare. The years when you are healthy enough to qualify and young enough for a manageable premium are the same years most people are not thinking about it. Guy Jean compares the options across carriers, including hybrid life and long-term care policies that pay a death benefit if you never need care.
There is no single age, but the mid-50s to early 60s is a common window because premiums are lower than later and most applicants still qualify medically. Waiting raises the price and risks a health change that limits your options.
It can. Traditional policies pay only if you need care. Hybrid policies, which combine life insurance or an annuity with a long-term care benefit, return value to your beneficiaries if you never claim, usually at a higher cost.
On traditional long-term care policies, carriers can request rate increases on a whole class of policies with state approval. Hybrid policies often lock the premium. Guy Jean explains the rate history and structure before you commit.
Most modern policies cover care at home, in assisted living and in a nursing home, subject to a daily or monthly limit. Confirm the care settings, waiting period and benefit triggers in any policy you consider.
Guy Jean compares real offers across carriers and explains what fits before you decide anything. No pressure, no obligation.
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