When Does Long Term Care Insurance Kick In? 
Similar to disability income insurance , long-term care insurance has an `` elimination period '' . This is like a `` time deductible '' during which one has to pay out-of-pocket for care costs while satisfying the elimination period . Elimination periods are chosen by the applicant and are usually 30 - , 60 - , 90 - , 180 - , or 365-days . The longer the elimination period , the lower the premium.Some carriers provide a 0-day elimination period for home care , either as part of the policy or as an extra-cost add-on rider . If a person goes on claim at home , they may receive approved claim payments -LRB- reimbursement plan -RRB- or cash -LRB- indemnity plan -RRB- as soon as they are declared eligible for payment by the carrier . The contract indicates what the insured needs to submit to the carrier in order to be approved for payment of care costs or to receive a cash payout.There are two ways an elimination period may be satisfied : - Service Days . The insured must pay for care on any given day in order to satisfy one day of the elimination period . For example , the insured has chosen a 90 day elimination period . The insured must pay for long-term care services out-of-pocket for a total of 90 days -LRB- they do not have to be consecutive -RRB- before the elimination period is satisfied . If the person is paying for home care , satisfying the elimination period could take longer than 90 consecutive days if care is not needed on any given day or days . Carriers may have different ways of calculating the fulfillment of the elimination period using the `` service days '' method . - Calendar days . The elimination period is satisfied when a majority of days during the elimination period required care and the insured paid out of pocket . In other words , the insured does not have satisfy the elimination period with days where services were paid out of pocket . Each carrier defines how the elimination period is satisfied using the calendar day method . This method is often offered as an additional cost rider.If a person goes immediately into a full-service nursing facility , the elimination period will be fulfilled as care is received . All facility care will need to be paid out-of-pocket by the insured or the insured 's family during that period of time . It wo n't matter that much which type of elimination fulfillment method is used in such a case unless the person leaves the facility before the elimination period is fully satisfied.Some carriers do not offer a calendar day method for satisfying the elimination period . Some have a choice between the two . Some carriers only have a calendar day elimination period . Once the elimination period is satisfied in full , it does not have to be satisfied again . Since the way a carrier allows for the fulfillment of the elimination period can be the difference in hundreds - if not thousands - of dollars in out-of-pocket payments , the prospect for long-term care insurance should make this a priority question before choosing a carrier . Be sure that you read the section of a specimen or sample policy on `` Payment of Claims '' so that you understand how the proposed insurance company defines `` when long-term insurance kicks in '' . 