LTCI is a complicated product to master, especially if you sell it only occasionally. Fortunately, there are numerous resources to help you learn what you need to know, including books, Web sites, courses, and certificate programs. Some resources to consider include:
CLTC: Certified in Long Term Care (www.ltc-cltc.com; $1,295 for the two-day class, $1,095 for the self-study version). The CLTC course is owned by the CLTC Board of Standards, Inc. It's a popular program: over 16,000 agents and others have earned the designation. The course is available by attending a two-day class or through a correspondence course. Both cover the same material, which includes:
- Long-Term Care: Family vs. Statistics
- Long-Term Care Services
- What Pays for Long-Term Care?
- Medicaid Planning
- Long-Term Care Insurance
- Proper Implementation of Long-Term Care Insurance
- The Ethical Promotion of Long-Term Care Insurance
LTCP: Long Term Care Professional (for information: www.aaltci.org or www.ahipinsuranceeducation.org) $205 per course for non-AHIP members). The course was developed jointly by America's Health Insurance Plans and the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance. Participants can earn the LTCP designation through self-study followed by proctored examinations or by attending a review course. The material covers:
- LTC Needs and Options
- Financing
- The LTCI Product
- Administration and Claims
- Partnerships
The American College (www.theamericancollege.edu). The American College offers two programs that discuss LTCI. The first, Health and Long-Term Care Financing for Seniors (course No. HS 351; $565), is part of the Chartered Advisor for Senior Living (CASL) self-study program. The second course, Essentials of Long-Term Care Insurance (course No. FA 255; $410), is part of the Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow (LUTCF) program.
American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI; www.aaltci.org). The AALTCI is a membership organization ($49 for one year) that offers a range of benefits to producer-members, including an industry source book. Slome says that the group's Web site will be expanded by the end of the first quarter 2009 to include an online LTCI learning center.
