StrateCision, Inc. July Newsletter
Issue: #  2014-8-2
September 2014 


Have you seen StrateCision's Combo programs?
combo

If you offer your clients financial products to insure against a need for long term care, you know that conventional LTC policies are now facing major competition from hybrid plans that combine life and LTC insurance. You may have already entered this market and be actively selling hybrids to clients who have said No to conventional LTCI. Or you may be thinking about gearing up to enter this market and wondering how best to get started.

Either way, you know that Hybrids answer common objections to conventional LTCI like:
  • If I never need care I lose all the money I've paid.
  • The insurer can raise my premiums and make the policy unaffordable.
  • I lose access to the money I've paid, can't get it back if I need it for something else.
Hybrids answer these objections and as a result are a fast growing segment of the market for LTC planning. Agents are responding, and to meet their needs for competitive analysis, so are we.

In April, we introduc ed  ComboCompare, our new desktop program for comparing hybrid plans.  Agents who subscribed are learning that it can do for their sales of hybrids what our LTC Quote has done for their conventional LTCI business.  Those just entering the hybrid market are using ComboCompare to get oriented on what's out there and how to choose among the available plans.

To recap our introduction in April, ComboCompare is a desktop program that installs and runs on MS Windows computers, and can be run anywhere without an internet connection.  It compares the 4 true hybrid policies on the market, showing policy costs, LTC monthly benefits, and death benefits depending on options chosen.
 
 You can get ComboCompare now  by completing this order form and sending to us.  You'll have 30 days to try it and return it if it's not for you (unlikely but possible).  Or fill out this response form and we'll send you more info. 
 
If you are more interested in online tools for policy comparison, read on. 
webcom
   
 
For those who prefer online tools, WebCombo is now available.  WebCombo is the online version of ComboCompare.  It runs in your browser and gives you the same comparisons of hybrid policies.
 
WebCombo is ideal for GA's or brokerages that want to embed hybrid plan comparisons in their website, for use by their producers.  Any number of users can run comparisons, and the website manager controls access to the program.
 
WebCombo can be licensed on a monthly basis or as an annual subscription.  Click here to request information on WebCombo and how to order.
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stc
Short Term Care Insurance

  

Short term care plans are similar to LTC plans in paying for care required because the policyholder is unable to care for herself.  The primary difference is that STC plans pay for a year or less for care, while LTC plans pay for 2 or more years of care.

 

As a result, STC plans are less expensive than LTC plans, and typically have less stringent underwriting.  Thus clients who don't want to pay for LTCI or can't qualify may be good candidates for an STC plan.  

 

Agents who want to be able to offer some coverage to these clients are increasingly adding them to their portfolio of offerings.  STC plans cover home or facility care with a shorter benefit period, typically 3 months to 1 year. The lower cost and easier underwriting let you offer coverage to clients for whom LTCI is not an option.

 

Our STC Supplement lets you quote and compare these policies.  The Supplement is available to subscribers to LTC Quote Plus, our desktop-based quoting program, and to those using LTC WebQuote, our online web-based quoting tool.  

 

 

For details on the STC plans we compare, click  here.  For a sample comparison, click here. The comparison should be very familiar to anyone using our quoting software to compare LTC plans.

 

For WebQuote Administrators, pricing is shown here.  The price table also includes the cost for the Tablet Enhancement (see below).  

webquote

Use LTC WebQuote on an iPad! 

  

Many agents have online access to StrateCision's LTCI comparison tools through the LTC WebQuote and LTC WebAdvisor programs. General agents and large brokerages offer these programs to their producers on their websites.

 

StrateCision can now offer these web accounts access by tablets with touch-sensitive screens, such as the iPad, Samsung Android tablets, and Microsoft Surface.  For a small monthly cost, any web account can enable use by tablets, and even large cellphones.  Use 2-finger resizing to expand and shrink the screen as needed, and take advantage of the features of modern day mobile computing devices.

 

If you administer a StrateCision web account, see the link in the previous section for pricing for the tablet upgrade.  If you are an agent using our web comparisons, contact your account managers and ask for this major enhancement.  

 

Users of our desktop program,
LTC Quote Plus can also gain access to the tablet version. If you have a current subscription to LTC Quote Plus, you can add the tablet program for as little as $99 a year.  (The program runs in your browser and requires an Internet connection.)
concludeIn Conclusion


StrateCision sends newsletters from time to time to notify interested persons of new products, improvements, and other changes involving our programs and the LTCI industry.  We welcome feedback from you the recipient, regarding the content of these letters and what you would like to see more (or less) of.  Send feedback to sales@ltca.com.  

How to contact us

email: sales@ltca.com

phone: 781-453-1938