VIEWPOINT: AI and Long Term Care: Solving an Age-Old Challenge

Long-term care (LTC) planning has long been one of the most complex and emotionally charged areas of financial advisory services. As the aging population grows and care costs continue to escalate, advisors and clients alike face a daunting set of challenges. Traditional planning tools often rely on broad averages and generic simulations such as Monte Carlo that fail to capture the nuances of an individual’s future care needs nor the effectiveness to motivate families to plan for LTC. However, advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are beginning to transform this landscape: offering more precise, personalized, and proactive approaches to LTC planning.

The Complexity of Long-Term Care Planning

For many years, LTC planning has been approached with methods that fail to reflect the intricacies of each family’s situation. Conventional tools tend to use national averages and basic models, which can lead to several recurring issues: • Delayed engagement: Many clients postpone LTC discussions until a crisis occurs, leaving little time to develop a thoughtful strategy. • Impersonal data: Generic statistics and broad-based simulations do little to illustrate the true financial impact of LTC on an individual family. • Lost opportunities: Without a tailored planning tool, advisors often struggle to convert early LTC discussions into concrete strategies, whether that means guiding a family toward an appropriate insurance policy or structuring a comprehensive financial plan. These challenges highlight why LTC remains one of the few unsolved wildcard scenarios in retirement planning. Its unpredictable nature forces both advisors and clients to contend with significant uncertainty. Yet, it is precisely this uncertainty that offers a last-mile opportunity for advisors to differentiate themselves by providing uniquely tailored, high-value solutions.

The AI Advantage in LTC Planning

AI is emerging as a game-changer in addressing these long-standing challenges. Unlike traditional methods, AI-driven platforms can analyze a vast array of data, from regional cost variations and health-care inflation to individual health status and family dynamics, to generate a personalized projection of a client’s LTC journey.

Enhancing Advisor-Client Interactions

The precision of AI-generated projections fundamentally changes how advisors engage with clients on the topic of long-term care. With clear, individualized data at hand, advisors are better positioned to: • Initiate rich conversations: Instead of relying on broad averages, advisors can discuss specific care projections tailored to the client’s circumstances. This not only demystifies the planning process, but also helps clients understand the real implications of their choices. • Accelerate decision‑making: When clients are presented with a clear, actionable plan that outlines expected timelines and costs, they are more likely to take proactive steps. This clarity shortens the time from initial inquiry to concrete decisions, such as purchasing an appropriate policy or annuity. • Unlock premium growth: Personal- ized planning helps overcome the emotional barriers that often hinder LTC discussions. By converting these conversations into high‑value, concrete action plans, advisors can capture opportunities that might otherwise be lost. These capabilities tackle key challenges in traditional LTC planning by promoting early client engagement and fostering stronger, data-driven advisor relationships. Further, LTC planning isn’t just about traditional LTC insurance. Innovative options like life-with-rider policies, hybrid solutions, annuities, and even short-term care are energizing the market and offering clients potentially more competitive choices than ever before. When used effectively, AI makes it easier to build a holistic strategy that educates, motivates, and covers every aspect of a client’s long-term care needs and wants.

Balancing Technology with the Human Touch

While AI is undeniably powerful, its greatest strength lies in complementing, not replacing, the human expertise that financial advisors bring to the table. The nuanced and emotionally charged nature of LTC planning demands empathy, active listening, and the ability to navigate complex family dynamics. AI provides the detailed, data-driven insights that can inform these discussions, but it is the advisor who translates this information into a personalized plan that aligns with the client’s overall financial goals and emotional needs. In this evolving landscape, the role of the advisor remains as crucial as ever. By integrating AI-driven insights into their practice, advisors can offer a more holistic service that not only anticipates future expenses, but also supports clients through one of the most challenging aspects of retirement planning.

Looking Ahead: The Future of LTC Planning for Advisors

As we move further into the era of digital transformation, the integration of AI into LTC planning is likely to become a standard practice in the insurance brokerage community. The ability to provide detailed, personalized care projections will not only help families prepare more effectively but will also drive new opportunities for advisors to convert early, meaningful discussions into robust financial strategies. Is adopting AI solely about staying on the cutting edge of technology, or can it fundamentally enhance the quality of advice delivered to clients? At least for our rapidly aging society on the cusp of navigating long-term care with limited funds and family support, the potential impact of AI is significant. With more accurate projections and a personalized approach, advisors can help families navigate the uncertainties of aging with confidence. By combining technological innovation with the irreplaceable human touch, the insurance brokerage community is poised to turn one of the most challenging aspects of financial planning into a proactive, engaging, and ultimately more secure experience for everyone involved. In a field where the stakes are incredibly high, leveraging AI to craft clear, personalized LTC plans can be transformative. Advisors have the opportunity to remain enduring pillars in the insurance and financial services landscape by ensuring that families are not only financially secure but also emotionally supported as they navigate the future.                         

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Lily Vittayarukskul is co-founder and CEO of Waterlily, a health-care innovation firm.