Recent Developments in LTC Rate Increase Litigation

A relatively consistent flow of premium rate increase litiga­tion has been filed against long-term care (LTC) carriers over the past several years. Following the plaintiffs’ bar having early success in a limited number of LTC rate increase class actions in the early 2000s, the tide turned definitively in favor of carriers in what we think of as the first generation of such litigation, where the plaintiffs’ bar focused primarily on an alleged duty to disclose possible rate increases and challenging the language of the contract itself. Despite the industry’s over­all success, premium rate increase litigation has attracted an increased level of sophistication from the plaintiffs’ bar, which shifted to more creative theories based on extra-contractual rep­resentations (e.g., marketing materials) in what we view as the second generation of premium rate increase litigation. While the industry remains mostly successful in warding off rate in­crease litigation, a new trend may be developing as recent cases focus on more nuanced contractual limitations and rate increase implementation issues.

Continue reading “Recent Developments in LTC Rate Increase Litigation”

Responding and Managing the Impact of COVID-19

Assured Allies and Faegre Drinker have partnered to develop a playbook for the long-term care insurance industry. Responding and Managing the Impact of COVID-19 offers insights, guidance and ideas to manage the short- and medium-term impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic and provides potential avenues for long-term care insurers to explore in the post-COVID-19 world that could change long-term care insurance forever.

Continue reading “Responding and Managing the Impact of COVID-19”

Catching up on the NAIC Data Security Model Law

In October 2017, the NAIC adopted its Insurance Data Security Model Law and released it to the states for legislative consideration. The purpose of the Model is to “establish standards for data security and standards for the investigation and notification to the Commissioner of a Cybersecurity Event applicable to Licensees.” In this alert, we briefly outline the requirements of the Model and provide an update on the status of the Model among the states and information on compliance effective dates. We will continue to monitor these issues.

Continue reading “Catching up on the NAIC Data Security Model Law”

LTC Rate Increases: Exploring Alternatives

As issues surrounding the cost of long-term care for Americans becomes the focus of the industry, premium rate increases have historically been necessary to maintain the financial integrity of most blocks of stand-alone long-term care insurance (LTCI) business. In conjunction with those rate increases, insurers have offered (and regulators have approved) an evolving menu of rate increase mitigation options for policyholders who do not wish to or otherwise cannot afford to pay the increased rate. Recently, we have seen new and innovative alternatives proposed by industry participants. There is a growing recognition that insureds should be educated about the nature of their existing coverage and presented with a variety of options in the alternative to paying the approved rate increase amount. In the past few months alone, insurers are offering, and regulators are approving (and sometimes even requesting), an even wider variety of options, such as modifying existing coverage, reducing available benefit, or  taking a reduced paid-up policy, policy buyouts and even “hybrid” policy buyouts.

Continue reading “LTC Rate Increases: Exploring Alternatives”

Tax-Qualified Language: Litigation Risks Stemming from Common Policy Language

Many long-term-care (LTC) insurance policies in the market are “Tax-Qualified,” or “TQ,” meaning that they meet the federal standards for favorable tax treatment specified by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) (or were grandfathered in to that definition). This is an attractive option for most insureds because under TQ policies, certain LTC insurance benefits qualify for favorable federal income tax treatment — if the policy pays only benefits that reimburse the insured for qualified LTC costs, the insured will not owe federal income tax on those benefits. Likewise, premiums are tax-deductible up to a maximum limit that increases with age. These benefits are not provided by policies that are “Non-Tax-Qualified,” or “NTQ.”

Continue reading “Tax-Qualified Language: Litigation Risks Stemming from Common Policy Language”