Last updated: July 10, 2024 | Reviewed by Liane Goulet

As life goes on, daily tasks like bathing, getting dressed, or making meals can get harder. It’s normal for our physical or mental health needs to change as we age. Long-term care insurance (LTCI) can help you prepare for future care costs.

What is long-term care insurance?

LTCI helps Canadians pay for the increased health care and personal assistance care we typically need later in life. It’s a type of health insurance meant to cover care over a long time when you can no longer take care of yourself.

It can help pay for the care you need such as:

  • Nursing care, rehabilitation and therapy
  • Personal care like help dressing, eating, or bathing
  • Homemaking like meal preparation, cleaning, or laundry
  • Having someone watch over and help you when you need it

Benefits of LTCI

Flexibility

Can be used for care at home, a retirement residence, or a long-term care facility.

Wealth & legacy protection

Added security to prevent erosion from cost of care.

Simplicity

Income-style benefit so you don’t need to submit receipts for reimbursement.

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What is long-term care insurance?

Simply Put, it's easy to take our ability to perform day-to-day activities for granted. However, this can change – especially as we age. That’s why it’s so important to consider your future health-care needs as you build your retirement plan.  As you age, whether you’re living in your home or a care facility, costs can quickly add up. That’s where long-term care insurance can help.

It provides a comprehensive income-style benefit when you become dependent, to help protect you and your family financially.

Long-term care insurance is designed to help cover the cost of care services in any environment, including:

  • a personal residence – like your own home,
  • a retirement home, or
  • a long-term care facility.

It can help cover the cost of care if you’re unable to care for yourself, because of declining cognitive or physical abilities.

It can also help pay for assistance to manage your daily activities, for things like bathing and dressing. Or, if your cognitive condition has worsened, and you need constant supervision to protect your health and safety.

How does long-term care insurance work?

Generally speaking, there are two options for long-term care insurance:

  • One, plans can be set up to reimburse specific expenses, such as homemaking or private nursing services.
  • Or, your plan can be set to provide an income-style benefit. This means you'd get money monthly and use it any way you choose.

How can long-term care insurance help you and your family?

Staying in a long-term care facility can be costly. And government health-care programs may not cover all of the support services you need.

Long-term care insurance can help pay for stays in nursing homes and chronic care facilities, as well as for rehabilitation and therapy programs.

Caring for loved ones at home can be a strain emotionally, physically, and financially. In some cases, it may mean taking time off work or leaving full-time employment to provide that care. Long-term care insurance can help relieve some of that stress. You can even use it to compensate family caregivers for the help they provide.

Some plans offer unique features, like:

  • the option to protect your benefits against inflation, and
  • the option to return premiums to your estate if you haven’t received any payments.

With long-term care insurance, you and your family can focus on finding the best care for your needs, rather than worrying about how you’ll pay for it.

For more tips and tools, visit sunlife.ca.

Long-term care insurance to meet your needs:

Features

Sun Retirement Health Assist

What it covers:

Health care and personal care if you lose the ability to care for yourself after age 65.

When benefits are paid:

When you become a dependent and can’t care for yourself. You’re considered dependent when you need:

  • Constant supervision by another person because of deteriorated mental ability
  • Substantial physical assistance with at least two activities of daily living.  
  • Stand-by assistance to perform bathing and transferring
How benefits are paid:

Monthly income-style benefit that pays between $125 and $2,300 a week.

General benefits:
  • Aged 45-71
  • If you’re planning for retirement or are already retired and thinking about the increased cost of care.
  • If you want to relieve the emotional, physical, and financial stress on your children and caregivers.
  • If you want to choose the type of care and where you get it:
    • Your personal residence
    • Your child’s residence
    • A retirement home
    • A long-term care facility
More details Learn more about Sun Retirement Health Assist

Have more questions? An advisor can work with you to help create a custom retirement plan  that fits your budget and needs.

Enter your postal code to find an advisor near you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does long-term care in Canada cost on average?

Here are some average costs to help you consider your future health needs and the type of care you want:

$1,000 - $6,000 / month * - For 24/7 care in an assisted living facility

$10 - $200 / hour * - Hourly rate for homemaking, personal care, and nursing care services

Cost estimates based on a Sykes Assistance Services Corporation report from November 2022 on long-term care pricing across different provinces in Canada.

Will long-term care insurance pay for assisted living in Canada?

Yes. LTCI provides an income-style benefit that can be used however you want –  including paying for assisted living in Canada.

What’s the difference between long-term care vs disability insurance?

LTCI provides a benefit when you are dependent on someone else for your  personal care and protection because you are no longer able to perform some of the activities of daily living or you have a significant deterioration in cognitive abilities.

Disability insurance, may replace some of your income if you can’t work.

An advisor can answer more questions and help you choose the right coverage for you.

Find an advisor

What’s the difference between long-term care vs critical illness insurance?

LTCI pays benefits based on your inability to do activities of daily living or if you have deteriorated mental abilities. It’s not tied to a specific illness.

Critical illness insurance pays a lump-sum if you have a covered critical illness as defined in the policy.

Not sure if you want both types of insurance or have more questions?

An advisor can help

Are long-term care insurance premiums tax deductible in Canada?

Your long-term care insurance policies are not tax deductible in Canada. However, there may be some tax benefits available if you own a legacy long-term care insurance policy with a reimbursement-style benefit.

Consult a tax advisor for more information.

Find out which insurance premiums are tax deductible

More resources

Things to know about long-term care insurance

Chances are you’ve never considered the potential costs of long-term care. But as you get older, the odds of your needing that care will increase.

Important tax credits that help caregivers

Have you been looking after an elderly or disabled family member during the pandemic? Here are some valuable tax credits that can put money back in your pocket.

5 stages of care

The level of healthcare and personal assistance you need – and the cost to meet these needs – typically increase over time and go through 5 stages.

This information is meant for educational and illustrative purposes only. Some conditions, exclusions and restrictions apply.