Michael Fox — Licensed Insurance Advisor
Michael Fox Insurance
Phone: 856-676-9358
Email: michaelfox133@icloud.com
michaelfoxinsurance.online
Which Long-Term Care Company Is Right For You?
OneAmerica · Nationwide · Securian · Mutual of Omaha
Printed July 31, 2026
Side-by-side comparison
Four good companies. Four completely different plans.Here's the one that fits you.
Most people stall on long-term care planning for one reason: too many choices and no way to tell them apart. So let's make it simple. There are really only four companies most families should be looking at, and each one is built for a different kind of person. Answer five short questions below and I'll show you which one lines up with your money, your health and your family — no jargon, no sales pitch.
The four players, in one sentence each
Before we get into the details, here's the personality of each plan. Nobody is the "best" — they're built for different problems.
OneAmerica
Asset Care
The one that never runs out
Couples who want one pot of money that covers both of them, and anyone whose real fear is a 10-year Alzheimer's claim.
Reimbursement-style — receipts required, and informal family care isn't paid.
Full breakdownNationwide
CareMatters II
The one that writes you a check
Someone who wants the biggest monthly check with no receipts — pay a daughter, a neighbor, or fix the bathroom. Couples can cover two people on one plan (CareMatters Together).
Benefit period is capped (typically up to 7 years). No lifetime option.
Full breakdownSecurian
SecureCare III / IV
The one with the strongest guarantees
The person who says 'I want it in writing.' Everything is locked at issue — premium, pool and refund.
Fixed benefit pool (commonly 2–7 years). Not lifetime coverage.
Full breakdownMutual of Omaha
MutualCare Secure / Custom
The most coverage per dollar
Budget-conscious buyers who want the largest benefit pool for the smallest yearly payment — and can accept rate risk.
Premiums are not guaranteed, and there's no death benefit if you never claim.
Full breakdownThe five-question finder
Answer five questions. Get your match.
These are the same five questions I ask at a kitchen table. Nothing is stored, nothing is submitted — it just points you in the right direction.
Question 1 of 5
What actually worries you most?
This one answer moves the needle more than anything else.
The full side-by-side
Same questions, all four companies, no marketing language.
| What matters | OneAmericaAsset Care | NationwideCareMatters II | SecurianSecureCare III / IV | Mutual of OmahaMutualCare Secure / Custom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type of plan | Hybrid (life + care) | Hybrid (life + care) | Hybrid (life + care) | Traditional LTC |
| How benefits pay | Reimbursement | Cash indemnity | Cash indemnity | Reimbursement |
| Can benefits last for life? | Yes | No | No | No |
| Covers two people on one plan? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Premium locked for life? | Yes on single-pay and most guaranteed-pay designs | Yes on single and multi-pay | Yes — three guarantees: premium, benefits, money back | No — rates can be raised on the whole class |
| Leaves money to family? | Yes — whatever care doesn't use goes to your family | Yes — smaller residual benefit if care uses the pool | Yes — plus a guaranteed minimum death benefit | No — use it or lose it |
| Money back if you change your mind? | Yes — return-of-premium options available | Yes — return of premium schedule | Yes — vested return of premium, guaranteed | No (nonforfeiture rider available at extra cost) |
| How you can pay for it | Cash, IRA (unique annuity-funded IRA path), 1035, or annual pay | Cash, 1035 exchange, or 5/10-year pay | Cash, 1035, 5/10-year pay, qualified money via annuity path | Annual, semi-annual, monthly premium |
Product features, benefit periods and availability vary by state and by product version, and carriers update their designs regularly. Treat this as an educational summary, not a policy document.
Honestly? It comes down to three decisions
Forget the brochures. Get these three right and the company picks itself.
1. Check or receipts?
Cash indemnity (Nationwide, Securian) sends you the full monthly benefit and you spend it however you want — including paying your daughter. Reimbursement (OneAmerica, Mutual of Omaha) pays licensed providers back against real invoices. Cash is more flexible; reimbursement usually buys a bigger pool for the same dollar.
2. How long could this last?
Most plans cap out somewhere between 2 and 7 years. Only OneAmerica offers true lifetime benefits. If your family history includes Alzheimer's or Parkinson's — the diseases that run long — that single feature can outweigh everything else on this page.
3. What if you never use it?
Hybrids (the first three) give the money back to your family as a tax-free death benefit, so nothing is wasted. Traditional coverage from Mutual of Omaha is use-it-or-lose-it — but it buys the most coverage per dollar of any option here.
Four real people, four different answers
Tom & Diane, 63 and 61
$200,000 in a money market. Diane's mother had Alzheimer's for nine years.
→ OneAmerica Asset Care
One shared pool covers both of them, and the lifetime option means a nine-year claim can't drain them. The nine-year memory is the whole decision.
Ray, 68, widowed
His daughter lives ten minutes away and has already said she'd help.
→ Nationwide CareMatters II
The full monthly benefit shows up as cash with no receipts, so Ray can actually pay his daughter for her time instead of hiring a stranger.
Ellen, 59, a planner
Hates surprises. Wants every number in writing before she signs.
→ Securian SecureCare
Premium guaranteed, benefit pool guaranteed, money back guaranteed. Three locked numbers she can put in a folder and forget.
Frank & Maria, 57
No lump sum available, but they can comfortably budget a few thousand a year.
→ Mutual of Omaha MutualCare
Traditional coverage buys them the largest benefit pool per dollar, plus a couples discount. They accept the rate-increase risk with eyes open.
Four mistakes I see people make
- Shopping on premium alone. The cheapest plan is usually the one with the smallest pool or the least flexible payout — you find out at claim time.
- Assuming all four pay the same way. They don't. A cash plan and a reimbursement plan feel completely different the day your family files a claim.
- Waiting until 70. Health is the gatekeeper, not age. The best rates are locked in your late 50s and early 60s, before the first diagnosis shows up.
- Only getting quotes from one company. These four price the same person very differently. Running all four is free — and it's the whole reason to use an independent broker.
Straight answers to common questions
Let's run all four and see who wins for you
I'm independent and appointed with every company on this page, so I have no reason to push one over another. We'll spend thirty minutes on your situation, I'll quote all four, and you'll see the numbers side by side. If none of them make sense for you, I'll tell you that too.
Or call me directly: (856) 676-9358
Important — for awareness only
Statistics, ranges, and example costs cited here are drawn from publicly available industry and government sources and are presented for educational and awareness purposes only. Your personal probability, costs, and outcomes will differ based on age, health, family history, geography, care setting, inflation, and many other factors. This material is not a quote, recommendation, or financial, tax, or legal advice. Please consult your own qualified professionals before making any planning decisions.
Keep exploring
Related resources worth your time
Go deeper on any single company, or start with the basics.
OneAmerica Asset Care
The lifetime-benefit plan built for couples.
Read: OneAmerica Asset CareNationwide CareMatters
Cash indemnity — spend the benefit however you want.
Read: Nationwide CareMattersSecurian SecureCare
Three guarantees: premium, benefits and money back.
Read: Securian SecureCareMutual of Omaha Traditional LTC
The most coverage per dollar — and the rate history.
Read: Mutual of Omaha Traditional LTC