CareScout Long-Term Care Insurance Review: Pros, Cons & Questions To Ask Before Buying

Overall Assessment: CareScout Long-Term Care Insurance

The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI) recommends that consumers considering the CareScout Care Assurance long-term care insurance policy compare against other available plans. There are definite pros which include access to the company's vast claims and care experience (including the potential of discounts). However, consumers may likely find less costly coverage available from other leading LTC insurers. Finally, the CareScout offering lacks the "Shared Care" option, something AALTCI believes offers a very valuable planning option for couples.

When Did CareScout Start Selling Long-Term Care Insurance?

CareScout officially began issuing its own long-term care insurance (LTCI) with the launch of CareScout Care Assurance in October 2025.

The coverage is written through CareScout Insurance Company, a newly established entity designed to isolate new risk from their parent company, Genworth Financial.

Genworth Financial acquired CareScout (originally incorporated as National Elder Care Referral Systems, Inc.) in August 2010. Prior to the acquisition, CareScout had operated as a third-party vendor for Genworth for nearly a decade, managing provider ratings, clinical assessments, and care coordination services.

The CareScout - Genworth Relationship; What You Need to Know

CareScout is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Genworth Financial, Inc., but it is not the same entity as Genworth’s historical insurance companies.

Historically, Genworth’s legacy long-term care insurance (LTCI) policies were underwritten by entities like Genworth Life Insurance Company (GLIC). That legacy block of business (at one time with over one million long-term care insurance policyholders) has faced severe financial stress due to decades of product mispricing, underestimated claims duration, and low interest rates.

As a result, credit rating agencies have assigned Genworth Life Insurance Company sub-investment grade financial strength ratings (such as A.M. Best’s C++ range), and Genworth has had to rely on aggressive multi-year premium rate increases to keep that older book solvent.

To launch new insurance products without carrying the burden of those historical liabilities, Genworth explained that it established CareScout Insurance Company as a completely separate legal entity. This structural division—often called "ring-fencing" — means that new policies like CareScout Care Assurance are backed solely by CareScout's own balance sheet and targeted reinsurance agreements. That is supposed to isolate them from the financial troubles, rating downgrades, and rate-hike pressures of Genworth’s legacy books of long-term care insurance policies.

Is CareScout Long-Term Care Insurance Available In All States?

As of August 2026, CareScout’s long-term care insurance product (CareScout Care Assurance) is available in about 40 states. It is currently NOT available in California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey and New York.

What Are The Primary Features Of The CareScout LTC Policy?

The CareScout Care Assurance policy is a traditional, tax-qualified individual long-term care insurance (LTCI) product.

Core Policy Structure & Coverage
Total Benefit Pool (Coverage Maximum): Policies are structured around a total dollar pool of potential available benefits. You can select from pre-set amounts ranging from $50,000 to $250,000.
Daily / Monthly Maximums: - You select a daily maximum benefit (often ranging between $50 and $200+ per day). Benefits are paid on a reimbursement basis for actual covered expenses up to the selected limit. Unused daily amounts remain in your total benefit pool for future use.
Comprehensive Care Settings: Coverage includes: In-home care (formal care and skilled nursing), assisted living facilities, nursing home care, memory care and adult day care centers. There are respite care benefits for family caregivers.
Waiting Period & Inflation Protection The Elimination Period (policy deductible) are standard waiting periods of 90 or 180 calendar days. There is an Optional 0-Day Home Care Waiver. This optional rider bypasses the elimination period entirely if care is received at home, allowing home care benefits to begin on Day 1.
Inflation Protection Options: To keep pace with future rising health costs, buyers can select compound inflation growth options (typically 1%, 3%, or 5% compound).

How Does CareScout Long-Term Care Insurance Compare In Cost?

For purposes of comparison, AALTCI compared typical policies where there is a couple who are both age 60. Both are in good health and opt for coverage with a pool of benefits equal to $200,000. Rates calculated July 2026, State of Illinois and subject to change.

CareScout Annual Policy Costs - No future growth option included
MALE: $1,350
FEMALE: $2,050

Another Leading Traditional LTC Insurer's Policy Costs * - No future growth option included
MALE: $1,350
FEMALE: $2,050

CareScout Annual Policy Costs - With 3% future growth option included
MALE: $2,400
FEMALE: $4,035

Another Leading Traditional LTC Insurer's Policy Costs * - With 3% future growth option included
MALE: $2,230
FEMALE: $4,000

* Since we were founded in 1998, AALTCI has maintained a policy of not identifying competing insurance companies in our consumer comparisons. Because your health at the time you apply plays such an important role in both eligibility and pricing, we encourage consumers to compare rates through an independent long-term care insurance specialist who represents multiple leading, highly rated insurers.

What Should Couples Know Before Buying CareScout Long-Term Care Insurance?

COST DIFFERENTIAL - In July 2026, as part of the 2026 Long-Term Care Insurance Price Index, the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance compared costs for a 60-year-old couple.

The cost for LTC insurance coverage from CareScout including all spousal discounts was $6,120 (combined yearly cost for the couple, included a 3% compound inflation growth option).

The cost for basically identical coverage from another, leading traditional long-term care insurer was $5,362. In other words, the CareScout policy cost approximately $758 more per year for very similar coverage. Because long-term care insurance is typically kept for many years, that annual premium difference can add up to thousands of dollars over the life of the policy.

LACK OF THE 'SHARED CARE' OPTION - One of the best-kept secrets for couples considering long-term care insurance is the shared care option according to Jesse Slome, director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI).

A long-term care insurance shared care rider allows a couple to pool their individual policy benefits into a single, shared pot of coverage. If one partner exhausts their allocated pool of benefits, they can draw from their spouse's remaining coverage to continue paying for needed care. This gives couples greater financial protection against a prolonged illness while avoiding the higher cost of buying separate, maximum-coverage policies for each person. Other leading LTC insurance companies make this available as an option.

Adding this very valuable option to the lower-cost long-term care insurance policy quoted above (at $5,362) made the total cost just a few dollars higher than the CareScout policy. In other words, the couple could have this valuable additional benefit for the same cost as what they'd pay for CareScout.

What Questions Should I Ask Before Buying CareScout Long-Term Care Insurance?

Questions About Policy Benefits:

What is my ('our' if both spouses/partners are applying) initial pool of long-term care benefits with the policy you are recommending?
Have you included an Inflation Growth Factor? (If yes, what is the annual percentage growth factor?)
With this inflation growth of my benefits, what will be the available pool of benefits when I reach age 85? What about at age 90?

Questions About Policy Costs:

What is the cost for the policy with these recommended level of benefits?
Did the price you quote have me qualified for their "Preferred Rate Class"?
If I don't qualify for Preferred Rates, how much will the cost be?
What change(s) would you recommend that could lower my cost?
Did you include any discounts I might qualify for?
What guarantees exist regarding rate stability, and what is the rate-increase history or financial rating of the underlying issuing entity?

Questions About Alternative Long-Term Care Planning Options:

Is this a stand-alone traditional policy, and what happens if I never use care?
How does it compare in cost to a linked-benefit policy offering similar long-term care benefits?

About the Reviewer: Jesse Slome is the Director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, an organization dedicated to providing long-term care insurance education, research and consumer resources. His work in long-term care insurance dates back to 1987 and includes experience with leading insurers including Aetna and Transamerica. He holds multiple professional insurance designations, including CLU (Chartered Life Underwriter) and ChFC (Chartered Financial Consultant) from The American College of Financial Services.