Long term care insurance is issued and sold on both a group basis and for individuals in the state of New York. Group policies are offered to members of organizations or associations as well as employees and may have their own unique regulations.

There are basically four different types of long term care insurance policies available in New York: long term care insurance; nursing and home care insurance combined; nursing home insurance only; and home care insurance only. Long term care insurance generally offers the widest range of options and features.

New York also offers a partnership for long term care, an initiative devised in 1993 aimed at encouraging more people to purchase long term care insurance. Under the terms of the partnership, members may qualify for Medicaid extended coverage, if they have satisfied the duration requirements of the policy. This plan also helps to protect the assets of people applying under the program.

There are certain other rules concerning long term care policies in New York. All policies are renewable by law as long as the policy holder pays the premiums – and regardless of poor health. And the amount of your premium cannot be increased unless the increase is approved by the state insurance department.

As in other parts of the country, tax implications can be a big consideration when purchasing long term care insurance. The state passed a law in 1997 that offers tax advantages for premiums paid for certain qualifying policies. In 2004, additional legislation increased the tax credit to 20% for long term care insurance premiums.

Finally, shop around if you are thinking of taking out long term care insurance. A good place to start is at HIICAP – the state's excellent Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program.