The latest research reveals that nearly half of all Americans will need long term care during their lives. Also, about one in ten over 60 years of age is at a high risk of needing long term senior care within the next 12 months.

Common sense says it's a good idea to consider health care and long term care insurance as an important part of any financial plan. Having the proper insurance may help protect assets, and provide better control over how and where long term care is received should the need arise.

When the time for LTCI arrives, MetLife long term health insurance ranks high among reputable policies. They offer three comprehensive plans: Individual Long Term Care Insurance, Employer Sponsored Long Term Care Insurance, and Federal Long Term Care Insurance.

For many, the prospect of choosing a long term care insurance policy is daunting. It seems there are so many things to consider and weigh, which leaves people who may already be ill or aging feeling overwhelmed.

The worst thing to do is to ignore the possibility of needing long term care in the future. Below are a few ways to avoid pitfalls and your MetLife long term health insurance rep can help you to identify them. Facing them takes much of the anxiety away from the process.

• Be sure to comparison shop widely; get at least three free quotes.
• Be wary of low-priced "newbie" policies; choose a company with a good reputation.
• Make sure to understand what kind of facilities your policy will cover.
• Try not to purchase a policy too far in advance.
• Carefully consider the pros and cons of spousal discounts and be sure they're solid.
• Be careful of "alternate care" benefits.
• Understand your policies "rate hike" language in detail.

A dedicated MetLife long term health insurance agent will be more than willing to discuss these issues at length before they sell you a policy. With over 100 years in the insurance industry MetLife wants to protect its reputation while also serving the community.

With a little time and patience, long term care insurance can emerge as an easily understood alternative to paying for care out of pocket. Long-standing companies with solid reputations offer the best solutions most of the time.

If you'd like to learn more, any good, free long term care review can help you understand long term care insurance facts. Or, you can take your questions to a MetLife long term health insurance representative to find out more.