Can you be denied long-term care insurance?

Yes. Unlike some other insurance products, long-term care insurance is medically underwritten — the carrier reviews your health history and can decline to offer you a policy at all, not just charge you more.

The most common reasons for a decline

• A condition that already signals a need for care, such as Alzheimer's, dementia, Parkinson's, or a recent stroke with lasting effects.
• Multiple health conditions together, even when each one individually might be insurable.
• Cognitive or memory concerns, which carriers screen for closely regardless of the underlying cause.
• Functional limitations — needing help with daily activities already, using a walker or wheelchair, or a history of falls.
• Age — most carriers set a maximum issue age, and approval odds decline as you approach it.

See our condition-by-condition breakdown for how specific diagnoses are actually treated.

A decline is not necessarily the end of the search

Carriers differ meaningfully in how they underwrite the same condition — a decline from one does not always mean a decline from all. If traditional coverage is not available, asset-based or hybrid policies and short-term care insurance often have more flexible underwriting.

Working with an independent broker who knows which carriers are more comfortable with your specific situation — rather than applying blindly to one carrier at a time — meaningfully improves your odds and avoids collecting declines that stay on your record.

General information only. This is educational and not insurance, legal, tax, or financial advice. Rules and products vary and change — confirm the specifics with a licensed professional.