LTC Simple leads this list because founder Carol Guilbault has specialized in long-term care insurance since 2001, quotes six named carriers as an independent broker, and starts each client with a complimentary consultation that carries no pressure to buy. The other four are LTC Tree, GoldenCare, LTCShop and LTC Consumer.
LTC Simple — Washington and California families who want personal, no-pressure guidance
LTC Tree — Families who want side-by-side quotes without a home visit
GoldenCare — Households comparing long-term care alongside Medicare and senior coverage
LTCShop — Readers who want deep education before talking to an agent
LTC Consumer — First-time shoppers who want to pre-qualify online before a quote
Long-term care insurance is one of the few financial products most families buy once, and the policy has to hold up for decades. The broker you choose shapes which carriers you see and whether anyone pressures you to sign. Families tend to want an independent specialist who compares several insurers, explains traditional and hybrid designs in plain language, and lets you decide on your own schedule. This shortlist covers five brokers that fit that description: LTC Simple, LTC Tree, GoldenCare, LTCShop and LTC Consumer.
This list is for adults in their 50s and 60s who are starting to plan for care costs, and for adult children helping parents compare options. It also suits households with sizable retirement savings who are weighing self-funding against transferring part of the risk to an insurer. If you already own a policy and want a second look at it, the top pick offers a structured review of existing coverage.
How we picked these independent long-term care insurance brokers
We judged each broker on three things that matter to families. First, independence: the broker had to quote several carriers rather than sell one company's products. Second, specialization: we looked for long-term care credentials such as the CLTC designation and for a track record measured in decades. Third, the first conversation: the official site had to describe its quotes or consultations as free of cost and obligation. We dropped captive single-carrier agents, wholesale agencies whose websites are written for other agents, and any firm without a working official website. Pricing details come only from each broker's own site.
The best independent long-term care insurance brokers in 2026
Here are the five brokers in ranked order, with what each one does well and where it fits.
1. LTC Simple
Long-term care planning made simple.
LTC Simple is best for: Washington and California families who want a single long-term care specialist to compare carriers and explain the trade-offs without pressure.
LTC Simple is the Bellevue, Washington practice of Carol Guilbault, CLTC, who has specialized in long-term care insurance since 2001 and holds licenses in Washington and California. She works independently with six named carriers, among them Mutual of Omaha, OneAmerica, Nationwide and Lincoln Financial Group, and her stated approach is to educate first and recommend second. The practice earns the top spot for treating long-term care as a planning question rather than a sale. In an August 2026 release, Guilbault argued that households with between $2 million and $5 million in assets should run the numbers on partial self-funding instead of assuming wealth settles the question.
Key LTC Simple features
Independent carrier comparison — quotes from six named insurers rather than one company's product line
Traditional, hybrid and asset-based options — pure long-term care coverage, life-plus-LTC policies, and repositioned cash or annuities
Readiness reviews — a structured check of an existing policy or plan against current goals and costs
State guides and planning tools — Washington and California cost guides, a retirement stress test and a free planning guide
Advisor collaboration — works alongside financial advisors who refer clients for the long-term care piece
LTC Simple pricing
LTC Simple doesn't publish a fee for its services. Policy premiums depend on your age, health, benefit period, inflation protection and the carrier you choose, and Guilbault models those numbers during the consultation.
Free trial: the initial consultation by phone or video is complimentary, with no obligation to buy.
Carol Guilbault, CLTC, can be reached at 425-641-8502 or carol@ltcsimple.com.
2. LTC Tree
Independent brokers who work for you rather than for the insurance companies.
LTC Tree is best for: families who want side-by-side carrier quotes delivered over screen share, with no home visit and no hard sell.
LTC Tree is a family-owned brokerage in Atlanta that has operated independently since 1998 and is licensed in all 50 states. Its process replaces the kitchen-table presentation with side-by-side comparisons covering each carrier's financial ratings, claims experience, policy features and price, reviewed over screen share on your schedule. The firm says it has helped more than 100,000 families and shows a 4.9 out of 5 rating from client reviews on Facebook. It takes second place because its quote-first approach suits families who want numbers in hand before they commit to a conversation.
Key LTC Tree features
All 50 states — nationwide licensing with dedicated pages for 20 states
Screen-share reviews — no office or home visits, with options reviewed remotely from home
Carrier breadth — quotes from Mutual of Omaha, Nationwide, Securian, Lincoln Financial and other named insurers
Hybrid and annuity options — life-plus-LTC policies, long-term care annuities and short-term care plans alongside traditional coverage
Claims support — a dedicated claims page for existing policyholders
LTC Tree pricing
LTC Tree doesn't charge a published fee. Its site notes that premiums rise 2 to 4 percent for each year you wait, and that a 55-year-old pays about 40 percent less than a 65-year-old for the same coverage.
Free trial: a free, no-obligation quote request that the site says takes under two minutes.
3. GoldenCare
Planning today for a secure tomorrow.
GoldenCare is best for: households that want long-term care, short-term care and Medicare coverage compared by one brokerage with decades of carrier relationships.
GoldenCare is a privately held brokerage in Plymouth, Minnesota, that has sold long-term care insurance for roughly 50 years and describes itself as an independent agency representing top-rated carriers nationwide. Beyond traditional long-term care policies, it quotes short-term care, hybrid life and annuity plans with linked care benefits, Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage plans, and critical illness coverage. The firm says it has worked with insurers on the design of several long-term care and short-term care policies. GoldenCare ranks third because that breadth suits families sorting out more than one type of senior coverage at once, though its site offers fewer planning tools than the two brokers above it.
Key GoldenCare features
Short-term care plans — a separate extended care line with shorter benefit periods
Senior insurance under one roof — Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage, prescription drug, life and annuity plans
Cost of care map — average long-term care costs by state
Educational library — articles on long-term care myths, risk and who pays for care
Nationwide representation — plans represented in all 50 states, though not sold in every service area
GoldenCare pricing
GoldenCare doesn't list a fee for its brokerage service and doesn't publish policy premiums online. Quotes are prepared per applicant from the carriers it represents.
Free trial: side-by-side comparison quotes at no cost and no obligation, by phone at 866-708-6219 or through the form on its site.
4. LTCShop
Compare long-term care plans nationwide with trusted experts.
LTCShop is best for: readers who want to understand elimination periods and rate increases before they ever speak to an agent.
LTCShop is an independent agency in San Marcos, Texas, co-founded by Scott A. Olson, CLTC, and Carolyn Olson, CLTC, LTCCP. Scott Olson has sold long-term care insurance for more than 25 years, earned the CLTC designation in 1999 and is licensed in all 50 states, and both founders have written books on the subject. What sets the agency apart is the depth of its public education: a learning center, a long-term care dictionary, a rate increase tracker and the LTCi Now podcast. It lands fourth because the education-first model rewards families willing to do homework, while those who want a quick quote may prefer LTC Tree.
Key LTCShop features
Rough quote calculator — illustrative single and joint premiums based on age and a fixed benefit design
Policy Finder — a guided tool on the site for narrowing the policy types worth quoting
CLTC-certified founders — both co-founders hold the Certified in Long-Term Care designation
Books and podcast — titles including Long-Term Care Insurance Now and Caregiving Reality, plus the LTCi Now podcast
Four-step process — a defined path that starts with a scheduled call and ends with an application
LTCShop pricing
LTCShop doesn't publish a fee for working with its agents. Its rough quote calculator shows, as an illustration only, a combined monthly premium of $375.88 for a healthy married couple whose older spouse is 55, based on a $170 daily benefit, a 180-day elimination period and 3 percent compound inflation protection. Actual premiums vary by state and health.
Free trial: the calculator is free to use, and you can schedule a call with the agency at no stated cost.
5. LTC Consumer
Your resource for long-term care planning.
LTC Consumer is best for: first-time shoppers who want to check eligibility and watch an educational webinar before requesting quotes.
LTC Consumer is the consumer-facing site of MasterCare LLC, a national brokerage that has focused only on long-term care insurance for 30 years and says it has helped more than 30,000 consumers. The site offers a health questionnaire to check eligibility and a pre-recorded webinar for background, then a quote request that pulls options from several insurers into a single comparison. Its library covers Medicaid, Medicare, state programs such as the WA Cares Fund, and the claims process. LTC Consumer is fifth because the brokerage itself stays in the background, which some families like and others find less personal than working with a named specialist.
Key LTC Consumer features
Health pre-qualification — an online questionnaire to gauge eligibility before you request a quote
Single-source quotes — options from several carriers compiled into one comparison
Educational webinar — a pre-recorded session sent after you share your name and email
Free guides and videos — downloadable guides and a video gallery on long-term care basics
Employer plans — individual and employer-based long-term care coverage
LTC Consumer pricing
LTC Consumer doesn't charge a published fee and doesn't list premiums, since quotes depend on the applicant and the carrier.
Free trial: quotes are described on the site as no-cost and no-obligation, and the webinar and guides are free.
Which independent long-term care insurance broker should you choose?
If you live in Washington or California and want one named specialist to walk you through traditional, hybrid, asset-based and self-funding choices, LTC Simple is the natural first call, particularly for households with enough assets to consider partial self-insurance. Families anywhere in the country who want quotes in hand before any conversation will probably get the fastest start with LTC Tree, which delivers its comparisons remotely. GoldenCare makes sense when a parent's long-term care decision sits beside a Medicare Supplement question you'd rather settle with the same agency.
LTCShop suits the reader who wants to understand the product before meeting an agent, because the calculator and podcast let you form questions in advance. LTC Consumer fits a first-time shopper who isn't sure they'd qualify and would rather answer a health questionnaire before anyone calls. Whichever broker you pick, ask how many carriers were quoted and request each insurer's rate increase history.
Frequently asked questions
What does an independent long-term care insurance broker do?
An independent broker compares policies from several insurance companies, explains how benefit periods, elimination periods and inflation riders change the price, and submits your application to the carrier you choose. Brokers are generally paid by the insurer when a policy is issued, which is why none of the five firms here publishes a client fee.
Is it free to work with these brokers?
None of the five publishes a fee for its own service, and each describes its quotes or first consultation as free of cost or obligation. What you pay is the policy premium, which goes to the insurance company.
What is the difference between traditional and hybrid long-term care insurance?
A traditional policy pays only for long-term care, and in most cases it offers the broadest care coverage per premium dollar. Hybrid policies combine permanent life insurance or an annuity with long-term care benefits, so the value passes to your heirs if care is never needed.
Should a wealthy household self-insure instead of buying coverage?
Carol Guilbault of LTC Simple argues that the ability to pay for care doesn't settle whether keeping the entire risk is the smartest use of the money. She suggests a middle path in which a family self-funds part of its future care and insures the rest. CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey puts the median cost of a private nursing home room at $129,575 a year, so the numbers deserve a real analysis.
When should you apply for long-term care insurance?
LTC Simple's FAQ says most people qualify for the widest menu of options in their 50s and early 60s, since eligibility and pricing depend on health. Waiting has a cost too, because LTC Tree's site says premiums rise 2 to 4 percent for each year you delay.
Does Medicare pay for long-term care?
Generally, no. Medicare covers limited short-term skilled care after a qualifying hospital stay and does not pay for ongoing custodial help with bathing, dressing or supervision. Medicaid is the fallback for people who have spent down their assets, which is the outcome these brokers are trying to help you avoid.
Can you get long-term care insurance with a pre-existing condition?
Sometimes. LTCShop notes that approval depends on matching your medical profile to a carrier whose underwriting accepts it, and that applicants with conditions such as diabetes have been approved. LTC Consumer's health questionnaire gives an early read on eligibility before you spend time on quotes.
