How Brighthouse Financial SmartCare Combines Life Insurance with Long-Term Care Benefits

Brighthouse SmartCare® is a hybrid indexed universal life insurance policy designed to provide dual financial protection: a guaranteed death benefit for your loved ones and long-term care (LTC) benefits for yourself. This modern solution addresses the growing financial challenges of retirement and rising healthcare costs, offering both protection and growth opportunities in a single product.

A Smarter Way to Use Your Insurance Dollars

Brighthouse SmartCare helps you protect your retirement by efficiently combining two important forms of coverage:

• A guaranteed death benefit for your family.
• Guaranteed long-term care benefits that can help cover the cost of extended care, should you need it.

Unlike traditional life insurance policies, SmartCare gives you the flexibility to access your policy benefits during your lifetime, making it a practical choice for today’s retirees who face increased longevity and higher healthcare expenses.

Key Features of Brighthouse SmartCare

Guaranteed Death Benefit

The policy includes a permanent life insurance component, offering peace of mind that your family will be protected no matter what happens.

Guaranteed LTC Protection

With SmartCare, you can access LTC benefits through cash indemnity payments. These benefits are guaranteed and do not require receipts, offering simplicity and predictability.

Cash Indemnity LTC Payments

Unlike reimbursement-based LTC coverage, SmartCare pays a monthly LTC benefit directly to you. This gives you the freedom to use the money however you wish—whether for home care, family caregivers, medical costs, or living expenses like housing and utilities.

Growth Potential Through Market-Linked Options

SmartCare is an indexed universal life policy. This means your policy's cash value and LTC benefits can grow over time by tracking well-known market indices like the S&P 500®, Russell 2000®, and MSCI EAFE®. A fixed account option is also available.

SmartCare protects your cash value from market losses with a guaranteed 0% floor rate, though policy charges may still apply.

Flexible Growth Options for LTC Benefits

You can choose between:

• Indexed LTC growth: LTC benefits increase based on index performance (up to an annual cap).
• Fixed Growth LTC: LTC benefits grow at a guaranteed rate of 3% or 5% compound annually.

Preparing for Long-Term Care Needs

With longer retirements come rising healthcare costs. Brighthouse SmartCare allows you to plan for these costs proactively. You can select your LTC coverage amount at the time of application, with the option for that coverage to grow over time.

Customizing Your Coverage

SmartCare gives you several ways to tailor your coverage:

1. Choose an LTC Coverage Option

• Indexed LTC: LTC benefits track market performance, increasing when the market performs well.
• Fixed Growth LTC: Benefits grow at 3% or 5% annually, regardless of market performance.

2. Choose an LTC Benefit Period

SmartCare’s LTC benefits are structured using two riders:

• LTC Acceleration of Death Benefit Rider (LTC ADBR): Pays LTC benefits from the policy’s death benefit for the first two years of a claim.
• Extension of Benefits Rider (EOBR): Once the death benefit portion is used, this rider provides an additional 2 to 4 years of LTC benefits, creating a total payout period of 4 or 6 years.

3. Choose a Premium Payment Schedule

Flexible payment options include:

• Single premium
• Annual payments over 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 years

Simple Claims and Flexible Care

When LTC is needed, Brighthouse SmartCare pays benefits through a straightforward cash indemnity model. Once you meet eligibility requirements—being unable to perform two of six activities of daily living or having severe cognitive impairment—you’ll receive monthly benefit payments after a 90-day elimination period.

Benefits can be used for any type of qualified care, including:

• Home health care
• Adult day care
• Assisted living facilities
• Nursing home care
• Hospice care

SmartCare gives you the flexibility to pay for professional caregivers or family members.

Protection from the Unexpected

Brighthouse SmartCare offers additional protection features:

• Terminal Illness Benefit: Access up to 50% of your death benefit (maximum $250,000) if diagnosed with a terminal illness with a life expectancy of less than 12 months.
• Return of Premium Riders: Guarantees that your surrender value or death benefit will not be less than a percentage of premiums paid (subject to adjustments for loans and LTC benefits).
• Lapse Prevention: Ensures your policy remains in force if you pay required premiums on time.

Transparent Charges

SmartCare is designed for transparency, with policy charges including:

• Percent of Premium Charge: Applied to each premium payment.
• Annual Deduction: Covers the cost of insurance, administration, and rider charges.

Your financial professional can provide an illustration showing how these charges impact your policy.

Underwriting Made Simpler

Brighthouse SmartCare features an expedited underwriting process for qualified applicants:

• Ages 40–65: No labs, exams, or cognitive assessments required in most cases. Decisions made within 24 hours of receiving complete application materials.
• Ages 66–75: Cognitive screening and medical records required, but still a streamlined process.

Final Thought

Brighthouse SmartCare is a smart, modern solution for those who want their life insurance to work harder. It protects your legacy while helping you plan for potential long-term care needs, combining the strengths of indexed universal life insurance with the practical value of LTC benefits.

If you’re looking for flexible protection that adapts to your life circumstances, Brighthouse SmartCare offers both peace of mind for your family and support for your own care in retirement. Consult your financial professional to see how it fits into your broader retirement and estate plan.