California Brokers Gain New Edge with Allstate’s LTC Solution

By Jason Dutra, LTC insurance specialist and Director of Partner Success at BuddyINS

For years, California brokers have faced limited options in the long-term care space, particularly in the employer market. That picture is changing fast. Allstate’s recently launched group hybrid plan, backed by BuddyINS, signals a new era for employer-driven LTC coverage with a flexible, guaranteed, and portable design that appeals both to clients and their employees.

Jason Dutra, LTC insurance specialist and Director of Partner Success at BuddyINS, joined California Broker Magazine to discuss how the Allstate Benefits Worksite Division is making long term care protection accessible again to employers of all sizes and how brokers can easily integrate this into existing group strategies.

A Hybrid Approach with Longevity

As Dutra explained, the Allstate Benefits group plan is a life and long term care hybrid combining protection and value in one policy. The plan allows insureds to accelerate their life insurance benefit to cover LTC needs while retaining a residual death benefit. “You can access your long term care benefit through the life insurance,” Dutra shared. “It acts as your ticket into care, while still leaving something behind for loved ones if you don’t use it.” A key differentiator is the extension of benefits rider that effectively doubles the total long term care protection available. That design concept, Dutra said, adds a dynamic advantage absent in many traditional worksite offerings. “It’s really about value preservation and peace of mind coverage that’s meaningful whether you use the LTC benefit or not.”

Guaranteed and Portable Protection

Unlike typical employer benefit designs tied to active employment, this product is built for lifetime portability. Once issued, the policy becomes an individual certificate the employee owns and can take into retirement. Premiums remain guaranteed and level for life, based on a whole life chassis. “The guarantee extends all the way through age 121,” Dutra noted.

Employers may find this combination of predictability and long-term stability particularly appealing amid California’s rising benefit costs. Rates remain fixed for the lifetime of the contract—a stark contrast to the annual escalations seen in medical or property coverage.

The plan’s portability makes it unusually fit for real-life usage. “In long term care, claims often occur after the working years,” Dutra explained. “Being able to take that coverage with you ensures it’s there when it’s needed most.”

Designed for California

This Allstate product stands out for offering a California specific plan structure available only in California and Utah. It includes a five percent compound inflation protection feature—something rarely seen in group plans. “When I first saw the California version,” Dutra said, “I almost fell out of my chair. It’s not what we usually see on group LTC plans so much value and so many guarantees built in.” Employers can begin with as few as three lives, with a six-application minimum. That requirement can be met by combining the LTC plan with other voluntary products such as accident or critical illness coverage. The combination gives brokers broad flexibility in designing benefits for small to large groups, while preserving guaranteed-issue underwriting for easier enrollment.

Groups may also tailor benefits through executive carveouts or buy-up options, blending employer funding with employee-paid enhancements. “You can fund a core plan for key employees, offer voluntary buy-up to others, and still stay within participation guidelines,” Dutra said.

Broader Reach and Real-Time Benefits

The Allstate hybrid plan is broadly available nationwide, though with variations. California stands out as a “situs of choice” due to its inflation protection feature. Brokers serving multi-state clients should note that guaranteedissue parameters and benefit levels can vary based on group size, with simplified underwriting applied in some larger cases.

From an administrative standpoint, new policyholders receive access to Allstate’s My Benefits portal within weeks of issuance. Through it, they can review policy details, manage personal information, and even file claims online. “That streamlines the whole process,” Dutra said. “It takes a lot of friction out of claims management for employees and employers.”

A Recruiting and Retention Tool

With guaranteed premiums and scalable funding, this worksite hybrid plan delivers more than just protection— it doubles as a talent strategy. “It’s a benefit that says to your employees, ‘I care about your future, even after you leave the company,’” Dutra emphasized.

He acknowledged that long term care planning often feels distant for younger workers but pointed out that the guaranteed low premiums and inflation growth make it an exceptional financial tool over time. “You can get in early, lock in a low rate, and watch the benefit grow year after year.”

Employers funding coverage partially or fully for select employees can communicate deep goodwill while locking in predictable long-term costs. “It can become a signature retention benefit,” Dutra said. “And when an employee leaves, that portability speaks volumes.”

Supporting Caregivers Today

The BuddyINS-Allstate collaboration extends beyond plan design. Dutra emphasized that supporting today’s caregivers is just as important as planning for future care needs. “We’re connected with organizations like Amada Senior Care, which provide in-home services, and Tcare, which helps relieve caregiver stress,” he said. “So, when employers introduce this plan, they’re not only helping staff prepare for their future they’re also connecting them with real-time support now.”

For California employers, this integrated educational component strengthens their value proposition and enhances workforce well-being. “Education on long term care and caregiver support can transform the way a company is perceived,” Dutra noted. “It’s how an employer becomes an employer of choice.”

A Predictable Cost in an Unpredictable Market

In contrast to rising healthcare, property, and general liability premiums, the Allstate hybrid product holds its cost steady over time. “That predictability gives employers tremendous planning confidence,” Dutra said. Because the plan can be selectively funded, brokers can propose creative funding structures base coverage for all, enhanced levels for key employees, or voluntary buy-ups.

Brokers exploring executive carve-outs or retention strategies will find the policy particularly adaptable. Whether serving small agencies, mid-market businesses, or large employers, the program’s guaranteed-issue option makes LTC inclusion both practical and profitable.

Encouraging Brokers to Step In

As Calhoun noted, this program is virtually brand new for California—a rare opportunity for brokers to diversify. By modeling the policy for their own teams, brokers can see firsthand how it scales in value. “Once you have it for yourself,” Calhoun said, “you can clearly see the fit and bring it out to your employer clients.”

Dutra offered brokers a simple starting point: “Enroll your agency to experience it, then use that same story to help your clients see the opportunity.”

California brokers can now register with Allstate through BuddyINS for access to group quotes and enrollment support. To get started, visit the BuddyINS Life Insurance Partner landing page where agents can request onboarding, schedule a consultation, or run proposal comparisons for small to large employer clients.

Jason Dutra Director of Partner Success at BuddyIns, is an experienced insurance and financial services professional with a background spanning management, entrepreneurship, and sales. As a long-term care insurance specialist, he combines his industry expertise with a passion for writing and communication to support partners through innovative onboarding and content initiatives.