A long term care insurance company should be one you can trust.

When you shop for long term care insurance, it's important to look for a policy that is affordable and yet offers enough benefits to help you when you need it most. You also want to buy your policy from a company you can trust, so you know they'll be there when you need them most. 

Of course when you shop you should get comparison quotes to lower your costs. So when you find a quote you like, you should also ask some questions about the company.

Is the company financially stable? You can research an insurance company's financial stability by contacting five different rating agencies that rate the financial strength of insurance companies. These rating agencies are: A.M. Best, Weiss, Standard & Poor's, Fitch and Moody's. You can usually get the ratings from their Web sites or by contacting them directly. You should probably check more than one rating agency to get an idea of the company's stability.

Do they have a track record in providing long term care insurance? Long term care insurance is a fairly new insurance product and some companies have pulled out of the market after "testing the waters" so to speak. Try to get a sense of the company's commitment to the long term care insurance market. 

How are their claims and service records? You can check with your state insurance department to see if they've received any complaints about the company. Above all … ask questions. About your policy. About the company. And refer to your financial adviser or a licensed insurance professional. 

LowerYourInsurance.com has partnered with Insureme to help you compare long term care insurance quotes.