Shared care rider is an optional long-term care insurance feature that formally adds shared benefit rights to two individual policies issued on spouses or partners. When both policies include the shared care rider, each insured typically has access to their own benefit pool plus the ability to draw on the other's remaining pool once their own is depleted, subject to policy terms. The rider may also provide a survivorship or restoration feature if one spouse dies after using benefits. Because the shared care rider increases the insurer's risk of paying more total benefits, it raises premiums relative to base coverage without sharing. The precise mechanics vary by carrier and product, making contract details and illustrations crucial.

Advisors recommend a shared care rider when couples want extra flexibility and mutual protection from large LTC claims but do not want to purchase the maximum benefit period on each individual policy. They review rider costs, eligibility requirements, and how benefits are reallocated if one spouse dies or never uses care. Some hybrid life/LTC products incorporate shared benefits through a rider linked to a common death benefit. Advisors must clarify that the rider is a contractual provision tied to two policies, not simply an informal promise to share. Understanding shared care riders allows advisors to demonstrate how a modest premium increase can significantly expand the safety net for couples facing unpredictable long-term care risks.