The California Insurance Department accused RiverSource Life Insurance Co. of unfair claims handling practices, including allegations that it developed practices designed to deny long-term care benefits to policyholders.

New premium sales of individual life combination products rose 62% in 2010, reaching $1.2 billion, boosted by linked-benefit products, according to LIMRA. The increase marks the second straight year of double-digit growth.

The Pennsylvania chapter of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors 2011 Annual Convention will be held at Lancaster Host Resort May 23-24 24. Registration opens at 7:30 a.m. May 23.

Long-term care costs continue to increase, but not at the same rate as other goods and services, according to the latest John Hancock Financial Cost of Care Survey.

MetLife will no longer issue individual long-term care insurance policies.

Genworth Life Insurance Co., part of Richmond, Va.-based Genworth Financial, will provide insurance for the Kansas State Employee Health Benefits Plan long-term care insurance program.

A Richmond, Va., insurance agent’s suit against LTC Financial Partners, the nation’s largest producer-owned long term care insurance agency, has been dropped, the company said.

A New Jersey man was sanctioned for helping people cheat on a New Jersey continuing education course on long-term care insurance.

New research indicates that while a number of Americans are planning for retirement, nearly 91% of their financial professionals are failing to broach the topic of how to fund potential long-term care costs.

John Hancock Life Insurance has launched LifeCare, a single-premium whole life insurance product that provides protection for both life and long-term care insurance needs, in a single policy.