More than 90 percent of employers are willing to pay for long-term care benefits for their employees, according to Unum, the leading provider for such benefits. Providing long-term care insurance helps employers attract and retain better employees.

"The increasing awareness and need for long-term care services is propelling the sales momentum in the workplace," says John Noble, Unum director of long-term care products. "Unum's sales premium is up 26 percent in the first half of the year. Even more dramatic is that we saw a 54 percent increase in new enrollees."

In its annual Landscape of Long-Term Care analysis of sales trends, the company also notes:

• In 2006, the average age of issue for a group long-term care policyholder was 43.5, down from an average age of 47 in 2000. For Unum policies purchased individually through brokers or financial advisers, the average age at time of purchase is 57.
• The top five types of industries purchasing group long-term care insurance are law firms, physicians, insurance brokerages, management consulting services and engineering firms.
• The top five states purchasing long-term care insurance are California, Texas, Pennsylvania, Florida and Illinois.
• Women outpace men slightly, representing 52 percent of the purchasing population.
• Over the past four years, Unum reports a 5 percent increase in those selecting the $5,000-$6,000 monthly benefit as a result of rising costs of long-term care cost.
• Sales of the home health care option have increased to more than 93 percent of policies sold, reflecting a desire among policyholders to remain in their own home even in a time of need.