I was conversing with a woman just today that her financial planner told her she didn't have enough assets to protect. Thus he said she didn't need to purchase long term care insurance. What a misnomer. If someone has minimal assets but can still afford a premium the decision is realized at a different level. There is a fine line between 'need' to purchase and 'wants' to purchase. This particular woman - even though was told by an advisor that she didn't 'need' long term care insurance. Did still want to purchase it because she 'wanted' it.
She wants to maintain independence. She wants to afford care better for her than Medicaid offers. She wants to have care in her own home (which isn't provided for by Medicaid in nearly all states.) She doesn't really want to be on the 'ticket' of the state. AND she doesn't want to become completely poverty stricken of what assets she does have just to have to qualify for Medicaid.
So on paper she may not look like to a Financial Planner that she has many assets to invest and/or protect since they have shrunk in the last years. But she still has many reasons why she 'wants' to have the protection.