Life insurance rider
Updated for plan year 2026
In plain terms
A rider is an optional add-on that modifies a life insurance policy, either expanding coverage or adding a feature. Some are included at no cost (like an accelerated death benefit), while others carry extra premium. The most broadly useful are the accelerated death benefit, the term conversion rider, and waiver of premium.
A plain example
A waiver-of-premium rider keeps your policy in force by waiving premiums if you become totally disabled and can't work, protecting the very coverage you'd most need to keep during a disability.
Why it matters
The best riders protect the policy itself or cost nothing; the worst, like return-of-premium, just inflate the premium for coverage you could buy more cheaply. Knowing which is which keeps you from overpaying.