Life Insurance and the Death Riders

No, the death riders are not some kind of scary motorcycle gang riding around and terrorizing an innocent public. The death riders are additional, supplementary endorsements, also known as riders, to a life insurance policy. There are two basic death riders for life insurance policies. One rider is the Accidental Death Benefit rider, also referred to as the ADB rider, and the other is the Accidental Death and Dismemberment rider, also referred to as the AD&D rider.

The Accidental Death Benefit (ADB) rider is an endorsement to a regular life insurance policy that provides additional death benefits to your beneficiaries should your death be accidental. Not only will your beneficiaries be given the regular amount of your death benefits, but they will be given an additional amount if your death is accidental. Accidental deaths may include car accidents, fatal falls, and unintentional electrocution; however, there are other causes for accidental deaths. If you drive a lot, your job requires you to climb steep heights, or you work with electricity, you may want to consider adding an ADB rider to your current life insurance policy.

The Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) rider is an endorsement to a regular life insurance policy that provides additional death benefits to your beneficiaries should your death be accidental, and/or will compensate you and your family should you be involved in an accident that results in the loss of two or more of your limbs, or the loss of vision in both eyes. If you are involved in an accident that results in the loss of one limb or loss of vision in one eye, your AD&D rider may compensate you for half of what you would be given if you lost two or more limbs or sight in both eyes.

Be sure to speak thoroughly with a life insurance agent if you are considering purchasing an ADB or AD&D rider for your life insurance policy.