If you have children, a child rider may be worth exploring. It can pay out a death benefit if one of them passes away while your policy is active. As with most life insurance riders, child riders come with features and benefits you should understand before you purchase one. Here’s what you should know about child life insurance riders so you can decide whether this add-on is right for your needs.
A child life insurance rider, or child term rider, is an add-on to a life insurance policy. It’s designed to pay out a death benefit if one or more of your children pass away. You can use the payout for anything, including funeral and burial expenses. With a child life insurance rider, you’ll be able to insure your children’s lives without having to invest in a separate insurance policy.
Most child life insurance riders apply to children who are between 15 days old and 18 years old and last until their 25th birthday or your 65th birthday, depending on which comes first. When the child term rider coverage is about to come to an end, your children can convert it to a standalone life insurance policy.1
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Help cover yourself and your family with coverage from Aflac.
There are several noteworthy advantages to child life insurance riders, including:
A child rider on life insurance can help protect your children, no matter their health status. It will apply even if they develop a chronic or life-threatening condition in the future.
You can help protect all the current and future children in your household with a single child rider. These children may be birth children, stepchildren, and adopted children.
Once the child rider expires, your children can convert it into a permanent life policy. They won’t have to worry about their health or passing a medical exam.
As mentioned before, you can typically get a child rider for your children when they’re between 15 days and 18 years old. Additionally, it’s common to get this rider during the life insurance application process. Some insurers even allow policyholders to add a rider to an existing life insurance plan.
The cost of a child life insurance rider depends on a few factors, like the insurance company you choose. In general, however, you can expect to pay between $5 and $7 per $1,000 of coverage you own.2
When a child term rider expires, this means the coverage for your child will end. However, many riders are convertible, meaning you or your child can convert the rider to a permanent individual life insurance policy. Keep in mind that permanent life insurance policies come with higher premiums, so make sure this type of policy fits your budget and coverage goals before converting.
If you add on a child life insurance rider, you receive temporary coverage for your children. Once they reach 25 or you turn 65, the rider will no longer be effective.2 If you’d like lifetime coverage for your children, you can invest in a child permanent life insurance policy.3 Aflac offers whole life insurance and juvenile life insurance that can insure your children as adults and steer them toward the path of financial independence.
A children’s life insurance rider might make sense if you’d like to help protect yourself from the worst-case scenario of losing a child. It can give you the peace of mind of knowing you’ll have the funds to help cover their funeral and other related expenses. You may also want to explore the idea of a child life insurance rider if you want to encourage your child to convert it to permanent life insurance down the road.
One way to get life insurance for your children is through a child rider. This can ensure that your children have coverage in case of the unexpected. But you may also opt for a standalone permanent life insurance policy that will help cover them for as long as the premiums are paid. Aflac’s whole life insurance and juvenile life insurance both offer extensive coverage and great premiums. Start chatting with an agent and get a quote today!
1 Policygenius - How Do Child Riders on Life Insurance Work? Updated September 8, 2023. Accessed April 29, 2024. https://www.policygenius.com/life-insurance/how-do-child-riders-on-life-insurance-work/.
2 Forbes - Child Rider Life Insurance: Is This Add-On Worth It? Updated January 26, 2024. Accessed April 29, 2024. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/life-insurance/how-to-add-child/.
3 SmartAsset - How Does a Child Life Insurance Rider Work? Updated April 1, 2023. Accessed April 29, 2024. https://smartasset.com/insurance/child-rider-life-insurance.
Juvenile Life (B61000 series) - These policies are not available in Delaware or New York. In Arkansas, Idaho, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, & Virginia, Policies: ICC18B61JWO & ICC18B61JTO. Term & Whole Life (B60000 series) - These policies are not available in Delaware, Oregon, New York. In Arkansas, Idaho, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, & Virginia, Policies: ICC18B60C10, ICC18B60100, ICC18B60200, ICC18B60300, & ICC18B60400. Group Whole Life (Q60000 series) - These policies are not available in NY, PA, or VA. In Arkansas, Policy Q60100CAR. In Delaware, Policy Q60200M. In Idaho Policy Q60100CID. In Oklahoma, Policy Q60100COK. In Oregon, Policy Q60100COR. In Texas, Policy Q60100CTX. Group Term Life (Q60000 series) - These policies are not available in NY, PA, or VA. In Delaware, Policies Q60200C. In Arkansas, Idaho, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Policies ICC18Q60200C, ICC18Q60300C, ICC18Q60400C.
The content herein is provided for general informational purposes and is not provided as tax, legal, health or financial advice for any person or for any specific situation. Employers, employees and other individuals should contact their own advisers about their situations. For complete details, including availability and costs of Aflac insurance, please contact your local Aflac agent.
Aflac insurance coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus. In New York, coverage underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.
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