Know the facts about adding a child term rider
Adding a child term rider onto your life insurance policy can be an inexpensive solution for parents to insure their children without having to purchase a completely separate life insurance policy. If you're a parent who is considering life insurance coverage with a child term rider, here's what you need to know.
- Coverage is typically available for children 15 days of age to 18-25 years of age, depending on the carrier.
- Child riders are added onto a parent's life insurance policy, typically at the time of purchase.
- Under this rider, you typically pay a flat rate fee regardless of the number of children you wish to insure.
- Generally, there is no underwriting required to qualify.
- Most riders will cover the child until they reach the “age of maturity” which is often age 25, but may vary among carriers.
- Some policies will allow you to convert some or all of the term policy into a permanent policy when the child reaches the specified age of maturity, regardless of their health.
- There may be limits on how much you can convert when the child reaches the age of maturity. For example, the insurer may only allow you to convert up to 5 times the original face amount of the rider.
While adding a child term rider onto your policy can prove beneficial in many ways, there are some drawbacks. Here's what you need to know.
- If you're allowed to, and don't convert the policy at the age of maturity, the coverage will expire, leaving them with no coverage.
- If you're able to convert the policy at the time the child rider expires, the child will begin to pay premiums at their attained age.
- The amount you can convert over into a permanent* life insurance policy can be limited - depending on the amount set by the life insurance company.
Learn more about life insurance for children as well as additional life insurance policy riders.
* As long as required premium payments are timely made.
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