what is an accidental death benefit 
accidental death benefit is a payment due to the beneficiary of an accidental death insurance policy which is often a clause or rider connected to a life insurance policy the accidental death benefit adb life insurance policy usually pays in addition to the standard benefit payable if the insured died of natural causes depending on the policy s issuer an accidental death benefit may extend up to a year after the initial accident occurs provided that the accident led to the insured s death understanding accidental death benefitsaccidental death benefits are riders or provisions that may be added to basic life insurance policies at the request of the insured party some people add accidental death benefit riders to their policies to protect their beneficiaries if an accident occurs this is important as accidents are hard to predict and can lead to financial struggles if a sudden death occurs accidental death benefits are important for people who work in or around potentially hazardous environments even those who drive more than average either professionally or as a commuter should consider accidental death benefit riders as an optional feature the insured party must pay an additional fee on top of their regular premiums to purchase this benefit then the accidental death benefit increases the payout to a policy s beneficiary so the beneficiary essentially receives the death benefit paid by the policy itself plus any additional accidental death benefit covered by the rider these riders typically end once the insured person reaches a certain age such as 60 70 or 80 