FAMILY INCOME RIDER

An addition to a life insurance policy that provides the beneficiary with an amount of money equal to the policyholder's monthly income if the policyholder dies. A family income rider is a type of death benefit, and specifies the term for the additional coverage. It eventually expires if it is not enacted.

In some cases, the beneficiary may choose a lump sum rather than receiving monthly payments. Younger wage-earners will typically choose a longer length of time for coverage because they have more working years left before retirement, and would therefore cause a larger financial hardship to their families if they died.