Policy riders

II.A Policy riders

Riders share a 15-question section with provisions and exclusions on the Texas Life producer exam (InsTX-Life01) outline in force on or after 1 September 2026. These unofficial notes stay with the rider list. A rider amends a base policy for an extra charge, or sometimes as a built-in feature. It does not replace the need to understand the base contract. It layers a specific extra promise onto that contract.

II.A.1–4 Waiver, guaranteed insurability, payor, AD&D

Waiver of premium, on a traditional policy, suspends premiums if the insured becomes totally disabled as the rider defines that term, usually after a waiting period. Waiver of monthly deduction is the universal-life cousin: the insurer waives the monthly cost of insurance and expenses rather than a scheduled premium. Cash value can still grow, depending on the form. Disability must meet the rider’s definition; a light injury that does not stop work usually does not trigger it.

Guaranteed insurability, or guaranteed purchase, lets the insured buy more coverage at stated ages or life events without new medical evidence. The extra coverage is priced at attained age. The option expires if it is not used in the window. This rider is aimed at young insureds who expect income and family needs to grow.

A payor benefit is common on a juvenile policy. If the payor—usually a parent—dies or becomes disabled, premiums on the child’s policy are waived until a stated age. The child’s life is still the insured life. Do not confuse payor with waiver of premium on an adult’s own policy.

Accidental death (double indemnity) pays an extra amount if death is caused by a qualifying accident, often within a stated number of days of the accident. Accidental death and dismemberment adds lump-sum benefits for listed losses such as sight or a limb. Illness deaths do not qualify. The extra benefit is cheap because accidental deaths are a small slice of all deaths.

II.A.5–10 Term, other insureds, LTC, ROP, disability, COLA

A term rider adds temporary coverage on the primary insured, often to cheaply raise the death benefit during a high-need window. Other-insured riders cover a spouse, children, or a business partner on the same policy chassis. Children’s term riders are often convertible to permanent coverage when the child ages out.

A long-term-care rider accelerates or pays benefits if the insured needs qualifying care, typically when the insured cannot perform a set number of activities of daily living or has a severe cognitive impairment. Using the rider reduces the remaining death benefit on many forms. It is not the same as a stand-alone LTC policy, but the trigger language is similar.

Return-of-premium as a rider refunds premiums in stated situations, sometimes at surrender or at a target year. Disability income riders, where offered, pay a monthly amount during disability rather than only waiving premium. A cost-of-living rider increases the death benefit with an inflation index or a fixed percentage; the premium for the added layer rises as well.

When a question describes extra coverage that can be dropped later, think term rider. When it describes buying more insurance later with no exam, think guaranteed insurability. When a parent pays for a child’s policy, think payor. When death must be accidental, think AD&D. Match the extra promise to the extra charge and you have the rider.