Some life insurance policies allow for death benefits to be accelerated as living benefits under certain conditions.

Accelerated benefits are often included in life insurance contracts, but it is possible that they can also be added as Riders for an additional fee. Riders are addendum to a contract that contain additional contractual provisions.

What an accelerated benefits rider stipulates is that if certain conditions are met, a portion of the death benefits on a life insurance policy can be paid to the insured person during their lifetime. These conditions may be that the insured person has been diagnosed with less than 12 months to live, or that they have another serious health condition which is covered. Sometimes this includes the payment of monthly benefits if a person requires long-term care.

Typically only a specified percentage or amount of the death benefit can be accelerated under these riders.

The remaining balance will be paid out when the insured dies under the original provisions of the life insurance contract. These riders may have names such as Chronic Illness Rider, Terminal Illness Rider, Extended Care Rider, and so on.

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