Death Benefit

Death Benefit

In life insurance and annuities, the amount of money that is paid to the policyholder's survivor(s) upon the policyholder's death. That is, the amount may be a lump sum determined at the outset of the policy or annuity that is paid when the policyholder dies, or it may be a monthly payment that begins to be paid when the policyholder passes away and remains payable until the survivor's death. The former death benefit is more common in life insurance and the latter is more common in annuities.

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Death benefit. A death benefit is money your beneficiary collects from your life insurance policy if you die while the policy is still in force.

In most cases, the beneficiary receives the face value of the policy as a lump sum. However, the death benefit is reduced by the amount of any unpaid loans you've taken against the policy.

Some retirement plans, including Social Security, also provide a one-time death benefit to your beneficiary at the time of your death.