What is a child rider on a life insurance policy?

A child rider (or children's term rider) adds a small amount of term life insurance coverage for all your children under one rider at a very low cost. Typically, a single child rider covers all current and future children born or adopted during the policy period for a flat face amount—commonly $10,000 to $25,000 per child.

The primary purpose is to provide funds for final expenses in the tragic event of a child's death and to give parents coverage for grieving leave and emotional support without financial stress. It is not an income replacement product—children don't earn income—but it covers the real costs families face in such situations.

Most child riders include a convertibility feature allowing the covered child to convert their coverage to a permanent policy as an adult (typically at age 25) without medical underwriting. This guarantee of future insurability is a secondary benefit of the child rider.

The cost of a child rider is remarkably low—often $5-15 per month covers all children in the family for a meaningful face amount. This makes it one of the most cost-efficient riders available. Agents in our network can confirm which A-rated (A.M. Best) carriers include child riders and the specific convertibility terms they offer.