Suicide Clause

The suicide clause is a standard life insurance policy provision stating that if the insured dies by suicide within a specified period — typically two years from policy issue — the insurer will not pay the full death benefit. Instead, most policies return all premiums paid (without interest) to the beneficiary. After the two-year exclusion period, suicide is covered as any other cause of death, and the full death benefit is payable. The suicide clause is separate from the contestability clause and is not nullified by the incontestability period. The clause exists to discourage individuals from purchasing coverage in anticipation of a self-inflicted death.