How do riders typically affect life insurance policies?

Riders are additional features or provisions added to life insurance policies that enhance the coverage or provide specific benefits tailored to the policyholder’s needs. By incorporating riders, policyholders can obtain extra coverage options, such as critical illness benefits, accidental death benefits, or long-term care coverage, which are not included in the base policy. These additions can help customize a policy to better fit individual circumstances and preferences, ultimately offering more comprehensive protection for the insured or their beneficiaries.

While it’s true that riders can also increase the required premiums, the defining characteristic of riders is their primary role in providing additional coverage rather than simplifying the application process or decreasing benefits.