death benefit

noun

: money payable to the beneficiary of a deceased

Examples of death benefit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Department of Justice Erin Smith became a public advocate for line-of-duty death benefits for law enforcement officers who died by suicide after the January 6 attack. —Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 17 Oct. 2024

The client then used the DST proceeds to fund a life insurance policy, ensuring that any deferred taxes would be covered by the policy’s tax-free death benefit for their heirs. —Andre Pennington, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024

Both term and whole life insurance policies include a terminal illness rider for free, allowing for an advanced death benefit if the insured is diagnosed with a terminal illness. —Liz Knueven, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2024

This allows people to tap into their death benefit while still alive to pay for long-term care. —Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

death benefit

noun

: money payable to the beneficiary of a deceased as a benefit (as under a policy of life or accident insurance or a pension plan)

Note: The right to death benefits is generally terminated in cases of fraud, as when an insured commits suicide after purchasing a policy or when the beneficiary murders the insured.