Does life insurance cover suicide or accidental death?
Answered by 4 licensed agents
Regarding accidental death there is no waiting period like the suicide clause. And some policies offer an Accidental rider and if taken the face amount will double if death is caused by an accident.
Answered by Marc Carr on June 17, 2026
Broker Licensed in OH
Answered by Philip Santucci on June 17, 2026
Broker Licensed in IL, FL, MI, MN & TX
Accidental death, on the other hand, is a great example of why we purchase life insurance. Usually, this would be covered immediately after the policy's effective date as long as there is nothing about the application or death that is contestable (e.g. if someone misrepresented something on their application that would have affected the application). If the accidental death occurs after the contestability period (usually 2 years) after the plan is in effect, then the policy usually cannot be contested. There are still exceptions that will vary from plan to plan (e.g. an accidental death that occur while committing a crime or during war, etc.).
Every state and plan can vary, so work with an agent to help guide you through these nuanced questions.
Answered by Shane Bullock on June 7, 2026
Agent Licensed in UT, AZ, FL & 9 other states
Often there is an accidental death rider that can be placed on a life insurance policy that will pay additional face amounts in the event death was caused by an accident. In general, the accidental death riders are very reasonably priced for those that may want some additional coverage.
Answered by Mel Stevens on June 17, 2026
Agent Licensed in AZ
Tags: Coverage
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