death benefit

noun

: money payable to the beneficiary of a deceased

Examples of death benefit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Tanks, drones, and shells are produced to be destroyed on the battlefield, and the state pays out lifetime pensions to injured soldiers and death benefits to the families of those killed. —Alexandra Prokopenko, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2025

There is a $255 lump-sum death benefit available to the current spouse living with the deceased spouse at the time. —Thomas Hager, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025

Given that death benefits often go directly to beneficiaries outside of probate, this process might preserve privacy, help with distribution, or potentially help protect assets from complications in legal proceedings. —Nia Bowers, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2025

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, 15 Aug. 2025

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.