death benefit

noun

1. the amount of money to be paid under the terms of an insurance policy to the designated beneficiary upon the death of the insured.

Word History and Origins

Origin of death benefit¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

“When a firefighter dies from occupational cancer, we owe it to them to ensure their families get the line-of-duty death benefits they are owed.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The railroad company he worked for gave Gianetsas, who could barely speak English at the time, a death benefit worth $1,500.

Read more on Seattle Times

Its total possible death benefits and its weekly maximum benefits were lower than those in all but a few states.

Read more on Seattle Times

Kabba considered ride-share driving his full-time job, but his family wasn’t eligible for death benefits because he wasn’t completing a ride for a customer when he was fatally shot.

Read more on Seattle Times

The city had no intention to pay death benefits, offering Robert Walker’s widow only $500 for funeral expenses, “if you need it,” as the official letter put it.

Read more on New York Times