Benefit Survival Period
A benefit survival period is the minimum amount of time a policyholder must remain alive after being diagnosed with a covered condition before an insurance benefit becomes payable. This period ensures that the illness or injury meets the policy’s criteria for a valid claim and prevents immediate payouts for conditions that result in death shortly after diagnosis.
The survival period is most commonly found in critical illness insurance, where it typically ranges from 10 to 30 days after the confirmed diagnosis. For example, if you are diagnosed with cancer or suffer a heart attack, you must survive the required number of days before receiving the lump-sum payment. If death occurs before the survival period ends, no critical illness benefit is paid, although life insurance or accidental death benefits may still apply if included in the policy.
Example:
If your critical illness policy has a 30-day survival period and you are diagnosed with a stroke on March 1, you must remain alive until at least March 31 for the insurer to pay the benefit.
What to Watch For:
Check your policy to confirm the exact length of the survival period, as it varies between insurers and products. The period begins on the date of diagnosis, not the date of symptom onset or claim submission. Always ensure your doctor’s report clearly states the diagnosis date and confirms survival beyond the required time frame to avoid delays or disputes.
