What is the primary purpose of a rider in health insurance?

In health insurance, a rider serves as an endorsement or amendment that adds specific coverage or modifies the terms of a policy. This allows policyholders to customize their insurance plans to better fit their unique health needs or circumstances.

For instance, a rider may provide coverage for services that are not included in a standard policy, like alternative treatments or specific medical conditions. This flexibility is particularly important as individual health needs can vary significantly, and riders can enhance a policy by allowing for adjustments that standard offerings might not accommodate.

Other options present different themes related to health insurance but do not accurately reflect the core function of a rider. For example, reducing premium costs or increasing deductibles relates more to overall policy management than to the addition of coverage. Additionally, eliminating copayments is a distinct aspect of policy design that is not influenced directly by the presence of a rider. Instead, riders focus specifically on adding coverage or altering policy terms to tailor the insurance to the insured's requirements.