A long-term care life insurance rider is a policy addition that slightly changes how your life insurance works, allowing you to use part or all of the policy's death benefit for long-term care while you're alive. This rider can help you pay for your long-term care expenses that traditional health insurance doesn't cover, such as a home health care worker, long-term care facility, or a nursing home. An LTC rider doesn't pay for expenses covered by health insurance policies like doctor visits, hospital stays, or prescriptions.