Both chronic illness and long-term care riders are types of critical illness insurance riders that pay out accelerated benefits while you’re alive to cover treatment for certain illnesses or conditions. Both types of riders activate when you are no longer able to perform at least two of the six Activities for Daily Living (ADL). You must be permanently disabled (certified by a medical professional) to activate a chronic illness rider, whereas a long-term care insurance rider pays explicitly for long-term care expenses, such as a nursing home.