When the primary earner in the family dies those left behind can experience serious financial trouble finding the money to pay the bills, paying the mortgage and making ends meet.
The death benefit provided by a life insurance policy is intended to help pay those expenses and make moving on easier.
The death benefit for a life insurance policy is typically paid out to the beneficiary in a lump sum equal to the amount of the life insurance policy.
That lump sum can then be invested in order to provide the income the beneficiaries will need to move on with their lives, and replace the lost income due to the death of the primary breadwinner in a family.