For a term rider attached to a permanent policy, what is the primary purpose?

The primary purpose of a term rider attached to a permanent life insurance policy is to cover temporary financial needs. This type of rider allows policyholders to increase their death benefit temporarily, which can be particularly useful if they anticipate a specific financial obligation that will only last for a limited time, such as children's education or a mortgage.

The term rider provides additional coverage without the need to purchase an entirely separate term insurance policy, making it a cost-effective way to provide more significant protection for the insured's beneficiaries during critical periods when financial responsibilities may peak.

In contrast, other options focus on aspects that are not the primary intent of adding a term rider. Enhancing cash value refers specifically to the built-up savings component of permanent policies, which is not applicable to term riders that do not accumulate cash value. Reducing premium payments might be a consideration in some contexts, but term riders typically add to the overall premium cost rather than reducing it. Finally, while term riders can provide temporary coverage, they do not offer permanent coverage, which is inherently the feature of a permanent life insurance policy itself.