Supplemental life insurance is additional life insurance coverage that you can purchase to increase the protection beyond what is provided by a basic group life insurance policy, typically offered by your employer. It is optional coverage that provides an extra layer of financial protection for your beneficiaries if you pass away. Key points about supplemental life insurance:

• It is often available through your workplace as a voluntary benefit, where you pay additional premiums to increase your total life insurance coverage.
• Basic group life insurance usually covers a fixed amount or a multiple of your salary (e.g., one or two times your annual salary), and supplemental insurance lets you add more coverage on top of this.
• You can also purchase supplemental life insurance privately from an insurance company if your employer doesn’t offer it or if you want additional options.
• Supplemental policies are useful if the basic coverage isn’t enough to meet your family’s long-term financial needs, such as paying bills, debts, mortgage, funeral costs, or living expenses.
• This type of insurance can cover various needs including term life, permanent life, family coverage, burial expenses, and accidental death benefits.
• Premiums for supplemental life insurance are typically deducted from your paycheck if purchased through work.
• The cost of supplemental coverage is generally lower than individual life insurance since it’s part of a group plan, and it usually requires less medical underwriting.

In summary, supplemental life insurance is an extra optional purchase that boosts the death benefit from your basic employer-provided life insurance, giving your loved ones more financial security in case of your death. It fills coverage gaps and offers enhanced peace of mind beyond the basic group policy coverage. This explanation is based on information from several reputable sources including Progressive, Aflac, Prudential, and others focused on providing clear employee benefit insights.