Which rider allows for the use of death benefit proceeds prior to the death of an insured for non-hospital confinement after a major stroke?

The correct choice is the long-term care rider. This rider is designed to provide access to a portion of the death benefit while the insured is still living, specifically in situations where they require long-term care due to chronic illness or debilitating conditions, such as major strokes.

With a long-term care rider, if an insured experiences a major stroke and suffers from conditions that necessitate assisted living or home care, they can tap into the death benefit proceeds to help cover those care expenses. This additional financial relief can be crucial in managing care without depleting other assets, allowing for more flexibility during a challenging time.

Other riders, such as disability income and waiver of premium, serve different purposes. The disability income rider typically provides a monthly benefit to replace lost income if the insured becomes disabled, while the waiver of premium rider allows the policyholder to skip premium payments if they become disabled. The automatic premium loan provision is primarily a feature that prevents a policy from lapsing by automatically using the cash value to cover premiums, but it does not provide any access to death benefits for care needs. Therefore, the long-term care rider is the most appropriate choice for the specified scenario.