Participating Policy

A participating policy is an insurance contract that pays dividends to the policy holder. Dividends are generated from the profits of the insurance company that sold the policy and are typically paid out on an annual basis over the life of the policy. Most policies also include a final or terminal payment that is paid out when the contract matures. Some participating policies may include a guaranteed dividend amount, which is determined at the onset of the policy. A participating policy is also referred to as a with-profits policy.