diff --git a/src/Lens/Family/Total.hs b/src/Lens/Family/Total.hs
--- a/src/Lens/Family/Total.hs
+++ b/src/Lens/Family/Total.hs
@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@
 -- >     & on _Left  (\c -> replicate 3  c )  --     Left  c -> replicate 3 c
 -- >     & on _Right (\n -> replicate n '!')  --     Right n -> replicate n '!'
 --
--- Our @example@ function pattern matches exhaustively on the `Either` type using
+-- Our @total@ function pattern matches exhaustively on the `Either` type using
 -- the `Lens.Family.Stock._Left` and `Lens.Family.Stock._Right` prisms:
 --
--- >>> example (Left 'X')
+-- >>> total (Left 'X')
 -- "XXX"
--- >>> example (Right 2)
+-- >>> total (Right 2)
 -- "!!"
 --
 -- The types ensure that the above function is total.  For example, if you omit
@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@
 -- longer needs to be handled.  `_case` just verifies that all type parameters are
 -- `Void`.
 --
+-- You can still write an inexhaustive pattern match so long as you provide a
+-- default:
+-- > example :: Example Int String Float -> String
+-- > example = _default "default"
+-- >     & on _C2 (\s -> s)
+--
 -- You can even pattern match using `Lens.Family.Lens`es, too:
 --
 -- > example :: (Int, Char) -> String     -- Same as:
@@ -85,6 +91,7 @@
 module Lens.Family.Total (
       Empty(..)
     , _case
+    , _default
     , on
     , (&)
 
@@ -134,6 +141,11 @@
 -- | Synonym for `impossible`, used to check if a pattern match is exhaustive
 _case :: Empty a => a -> x
 _case = impossible
+
+-- | Synonym for `const`, used to provide a default if a pattern match is
+-- inexhaustive
+_default :: x -> a -> x
+_default x _ = x
 
 -- | Pattern match on a `Lens.Family.Traversal`
 on
diff --git a/total.cabal b/total.cabal
--- a/total.cabal
+++ b/total.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Name: total
-Version: 1.0.1
+Version: 1.0.2
 Cabal-Version: >=1.8.0.2
 Build-Type: Simple
 License: BSD3