Burial Insurance, Plainly
A short, no-nonsense guide to what burial insurance is, what it covers, what it costs, and how to know if it’s right for your situation. No jargon, no sales pressure — just the facts you need before you talk to anyone.
What is burial insurance?
Burial insurance — sometimes called final expense insurance or funeral insurance — is a small whole-life policy designed to cover the costs that come up when someone passes: the funeral, the casket or urn, the cemetery plot, the headstone, and any leftover medical bills.
It’s usually $5,000 to $25,000 in coverage. Once it’s in force, it doesn’t expire as long as you keep paying. The monthly cost is locked — what you pay this year is what you’ll pay ten years from now.
Who is it for?
Most of our customers are between 60 and 80 years old. They’re people who:
- Don’t want their family scrambling for $10,000 the week of a funeral.
- Don’t need a million-dollar life insurance policy — the kids are grown, the mortgage is mostly paid.
- Want something simple they can afford on Social Security or a fixed income.
- May have one or two health conditions that knocked them out of bigger life insurance plans.
How much does it cost?
Costs depend on your age, state, gender, and a handful of health questions. As a rough idea, here’s what a non-smoker in average health might pay for $10,000 of coverage:
- Age 60: about $30–$45/month
- Age 65: about $40–$55/month
- Age 70: about $55–$80/month
- Age 75: about $80–$120/month
These are ballpark numbers from carriers we work with. Yours could be lower or higher depending on the specifics — the only way to know is to run the actual numbers.
Do I have to take a medical exam?
No. Almost every burial insurance policy skips the medical exam. The carrier asks a short set of health questions and pulls a prescription history. That’s usually it.
If you have serious recent health issues (advanced cancer, heart attack within the last 12 months, dialysis, terminal diagnosis), there are still options. They’re called guaranteed issue plans — no health questions at all, but the first two years are graded (a smaller payout if you pass away in that window). After two years, full coverage kicks in.
How is this different from regular life insurance?
Regular term life insurance is for income replacement — if you die at 45, it pays off the mortgage and supports your kids. Coverage amounts are big ($250K to $1M+), and policies eventually expire.
Burial insurance is for a different problem: covering the bills that come due immediately. Smaller policy, smaller monthly cost, lifetime coverage, easier to qualify for. Different tool for a different job.
How fast can it start?
Most plans are issued within a few days. Some can be approved same day if you fit the standard health profile. Coverage starts as soon as the first month’s payment clears.
Common mistakes people make
The biggest one: buying way more coverage than they need. A million-dollar life policy at age 70 will run $1,500+/month. A $15,000 burial policy is a fraction of that and does the actual job.
The second one: not telling the agent the full health history. If we know you have a condition up front, we can pick the carrier that’s best for it. If we find out at underwriting time, you can get declined and have to start over.
The third one: letting telemarketing pressure you into a same-day decision. A real agent will let you sleep on it. If anyone pressures you to buy on the first call, hang up.
For more, see our 7 burial-insurance shopping mistakes page.
Ready to see what you qualify for?
Takes about a minute. We’ll show you a real monthly cost — or tell you straight if nothing fits.
Or call 512-649-7977 and ask for Matt.