FINAL EXPENSE INSURANCE OPTIONS
Losing a loved one is an incredibly difficult experience, and managing the emotional strain can be overwhelming. On top of this, there are various expenses associated with death that can quickly add up. The average cost of a funeral in the United States now ranges between $7,000 and $12,000, depending on location and services chosen.
Without a final expense life insurance policy, many families find it difficult to cover these costs on short notice. Final expense life insurance helps protect families from the financial burden of funeral costs, preventing them from needing to dip into savings or sell assets to fund a loved one’s burial.
Sample Costs:
Source: National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), 2023
What is Final Expense Life Insurance?
While planning for end-of-life issues can be uncomfortable, it's an important step to ensure your loved ones are not burdened with significant financial stress when you're gone. Expenses related to funerals, such as caskets, embalming, and transportation, can be a heavy financial load for your family.
Final expense life insurance is designed to cover these costs, ensuring your loved ones aren’t left to pay out-of-pocket. It typically offers lower coverage amounts, ranging from $5,000 to $25,000, which is enough to cover most burial and funeral expenses.
As of 2025, the average funeral cost exceeds $8,000, with basic services like a memorial, death certificates, and housing of the remains typically included in that price. Additional expenses may include transportation, embalming, use of the funeral home, a casket, burial plot, grave site, burial service, and alternatives like cremation. Extra costs for flowers, memorial cards, and other services are common as well.
Without final expense life insurance, your family may struggle to cover these substantial costs during an already emotional time. Policies help ensure that funeral and burial costs are taken care of, so your loved ones don’t have to worry about coming up with funds during their grieving process.
Each person’s needs are different, and the right amount of coverage depends on factors like the type of service you wish to have, whether you prefer cremation or burial, and your overall financial situation. Working with an insurance professional can help you find the best policy to meet your unique needs.
By planning ahead with final expense insurance, you can provide peace of mind to your family, knowing they will have the resources to cover the costs of your funeral without undue financial hardship.
Without a final expense life insurance policy, many families find it difficult to cover these costs on short notice. Final expense life insurance helps protect families from the financial burden of funeral costs, preventing them from needing to dip into savings or sell assets to fund a loved one’s burial.
Sample Costs:
- Nondeclinable basic services fee $2,495
- Removal/transfer of remains to funeral home $395
- Embalming $845
- Other preparation of the body $295
- Use of facilities/staff for viewing $475
- Use of facilities/staff for funeral ceremony $550
- Hearse $375
- Service car/van $175
- Basic memorial printed package $195
- Metal burial casket $2,500
- Median Cost of a Funeral with Viewing and Burial $8,300
- Vault $1,695
- Total with vault $1,995
Source: National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), 2023
What is Final Expense Life Insurance?
While planning for end-of-life issues can be uncomfortable, it's an important step to ensure your loved ones are not burdened with significant financial stress when you're gone. Expenses related to funerals, such as caskets, embalming, and transportation, can be a heavy financial load for your family.
Final expense life insurance is designed to cover these costs, ensuring your loved ones aren’t left to pay out-of-pocket. It typically offers lower coverage amounts, ranging from $5,000 to $25,000, which is enough to cover most burial and funeral expenses.
As of 2025, the average funeral cost exceeds $8,000, with basic services like a memorial, death certificates, and housing of the remains typically included in that price. Additional expenses may include transportation, embalming, use of the funeral home, a casket, burial plot, grave site, burial service, and alternatives like cremation. Extra costs for flowers, memorial cards, and other services are common as well.
Why You Need Final Expense Life Insurance
Without final expense life insurance, your family may struggle to cover these substantial costs during an already emotional time. Policies help ensure that funeral and burial costs are taken care of, so your loved ones don’t have to worry about coming up with funds during their grieving process.
Determining the Right Coverage
Each person’s needs are different, and the right amount of coverage depends on factors like the type of service you wish to have, whether you prefer cremation or burial, and your overall financial situation. Working with an insurance professional can help you find the best policy to meet your unique needs.
By planning ahead with final expense insurance, you can provide peace of mind to your family, knowing they will have the resources to cover the costs of your funeral without undue financial hardship.