Affordable Funeral Insurance For Seniors

Well, you’ve gotten pretty far in life now haven’t you? You’ve also learned that a lot of things are pretty darn costly to afford and can be even painful on the pocketbook. One of the facts of life is death. Universal for all of us. Problem is, it is flat out expensive to leave this world. With funeral insurance you can transfer the financial pain to an insurance company and get the peace of mind knowing all the resources that family needs will be there when that day comes.

Funerals are very a major expense, so many seniors are looking to make sure that burial and funeral costs don’t become a financial burden for their loved ones.

The life insurance industry introduced funeral insurance for seniors many years ago. It is sometimes known as burial insurance as well. Don’t let the different names confuse you. They are the same thing…a form of life insurance.

Quality funeral insurance for seniors will be built on a whole life insurance platform which is permanent type of coverage, meaning you cannot outlive the policy benefits. Term insurance is also available, but the risk of outliving the coverage is a big problem for the you and your loved ones.

Funeral insurance for seniors now has high demand as the cost of living (and dying) has gone up dramatically over the decades.

The good news is there are all kinds of companies that do offer affordable coverage to seniors. Top top it off, you don’t have to be in A-1 health to qualify for full benefits and there is and excellent chance that you can qualify for funeral insurance with no waiting period.

What is a limited benefit period? With a limited benefit period, there is a modification in the insurance contract for 2-3 years where the policy beneficiary is not entitled to the full benefits of the policy. An example of this type of coverage would be a Colonial Penn “Guaranteed Acceptance” whole life policy.

You’ve remember those ads with Alex Trebek haven’t you? They accept anyone regardless of health, but are very expensive and it has a long waiting period for full benefits.

If you die during the waiting period due to natural death, your beneficiary only gets your premiums paid into the policy plus interest.

How Burial Policies Work

How do you find the best policy then? How can you apply? What are the health questions?

We will give you those answers in this article, a few sample quotes and also some big name companies you may surprisingly want to avoid.

Before you proceed, I would suggest you use the free, instant quoting tool on this page to find out how much funeral insurance will cost a consumer. Simply compare your general health versus your peers. Choose one of the 3 health categories and complete some basic info about you such as your age, gender and state of residence etc. In less than 1 minute you will have all the top funeral insurance carriers insurance rates.

Your Needs and Funeral Insurance for Seniors

Funeral or Burial Insurance is typically based on whole life insurance and most often designed for seniors to have little or no medical underwriting. A life insurance application without health questions is called guaranteed acceptance. No medical exam even for those with health conditions are the norm. The better your health, the better price you can often obtain. This will depend upon the company and policy that suits your health the best.

These types of life insurance policies are purchased most often to cover the costs a funeral and burial plot costs. However, there are also other less obvious reasons. For example, final medical bills, an outstanding debt such as a credit card or even as an endowment to a loved one to hire help around the home.

Most people buy policies between the smallest of $2,000 up to $50,000. If you need a larger policy, it would be best to explore a guaranteed universal life policy which would allow a larger death benefit, permanent coverage and a lower premium per thousand.

I mentioned this a bit earlier in this article…

Funeral insurance is the same thing as burial insurance with one substantial exception. Both in fact are just marketing terms you may have heard of before but a Funeral Insurance policy is set upon death to pay the benefits to the funeral home rather than a loved one.

Funeral insurance will sometimes offer an inflation rider to cover the risk of rising funeral costs. Often times, a irrevocable trust is set up to ensure any cash value is not lost due to possible Medicaid spend down. Cash value in such in a policy is not exempt from Medicaid spendown requirements. A irrevocable life insurance trust will nullify that concern. However, you would give up your rights to access the policy at that point and it cannot be changed.

While these are specialized policies meant for seniors who are typically not in A1 health any longer, they both are still life insurance triggered by a loss of the insureds life. Upon death, the company will pay the beneficiary of your choosing the benefits according to the terms of the policy.

Coverage is meant to be purchased in smaller amounts to enhance affordability, but offer simplicity of qualification and fast payout upon death. It is easier for consumers to understand funeral insurance or burial insurance for seniors rather than small, easy to qualify for whole life insurance policies. Heck, there is even a “cremation” insurance policy well. Not that “funeral” insurance did not already cover that marketing base!!

Guess we can say it is like two words that mean the same thing such as “Doctor” or “Physician.” Any website (including our site) or experienced life insurance agent you speak with will use some or all of these terms. It is life insurance lingo. Some folks are more in tune with different terms.

The Nitty Gritty on Affordable Funeral Expense Insurance For Seniors

Funeral Insurance, Burial Insurance, Final Expense Life Insurance etc. are pretty black and white, typically small whole life insurance policies. Certain benefits of all these policies will be the same across the board no matter which insurer has issued your coverage.

Premium payments are level for your life and cannot be raised for any reason
The policy will not expire at any age. It is permanent coverage. (non payment of premiums in an exception!!)
Death benefit cannot decrease
Policy develops cash value which you can take a loan against (I do not recommend this personally)

There you have it. There aren’t any hidden surprises in a quality policy that any reputable agent/broker will advise you to select. Yes, there is a lot of junk out there from some big names, but we will get to that a little later in this article.

Your decision start with simply deciding on a death benefit amount your loved one(s) need. With that respective benefit you will know exactly what you will pay for coverage, permanently. Most people opt for monthly coverage. Nothing will change, ever. When you or another insured passes away, the beneficiary (loved one or another) will receive a tax free check to the exact amount of coverage your purchased day 1. This amount will be equal to the face amount or “death benefit” of the policy.

This is how your loved ones cover those big bills and move on in their grief…without financial burden or even devastation of being financially unprepared.

Sometimes there are even monies leftover…money left behind as a legacy that they, as beneficiary, can use to adjust or enrich their life in your memory.

The amount you wish to purchase is a personal decision.

Can I Qualify with my Health or Not?

Some Common Questions Asked When Applying for Simplified Issue Life Insurance

The following are the typical Simplified Issue Insurance applications. Yup… just 10 basic questions.

Have you been diagnosed with a terminal illness or are you currently hospitalized, confined to a nursing home, hospice, bedridden or receiving home health care?
In the past 10 years, have you been diagnosed by or received treatment from a member of the medical profession for Acquire Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS); AIDS Related Complex (ARC); or tested positive (through the use of an FDA-licensed test) for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)?
During the past 12 months, have you been admitted to or confined to a hospital 2 or more times?
During the past 12 months, have you received a diagnosis which would lead to surgery or admission to a hospital or nursing facility?
During the past 12 months, have you been confined to a nursing facility or received home health care?
During the past 24 months, have you had a stroke, heart attack, or any procedure to improve circulation to the heart or brain?
During the past 24 months, have you had or been recommended to use oxygen for any respiratory disease?
During the past 24 months, have you received or been recommended to have kidney dialysis?
During the past 24 months, have you had or been treated (including medications or surgery) for melanoma or internal cancer?
During the past 24 months, have you had or been treated (including office visits, medications or surgery) for any one of the following:

Alzheimer’s disease or any neurological disorder?
Leukemia?
Liver Disease, renal insufficiency, or kidney failure?
Irregular heart rhythm or congestive heart failure?
Alcohol and/or drug abuse?
Diabetic complications, including diabetic nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathy, diabetic coma, insulin shock, or uncontrolled blood sugars?
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?

If you can give a honest answer of “NO” to each all of these questions without sugarcoating, you could pre-qualify for full benefits upon issue for this particular carrier. This policy offers full first day coverage which is ideal to protect your family.

These sample application questions above are many years old from a small top notch, mutual life insurance company. Other carriers have variations of these questions to suit their different underwriting practices and are more “forgiving” in what they will accept.

If you were unable to pre-qualify yourself based on those questions above, don’t lose heart. This is only one of dozens of top life insurance companies we have access to. It is meant for illustration only.

We also have guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance coverage available IF it is required. We do not recommend these policies unless a good independant agent/broker has discussed your health with you. Please speak to a professional for help sorting your product needs out. Only 10% or so who apply for a whole life insurance policy need guaranteed issue coverage.

No Exam, Seniors Funeral Insurance: How to Obtain the Best Policy

Here are some assumptions we feel comfortable giving you to consider:

A medically underwritten policy will be considerably more affordable to own and offers better benefits from day 1.
A policy with no waiting period is the ideal for the family. A policy with a 2 year partial benefits clause (waiting period) leaves loved ones at a great risk of not receiving the full benefits and and higher costs for you.
Having access to dozens of top rated carriers all at one place is ideal. Saves time, effort and money.
Funeral Insurance for seniors should be provided by a financially strong and reputable insurance company.
A policy for funeral insurance should be a permanent policy, never term life insurance.

At Maple Valley Insurance Group, we bring all of that to the table, right under one roof. Our team knows how to handle your situation no matter what your health is like. We pride ourselves in even tough insure, medical condition coverage.

What you need to do is simply heed our tips and advice.

What we do for you is the toughest part…shopping to find the best and most affordable burial insurance for you as possible.

Working With An Independent Agent Puts You In Control

This is probably the key to saving good money on a funeral insurance policy. What do you think would happen if you spent your time shopping down at the auto and homeowners corner office? That’s right…you probably could not get the right kind of coverage you need to start with. The bigger problem is… you would likely be grossly overcharged if you could qualify. Remember, when you work with a captive agent like State Farm or Allstate, that is all you can purchase there. These are not funeral insurance or big players in the life insurance business at all. Your independent agent/broker will have a lot more to offer you. Coverage that is actually in your best interest. Affordable, burial insurance options… where you have choices.

I am going to clear up a myth here while we are at it.

Insurance rates are not better if you buy “direct.” Laws are in place that prohibit anything different. The state actually approves all rates before they can be sold to you at all. Home offices typically just sell overpriced guaranteed issue final expense coverage. Guaranteed Issue coverage is “last resort” coverage ladies and gentleman. Don’t forget that. Does not matter if you heard about it on the TV or radio…no health questions, guaranteed acceptance…think “last resort.” “Last Resort” = much higher price as it is full blown, high risk life insurance.

It is to your advantage to have a good “middle man” in the insurance world. In particular, an independent agent who can offer you free consultation with an ability to shop all of the top insurers on market. If they are a seasoned professional, they are going to know who and what funeral final expense plan to recommend to you based on your age,overall health and goals. Don’t waste time trying to do what they can do for you in quick fashion. There is nothing to gain yet a lot to lose. The cost of insurance is set by the state and the insurance company. Your independent agent/broker specialist will sort thru it quickly and save you a lot of money and get you the coverage you need promptly and with limited effort on your part.

This is why the most affordable burial insurance for seniors is marketed and sold thru independent life insurance agents/brokers/agencies. The deals are not to be had by calling an insurance company or the local auto and homeowners agent. It isn’t found by listening to high paid spokespeople or self proclaimed gurus of financial fitness either. It should be pretty clear that an independent agent/broker is going to be the professional of choice here. Working with one will give you the full access to the lowest rates and coverage that offers full, first day benefits.

Ok, I have probably ranted enough about the wrong places to shop so we’ll move on.

How Do You Pick an Agency to Work With?

Good question.

You are going to look for an independent agent/broker that has the right qualifications:

Represents a good number of funeral insurance, burial insurance companies. 10 companies is probably a good number as a minimum. It is clear they are shopping for you rather than working for insurance companies like the State Farm agent. You want this agent/broker working for you, not the insurer.
Medical Risk/High Risk specialty. They understand and are used to working with folks who are not in perfect health anymore. Pre-existing conditions are routine for them.
Find someone that is seasoned. Rookies make mistakes. I’ve been there. It is tough getting going when you are taking it all in and not sure of yourself while trying to help people. Just learning who the top carriers are and why requires some time in field. Seasoned experience working with people 50-85 will make a big difference. These pro’s have already made their mistakes (if they’re being honest anyway) and they have also witnessed clients making mistakes such as buying too much/too little coverage or the wrong kind of life insurance policy. The biggest mistake we see in buying an affordable funeral plan is purchasing a term life insurance policy from the likes of AARP. Folks, never buy term life insurance for Final Expense Planning! Your family could end up with nothing when you pass away.

If you have found an agent or agency that meets these criteria, you probably have found someone who can help you select and purchase a funeral policy.

How Can Maple Valley Insurance Group Help You Obtain the Best Funeral Insurance?

Yes, we do appreciate your consideration. Our resume is a pretty good one based on many years of working with lots of people 40-90.

Our work began with seniors in 2001. We are used to the needs of seniors who are typically on a fixed income, have a health condition(s) and may have financial struggles.
We do not market other types of insurance like automobile and homeowners. We are focused on life insurance and the products that meet the needs of our clientele. (Remember, funeral insurance is just a specific type of life insurance)
As a company, we have been able to gain wisdom over the years to see how policy owners and their families have been benefiting and what could be improved. Lots of clientele and lots of interaction with many, many different insurers. We know who will accept you and who will not.
Our interest is in you as a client. We are not beholden to any insurance company. While insurers do financially compensate us for placing your business with them on a case by case basis, we cannot earn anything without support of our clients. Ultimately, our success is based on our clients placing their confidence in us.

Here Are Some of the Best Funeral Insurance Companies

While there are dozens of life insurance companies that market funeral insurance for seniors, burial insurance, final expense life insurance…they are not all created equal. I’m not talking about how large they are either. We’ve worked with small carriers that are fast on their feet and easy as pie to work with.

I am going to mention 10 carriers that seem to be on top of this business as I write this article. They all offer affordable funeral policies compared to the competition when comparing “apples to apples.”

All these companies are recommended based on the following criteria:

Price
Underwriting Standards
Benefits/Protection
Ease of Application and Placement Ratio
Financial Stability

Insurance Carrier

Mutual of Omaha
Foresters Financial
Transamerica
Royal Neighbors
American Amicable
Prosperity Life
AIG
Liberty Bankers Life
SBLI
Sentinel Security Life

These are not in any special order. Yes, we do go outside of these top ten as necessary to achieve the best outcome for you. Every one of these companies is “A” rated by AM Best which backs the financial ability of the insurer to reliably pay its claims. All of these companies have proven themselves. These 10 carriers all have competitive premiums and health questions designed for applicants age 50-80 or even age 85.

Funeral Insurance Quote

Over on this page, there is a “Final Expense” Instant quote tool. Searching out the most competitive funeral insurance plans takes 1 minute on this webpage.

Be sure to follow each step. Compare your health to your peers to choose the health classification. The quote tool will give you the companies and rates based on your preliminary info.

About 85% of seniors qualify for the best rates. If your information is accurate, you will get a solid quote.

Low cost funeral insurance will definitely have some health questions attached to any application you may make. For the best rates and coverage, you will be asked medical questions on the application. However, no medical exam will be required. It is a simple and painless application process completed online and/or over the phone. If you want to see if you would actually prequalify for the best rates, you can fill out the email questionaire that our system will send you after your instant quote.

Affordable Funeral Insurance Plans For Seniors Conclusion

We hope this article has given you the confidence to reach a better decision for yourself. However, funeral insurance for seniors isn’t necessarily the best thing for everyone. Sometimes, due to very advanced age or a very serious health condition it can be better to try to self insure. While guaranteed issue life insurance can rescue someone with terminal illness, sometimes age factors combined with the products themselves can be too expensive. We see people in their 80’s run into this when their health is very shaky.

Moral of the story, take coverage out as soon as possible…while your “youth” and health supports the best pricing. There is no advantage to putting coverage off. You end up paying more money down the road because of your age and risk a change in health that can prohibit you from obtaining the best funeral insurance plan for you and the needs of your family.

Let us know if you have any questions. We here to help. 269-244-3420

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