More families choose cremation every year. The NFDA projected that about 63 percent of Americans who died in 2025 would be cremated, compared with well under half a decade earlier. Cremation usually costs less than a traditional burial, which means a smaller final expense policy can often cover it.
A funeral with a viewing and cremation had a national median cost of $6,280 in 2023, according to the NFDA. Direct cremation without a service costs less. Many people planning cremation choose a policy between $5,000 and $10,000, with a little extra for a memorial and other final bills.
The body is cremated shortly after death, with no viewing or embalming. The family receives the remains and can hold a memorial whenever and wherever they like. This is generally the least expensive choice.
The cremation happens first, and a gathering follows, at a funeral home, a place of worship, a park, or a family home. Costs depend on where you meet and what you include.
Some families want a traditional visitation first. This involves embalming, a rental or purchased casket, and use of the funeral home, which is why the median is closer to a burial funeral.
Adding these up is the best way to see why many families still want more than the bare cremation price.
According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the national median cost of an adult funeral with a viewing and burial was $8,300 in 2023, the most recent figure it has published. When a burial vault is included, which many cemeteries require, the median rises to $9,995. Those numbers do not include a cemetery plot, opening and closing the grave, or a headstone, which can add thousands more.
A funeral with a viewing followed by cremation had a median cost of $6,280. Direct cremation, without a viewing or service, usually costs less.
Prices vary a great deal between regions and even between funeral homes in the same town. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, funeral homes must give you an itemized price list when you ask in person, and must give prices over the phone if you call and ask. Comparing two or three price lists is one of the simplest ways to keep costs down. Source: NFDA 2023 General Price List Study.
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Start with the kind of goodbye you would want. A simple cremation needs less coverage than a traditional funeral with a burial, a vault, and a headstone. Then add any debts or medical bills you would not want to leave behind, and a small cushion for travel and other costs your family may face in the weeks after.
For many people that lands somewhere between $5,000 and $20,000. Final expense policies are usually available from about $2,000 up to $25,000 or more, and some insurers go as high as $50,000. The right amount is the one that covers what matters to you at a monthly premium you can keep paying for life, because a policy that lapses pays nothing.
If you already have some coverage, such as a small policy from an old job or a union, count it. A good agent will help you avoid buying more than you need.
Final expense policies are sorted mostly by how the insurer decides whether to accept you. That choice affects the price and when the full benefit is available, so it is worth understanding before you call.
You answer a short list of health questions on the application, and there is no medical exam. If the insurer approves you, the full death benefit is generally available from the first day the policy is in force. Because the insurer knows a bit about your health, this is usually the lowest-priced option for people who qualify.
This is built for people who have some health conditions that keep them from qualifying for a level plan. If death from natural causes happens during the first two or three years, the policy pays a reduced amount or returns premiums. After that period, the full benefit is paid. Accidental death is usually covered in full from the start.
There are no health questions at all, as long as you are within the insurer’s age limits. In exchange, nearly every guaranteed issue plan has a waiting period, typically two years, for deaths from natural causes. If death happens in that window, the beneficiary usually receives the premiums paid, often with interest. These plans cost the most for each dollar of coverage and often cap the benefit around $25,000.
Exact terms differ by insurer and by state. A licensed agent should show you the actual policy language, including any waiting period, before you apply.
Smaller policies cost less each month, which makes them easier to keep for life. For someone on a fixed income, a $7,000 policy that will never lapse is worth far more than a $20,000 policy that gets cancelled after two years because the premium became hard to pay. Choose a number you can live with.
When you pass away, your beneficiary contacts the insurance company and sends a claim form and a certified copy of the death certificate. Once the claim is approved, the insurer pays the benefit as a lump sum. Many insurers pay final expense claims fairly quickly, but timing depends on the company and whether the policy is still within its first two years, when insurers are allowed to review claims more closely.
The money goes to the person you name, not to a funeral home, so they can use it however it is needed. Some families choose to assign part of the benefit directly to the funeral home so services can be arranged without anyone paying up front. Your agent can explain how that works with a specific insurer.
Keep your beneficiary information up to date, and tell that person the policy exists and where the paperwork is. A policy nobody knows about can go unclaimed for a long time.
Calling connects you with a licensed insurance agent. Expect a relaxed conversation, not a sales pitch. The agent will usually ask:
From there, the agent can tell you which kinds of plans you are likely to qualify for and what they cost. You never have to decide on the call. It is completely fine to write things down, talk with your family, and call back later.
No. It is the same type of policy, usually with a smaller coverage amount sized for cremation.
The NFDA reported a 2023 median of $6,280 for a funeral with viewing and cremation. Direct cremation usually costs less.
Most final expense plans do not require one. Many ask a few health questions, and guaranteed issue plans ask none.
No. The benefit is paid to the beneficiary you name, and they decide how to use it.
Most final expense policies are whole life policies with level premiums that are set when the policy starts. Always check the policy terms to be sure.
No. This is private insurance. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency, Social Security, or the federal Medicare program.
How final expense works · Burial insurance · Cost · Guaranteed issue · FAQ
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