Most seniors understand that having a burial insurance policy to cover their final expenses will financially protect their surviving loved ones.
Is it important to you that your friends and family can mourn their loss without the burden of paying for your funeral?
Is it important to you that your burial policy is the best burial insurance policy but affordably priced?
What is Burial Insurance?
There’s an interesting thing when it comes to burial insurance. When you get your policy, nowhere on the document is Burial Insurance mentioned. You see, burial insurance is not actually a life insurance product; rather, it is a purpose for life insurance. Burial insurance, also called final expense insurance or funeral insurance is simply an affordable way to cover your final expenses (funeral, medical, or nursing home) when you pass away.
The best burial insurance is whole life insurance because it will contain the same guarantees that traditional whole life insurance policies provide. The most important of these benefits are:
- Coverage for Life – A whole life burial insurance policy cannot be canceled by the insurance company for any reason other than non-payment.
- Level Premiums for Life – Once your whole life burial insurance policy is issued, your monthly premiums are locked in forever. The insurance company cannot increase your premiums for any reason; even if you come down with a terminal illness or are forced to live in a nursing home or hospice facility.
- Cash Value – Over time, your whole life burial insurance will build cash value that you can access through policy loans, withdrawals, or you can surrender your policy for all of the cash value.
Isn’t Term Life Insurance Much Cheaper?
Some life insurance companies do offer term life insurance that can be used for final expenses but there are several drawbacks in doing so. Even though some term insurance policies might cover you for a lifetime, eventually the cost can become unaffordable to most seniors. Although term life insurance policies may have a guarantee period for monthly premiums, eventually it will expire and your rates will increase as you age.
Additionally, term life insurance does not build cash value and offers very little in terms of living benefits unless the applicant adds various insurance riders which can be expensive. The large majority of burial insurance policies that are issued to seniors are whole life policies that do not require medical exams or blood tests and if the applicant does not medically qualify, most companies also offer guaranteed issue burial insurance that virtually anyone within the eligible age group can purchase.
Which Companies offer the Best Burial Insurance?
When we consider what a “best burial insurance” policy is, we need to consider several factors, not just price. Cheaper is not always better and better is not always cheaper. To determine the best burial insurance, applicants should consider the following factors:
- Is the insurance company financially stable and highly-rated?
- What are the minimum and maximum coverage amounts allowed?
- What are the minimum and maximum ages eligible for coverage?
- Does the insurance company offer Level Benefit coverage that is effective from day one?
- Does the insurance company offer guaranteed issue coverage for applicants who don’t qualify for level benefit coverage?
- Are the premiums affordable?
To find the best burial insurance we can apply these criteria and will typically find the best burial insurance policy in your price range.
Recommended Burial Insurance Companies
Mutual of Omaha is one of the oldest and well-known life insurance companies in the U.S. They continue to provide excellent products for seniors and continually deliver outstanding customer service. Mutual of Omaha’s highlights for burial insurance are:
- Rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best
- Offers coverage for applicants age 45 to 85
- Offers face amounts of $2,000 to $40,000 (depending on the age of the applicant)
- Offers Level benefit policies as well as guaranteed issue policies
- Provides very competitive rates
Assurity Life is another burial insurance provider that offers very affordable pricing and are experts in the senior marketplace.
- Rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best
- Eligible applicants are 6 months to 80-years old for the Level Benefit policy
- Available face amounts are $5,000 to $50,000 depending on the age of the applicant
- Offers Level benefit policies and modified benefit for applicants with health issues
- Very competitive rates for burial insurance coverage
Liberty Bankers Life, founded in 1958, has increased its life insurance footprint to 46 states. They have been awarded a B+ rating by A.M. Best which indicates a solid and financially stable organization. The highlights for Liberty Bankers Life are as follows:
- Rated B+ by A.M. Best rating services
- Eligible applicants must be between 18 and 80-years old
- Face amounts range from $5,000 to $30,000
- Offers level benefit coverage as well as modified whole life for applicants with health issues
- Typically ranks in the top 10 for most affordable insurance rates
Foresters is a fraternal benefit insurance company and is owned by its members who are generally policyholders. They are considered one of the most favorable insurers for high-risk applicants and as such, they are a leading provider of burial insurance for seniors. The Foresters company highlights are as follows:
- Foresters is rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best and has maintained their rating for over 17 years
- Eligible issue ages are 50 to 85-years old
- Available face amounts are from $2,000 to $35,000 depending on the age of the applicant
- Level benefit and guaranteed issue policies are available
- Foresters offers very competitive insurance rates and are active in the communities of its members
Americo Financial which was founded over 100 years ago, reports over $30 billion of life insurance in force. That is a huge footprint compared to other companies. They also report over $6.3 billion in assets.
- Rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best rating services
- Policies are available to applicants age 50 to 85
- Available face amounts are from $2,000 to $30,000
- Americo offers level benefit life insurance and graded benefit for applicants with health problems
- Very competitive rates up to age 85
Find the Best Independent Agent
Finally, we strongly recommend finding the best independent insurance agent to advocate for you and your insurance needs. The professionals at Best Benefit Insurance and Financial Services (BBIFinancial) are available to walk you through the shopping process and help you buy the best burial insurance according to your circumstances and budget.
As an independent licensed insurance agency, BBIFiancial has the partnerships needed with the top-rated insurance providers and the experience needed to make certain your case is issued.