Burial insurance for seniors is designed to do one thing very well: provide a guaranteed pool of money so your loved ones aren’t scrambling to pay for funeral costs, medical bills, or small debts when you pass away. Done right, it’s simple, predictable, and usually easier to qualify for than traditional life insurance.

At Diversified Insurance Brokers, we work with multiple carriers that specialize in final expense and burial policies for seniors. Our goal is to help you find a plan that fits your budget, locks in your benefits, and gives your family clear financial protection when they need it most.

What Is Burial Insurance for Seniors?

Burial insurance—often called “final expense” or “funeral insurance”—is a small permanent life insurance policy, typically ranging from $5,000 to $40,000 in coverage. Unlike term insurance that eventually ends, burial policies are designed to last for your lifetime as long as premiums are paid.

The death benefit is usually used to pay for:

• Funeral and memorial service costs
• Cremation or burial expenses
• Outstanding medical bills or credit cards
• Travel costs for family members
• Small legacy gifts to children or grandchildren

If you’re comparing options, it can help to look at how burial insurance fits alongside other coverage like traditional life insurance, annuities, and retirement income. Many seniors use a combination of these tools to build a complete plan.

How Burial Insurance Works

Most burial insurance for seniors is a form of whole life insurance. That means:

• Your premiums are typically fixed and do not increase with age.
• Your coverage amount is designed to stay level for life.
• The policy builds a small amount of cash value over time.

When you pass away, your beneficiary files a claim and receives the death benefit in a lump sum. They can then use that money however they choose. Some families pre-arrange funeral costs, while others prefer the flexibility of receiving a check and deciding later.

If you’ve ever been told “no” or declined on traditional coverage, burial insurance can sometimes be a second chance. Our team regularly helps people who have experienced a prior decline due to pre-existing conditions or health challenges find options that still work.

Types of Burial Insurance for Seniors

Insurers typically offer a few variations of burial coverage for seniors:

Level Benefit Policies

With a level benefit plan, your coverage is fully in force from day one (subject to policy terms). If you pass away at any time, your beneficiary receives the full death benefit. These policies usually require you to answer health questions and may not be available if your conditions are more serious.

Graded or Modified Benefit Policies

Graded or modified policies often include a waiting period (commonly 2–3 years) before the full benefit is payable for natural causes. If death occurs during this period, the policy may pay a percentage of the benefit or return premiums plus interest. These plans make coverage possible for seniors with more significant health issues or very high A1C levels.

If you’ve been managing diabetes, you may also want to compare this page with broader guides to life insurance for pre-existing conditions and specialized resources for issues like high blood pressure or other risk factors.

Guaranteed Issue Policies

Guaranteed issue burial policies generally require no health questions and no medical exam. As long as you’re within the eligible age range, you’re approved. In exchange, premiums are higher, coverage amounts are smaller, and there’s usually a graded benefit period. These are often a last resort option when other plans aren’t available.

How Much Burial Insurance Do Seniors Need?

Every family’s situation is different, but many seniors choose coverage amounts between $10,000 and $25,000. A helpful way to estimate your need is to add up:

• Funeral and burial or cremation costs in your area
• Outstanding medical bills or credit card balances
• Any personal loans or small debts you don’t want to leave behind
• A cushion for travel or time off work for family members

Some people also pair burial insurance with additional coverage for income replacement. For example, grandparents sometimes maintain a separate policy to help fund college savings for grandchildren or to provide a modest inheritance.

How Much Does Burial Insurance Cost for Seniors?

Premiums are based on age, gender, health, tobacco use, and coverage amount. Nonsmokers in good health generally pay less, while smokers or those with health issues will pay more for the same death benefit.

If you smoke or have in the past, it’s critical to compare carriers. Some companies are more competitive for burial insurance for smokers, while others may offer better options for overweight seniors or those with a history of high blood pressure.

Because pricing can vary widely, using an instant quote tool is one of the easiest ways to see real numbers instead of guessing.

Burial Insurance Calculator for Seniors

Use the burial insurance calculator below to compare plans, costs, and coverage amounts in just a few minutes. You can run quotes for different amounts, see how your budget lines up, and narrow in on the benefit that feels right for your family.

Common Health Challenges and Burial Insurance

Many seniors assume they won’t qualify for coverage because of health history. In reality, burial insurance is often specifically designed for people who have:

• High blood pressure, high cholesterol, or controlled diabetes
• Past heart issues or surgeries (depending on when they occurred)
• History of smoking or former tobacco use
• Overweight or obesity concerns

In more complex situations—such as multiple health issues, a very high A1C, or prior denials—our advisors may also look at broader high-risk life insurance strategies to see whether a non-burial policy or layered approach makes more sense.

Burial Insurance vs. Saving in a Bank Account

Some families consider “self-insuring” final expenses by setting money aside in a savings account. While this can work, there are a few key differences:

• Leverage: burial insurance provides a larger tax-free death benefit than the total premiums you pay if you pass away earlier than expected.
• Discipline: policy benefits are contractually reserved for your beneficiaries; bank funds can be spent for other purposes if you’re tempted.
• Timing: coverage is effective (subject to policy terms) soon after approval; with savings alone, you’re limited by how much you’ve put aside.

For some people, a combination of a modest burial policy plus additional savings, annuities, or other retirement protection strategies offers the best balance.

Coordinating Burial Insurance with Other Coverage

If you already own term or permanent coverage, burial insurance can fill in specific gaps. For example:

• Term coverage may expire before you do; a small burial policy can remain in force for life.
• A larger permanent policy may be earmarked for your spouse or estate, while a burial policy focuses solely on final expenses.
• If you have coverage on yourself, you may still consider a modest policy for a spouse or even a small life insurance policy for kids to lock in insurability for the next generation.

We routinely review existing contracts, including older whole life policies with life insurance dividends, to see whether they still meet your goals or whether a dedicated burial plan would improve clarity and simplicity.

How Diversified Insurance Brokers Helps Seniors

Diversified Insurance Brokers is an independent, family-run agency that focuses on matching coverage to real-world needs—not just selling the largest policy possible. When it comes to burial insurance, we help you:

• Estimate how much coverage you truly need for final expenses
• Compare multiple burial insurance carriers side by side
• Navigate health questions honestly while still finding competitive options
• Understand graded vs. level benefit plans and waiting periods
• Coordinate burial insurance with your larger retirement and estate plan

Whether you’re just starting to explore coverage or replacing an older plan, a short conversation and a few quick quotes can clarify your options. You can use the calculator above to get a feel for pricing, then work with an advisor to match those numbers to the policy structure that fits you best.