Understand final expense coverage before you decide.

Burial Benefit Center is an independent information service for adults ages 50 to 85. We explain how final expense life insurance actually works — in plain language, without pressure — and connect you with licensed agents who can quote real numbers for your situation.

Why families look into final expense coverage

A funeral is one of the larger expenses most families face, and it usually arrives with no warning and no time to plan.

$8,300 Median cost of a funeral with viewing and burial, per the National Funeral Directors Association 2023 report — before cemetery plot, headstone, or flowers.
$6,280 Median cost of a funeral with viewing and cremation, per the same NFDA report.
Days Funeral homes typically expect payment at or near the time of service, long before an estate is settled.

Final expense life insurance is a small whole life policy designed to cover those costs. Because the benefit amounts are modest, the application is usually simpler than a large life insurance policy — but the trade-offs are real, and they are worth understanding before you sign anything.

Read our plain-language guide to final expense insurance →

What we do

We are a consumer information and referral service — not an insurance company, and not an agency.

We explain

Straightforward guides on how final expense policies work, what graded benefits and waiting periods mean, and the questions worth asking before you buy.

We connect

When you ask to speak with someone, we refer you to licensed insurance agents who can review your situation and give you actual quotes.

We disclose

We are paid by the partners we refer you to, and we say so on every page. You never pay us anything, and you are never obligated to buy.

To be clear about what we are not: we do not sell insurance, we do not decide who qualifies, and we cannot quote you a rate. Only a licensed agent and the carrier they represent can do those things. We also have no connection to Medicare, Social Security, or any government program.

How the process works

  1. Learn what you are looking at

    Start with our guide. Knowing the difference between level, graded, and guaranteed issue coverage puts you in a much stronger position on the phone.

  2. Talk to a licensed agent

    When you are ready, we connect you with a licensed agent. They ask about your age, health, and how much coverage you want, then quote real numbers.

  3. Decide in your own time

    Compare what you are offered, read the policy, and take as long as you need. There is no obligation at any point, and no cost to you for the referral.

See the full process, including what happens to your information →

Questions people ask us most

Do I need a medical exam?

Most final expense policies are issued without a medical exam. Many still ask health questions on the application, and your answers affect what you are offered. Guaranteed issue policies ask no health questions at all, but come with a waiting period. More on the differences →

Can I be turned down?

Yes. Approval depends on the carrier's underwriting rules, your age, and your health history. Nobody — including us — can promise you will be approved.

What does it cost?

It depends on your age, health, tobacco use, the coverage amount, and the state you live in. We cannot quote you, and you should be skeptical of any site that gives you a price before asking those questions. A licensed agent can give you a real number.

Read all frequently asked questions →