Best burial insurance companies of 2026

When a loved one passes, those who are living can be left with hefty burial costs.

The average cost of a funeral in the U.S. can fall between $6,000 and $8,500, according to the National Funeral Directors Association. That doesn't include other expenses, like medical bills and legal fees, that survivors could be left to pay.

Burial insurance can help ease that burden. These small whole-life policies — which cover a person's entire life rather than a set term — offer death benefits ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 and typically don't require a medical exam.

CNBC Select chose the best life insurance companies for burial insurance in a variety of categories. See our methodology for more information on how we made our choices.

Who's this for? Mutual of Omaha's guaranteed whole life policies have the lowest rates of the companies we reviewed. And the death benefits can be used however the beneficiary sees fit, including paying for your final expenses.

Standout benefits: Mutual of Omaha's Living Promise plan includes an accelerated death benefit rider, which could help you and your family tap the funds to pay for care expenses while you're living. This feature tends to be an additional cost with other guaranteed issue insurance policies, or is not available.

Benefit limit: Up to $25,000

Ages: 45 to 85 (50 to 75 in New York)

Who's this for? Online insurer Ethos is ideal for those who don't like to wait: The simple application can be completed online in about five minutes and approval can be nearly instant, according to the company. Your coverage starts as soon as you make your first payment.

Standout benefits: Ethos plans include access to estate planning tools and an online will-making program.

Benefit limit: $5,000 to $25,000

Ages: 45 to 80

Who's this for? While many final expense policies max out at $25,000 or $30,000, Transamerica's FE Express Solution policy offers level-premium plans for up to $100,000 for those up to age 75. Policies can be approved in as little as 10 minutes.

Standout benefits: The Transamerica FE Express Solution's concierge service includes free estate planning and assistance in filing legal documents and finding a funeral home.

Benefit limit: Up to $100,000 between ages 18 and 75, and up to $25,000 for those between 76 and 85.

Ages: 18 to 85

Who's this for? State Farm has consistently ranked highly on J.D. Power's life insurance customer satisfaction survey and receives fewer life insurance complaints than its competitors, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Standout benefits: Bundling State Farm life insurance with auto insurance can save you hundreds of dollars a year.

Benefit limit: $10,000 to $15,000

Ages: 45 to 80

Who's this for? Gerber Life Insurance policies start at $.59 per day, and signing up for automatic payments can save you up to 8% on your premiums.

Standout benefits: Premiums are level and won't change unless you need to add coverage or modify your policy.

Benefit limit: $5,000 to $25,000

Ages: 50 to 80 (age 75 in New York)

Who's this for? Colonial Penn Insurance policyholders can pay their premiums monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually, with plans starting for as little as $9.95 a month.

Standout benefits: Colonial Penn offers guaranteed issue policies in 49 states and Washington, D.C. In New York, the state where the standard Colonial Penn's guaranteed issue policies aren't available, residents can buy LifeChoice, a standard whole life policy that doesn't require a medical exam, though you'll need to answer some health questions and approval isn't guaranteed.

Benefit limit: $1,000 to $25,000

Ages: 50 to 85 in most states (New York: 50 to 73 males, 50 to 75 females)

Who's this for? Underwritten by New York Life, AARP's final expense policy offers a $30,000 payout, higher than what some competitors provide. For higher limits, it also offers a $50,0000 permanent life insurance policy through New York Life.

Standout benefits: AARP membership also unlocks discounts on other kinds of insurance, plus flights, hotels, restaurants, cell phone service, car rentals and more.

Benefit limit: $30,000

Ages: 50 to 85 for AARP members in most states

While life insurance is often used to replace lost income or cover large debts — like a mortgage or a child's college tuition — burial insurance is intended to pay for a funeral, burial, outstanding medical bills and other end-of-life costs. Burial insurance is also called final expense or end-of-life insurance.

The death benefits are smaller than other whole life insurance policies: Some pay out as little as $1,000 or as much as $50,000, although the most common death benefit is between $10,000 and $30,000.

Most providers sell final expense policies to applicants in their 50s or older, although Mutual of Omaha and State Farm accept people as young as 45, and Transamerica will issue a FE Express Solution policy to any person 18 or older.

The average final expense policy costs between $50 and $100 a month for $10,000 in coverage, according to life insurance agency Choice Mutual. However, that price varies based on age, gender, health status, coverage amount and provider.

A 55-year-old man would pay about $36 per month for a final expense policy with a $10,000 payout, according to Choice Mutual. Meanwhile, a 75-year-old man would pay about $100 a month for the same policy. Women tend to pay less than men for coverage: A 55-year-old woman pays an average of $28 per month, while a 75-year-old woman would pay $71 per month for the same $10,000 in coverage.

Final expense insurance is intended to cover end-of-life expenses and other bills you might leave behind. This can include:

• The cost of the funeral service, casket and headstone
• Embalming or cremation
• Hospice care, in-home care and other medical bills that are not covered by insurance
• Legal fees
• Estate taxes
• The outstanding balance on a mortgage, car loan or credit cards

There are two main types of burial insurance, with subtle differences:

Simplified issue

The application process is quick and there is no medical exam, but the insurer will ask questions about your medical history — including pre-existing conditions and smoking — and your application may be rejected.

Guaranteed issue

Just like it sounds, no one gets rejected for a guaranteed issue life insurance plan — also known as a guaranteed acceptance policy. There are no medical exams or health questions, so it can be a good fit for older applicants or those with medical conditions that make them bad candidates for traditional permanent life insurance.

The trade-off is that premiums for guaranteed life are significantly higher, while coverage amounts are limited. In addition, the waiting period before full death benefits are available can be as long as 36 months.

Since burial insurance is typically a guaranteed approval policy, it can be a good option for an older person with health issues who might not pass a medical exam, said Joseph Bogardus, a financial services executive with Barnum Financial Group.

"Having an end-of-life plan is for everyone," Bogardus told CNBC Select in 2025. "This policy is for someone who otherwise doesn't have insurance but does have beneficiaries and wants to ensure these costs are covered."

Typically, Bogardus sees clients inquiring about final expense policies when they're in their 60s and having conversations about retirement planning. If you're young and healthier, he said, you could run the risk of paying well past the break-even point with a burial policy. 

"In that case, you may want to look into permanent life insurance that you can underwrite yourself, with a cash value and more add-ons," he said.

Meet our experts

At CNBC Select, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. For this story, we interviewed Joseph Bogardus, a certified financial planner with Barnum Financial Group. Based in Connecticut, he is a designated Special Care Planner and college funding consultant, as well as a certified financial planner and an accredited investment fiduciary.

Why trust CNBC Select?

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of insurance products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

Our methodology

CNBC Select collected data points from over 20 U.S. life insurance companies that offer final expense or guaranteed whole life insurance policies. We focused on average premiums, coverage limits, availability, age requirements, waiting periods, customer service and medical exam or health question requirements. 

We considered customer satisfaction ratings from J.D. Power's life insurance survey, as well as complaint volume reported by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and financial strength ratings from A.M. Best.

We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.

Our top picks are organized by the best for affordability, for fast approval, for flexible payments, for high payouts, for additional perks, for customer service and for financial strength.

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