Frequently Asked Questions

Although Burial insurance is a similar to life insurance, there are several important factors to keep in mind.  

Burial Insurance

1. Meant for taking care of final arrangements only.
2. Benefits are often paid directly to the funeral home to cover these cost. Therefore, if the policy coverage is $10,000 but the final costs only come to $8,500, the funeral home keeps the difference. 
3. Burial insurance is normally paid faster than life insurance plans because the claim is often made by the funeral home rather than a beneficiary.

Life Insurance

1. Provides broader coverage for anything from final expenses, outstanding debt, probate fees, or inheritance. 
2. Benefits are paid directly to the beneficiary allowing any money left over from the funeral cost be used at their discretion. 
3. Requires the beneficiaries to submit a claim for policy benefits.

The Federal Government will only pay a benefit amount to those survivors of individuals who were worked long enough to qualify for Social Security payments. 

If qualified, a one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 can be paid to the surviving spouse if they were living with the deceased. For surviving spouses living apart or divorced can still qualify if able to meet one of the following requirements:

1. The spouse was already receiving benefits on the workers record.
2. The spouse became eligible for benefits upon the death of the worker. 

If there is no surviving spouse, the payment is made to a child who is eligible for benefits on the deceased’s record in the month of death. Claims for qualified individuals must be made within two years of the date of death.

To answer this, you must first determine which type of service is right for you:

1. Direct Cremation - no service, viewing or casket, only cremation.
2. Traditional Cremation - funeral services with options for disposition of ashes. 
3. Standard Burial -includes funeral services as well as casket, vault, and preparing and transporting the body. 

The average costs range from $3,000 for Direct Cremation to $10,000 for Traditional Burial.