A burial policy is a type of permanent life insurance with a small death benefit. This death benefit is meant to help family members cover their loved ones’ end-of-life costs — which may include funerals, medical bills, student debt, etc. The benefits can help both you and your family, but what are they, exactly? We’ll explain our top three reasons how a burial policy can help you.
Financially Supports Your Family
The uncomfortable reality of burial policies is that they’re meant to help cover your family after you’re gone, meaning that you have to wrestle with how your family will cope when you pass away. A burial policy is generally small – $2,000-$50,000. However, even a small policy can help people struggling with covering the funeral costs, outstanding medical bills, transportation fees, etc. A policy as high as $50,000 can make a big difference for families experiencing financial burden.
For example, let us break down the average funeral with a burial. Below is an average burial cost after a funeral.
- Non-Declinable basic services fee: $2,195
- Removal/transfer of remains to the funeral home: $350
- Embalming: $750
- Other preparation of the body: $255
- Use of facilities for viewing: $425
- Use of facilities for the funeral ceremony: $500
- Hearse: $340
- Service car/van: $150
- Printed materials: $175
- Metal burial casket: $2,500-$5000
- Flowers: $500-$700
- Burial wreaths: $100-$200 each.
- Obituaries: $200-$500
- Grave Plot: $1,000-$4,000
- Opening and closing of the grave: $1,000
- Monument/Marker: Upright: $2,000-$5,000 for an upright marker, $1,000 if lying flat
- Church Service Donation: $50-$200.
- Reception: $400-700 + food cost
Helps You Avoid Common Pitfalls of Life Insurance
Burial insurance is just a type of permanent life insurance, but it doesn’t have the same common pitfalls. First, life insurance is more expensive and doesn’t accept as many people in middling-poor health. The second thing is that life insurance is more costly. Lastly, life insurance has some different rules. For example, some policies have term limits. This means that you are no longer covered if you do not pass away within the first 25 years after you bought it.
Benefits Your Future at a Low Cost
One of the major positives of burial insurance is that there are very few downsides. It’s a relatively affordable financial decision that will make your long-term easier. It’ll ease your debts after you pass and allow your loved ones to enjoy themselves.
Understanding the pros and cons of burial insurance can be confusing. Talk to us at Senior Life Services today for answers.