Compare Final Expense Insurance Plans

*Accidental death typically covered in full from day one.

Comparing final expense insurance is simpler than comparing most insurance, because there aren’t dozens of variables — there are really just two plan types, a handful of things worth weighing, and the differences between carriers. Once you understand those three, the right plan for your situation becomes clear.

The most important thing to know up front: the cheapest plan you can’t qualify for isn’t cheap — it’s nothing. So the goal isn’t just the lowest sticker price; it’s the lowest price on a plan that will actually approve you and cover you when it counts. This page shows you how to weigh that.

Final Expense Insurance guide

Almost every final expense decision comes down to these two:
Simplified issue — a few health questions, no medical exam. If you qualify, you get the lowest rates and, in most cases, full coverage right away. Best if your health is reasonably stable.

Full detail on no-exam simplified issue

Guaranteed acceptance — no health questions and no exam, and you cannot be turned down within the eligible age range. In exchange, it costs a bit more and includes a 2–3 year waiting period for natural-cause claims. Best if you’ve been declined or have serious conditions.

Full detail on guaranteed acceptance

*Accidental death typically covered in full from day one.

Don’t just chase the lowest number. Weigh these five, roughly in order of importance:

1. Approval odds for your health. The single most important factor. A rock-bottom rate is worthless if you don’t qualify. Match the plan type — and the carrier — to your health first.
2. The waiting period. If you’re healthy enough for simplified issue, you may get full coverage immediately instead of waiting 2–3 years. That’s often worth more than a few dollars of monthly savings.
3. The carrier’s financial strength and reputation. You’re buying a promise to pay years from now. A carrier’s financial rating and clean claims-paying history matter as much as price.
4. Premium and benefit guarantees. Confirm the premium can’t rise and the benefit can’t shrink — standard with quality whole life final expense, but always worth verifying.
5. Price. It matters — but only after the four above. Among plans you qualify for, with a solid carrier, then compare the rate.

See what drives the price

A quick way to find your answer:

• “My health is reasonably good.” → Start with simplified issue. Lower cost, immediate coverage. Learn more.
• “I’ve been declined before.” → Guaranteed acceptance. You can’t be turned down. Learn more.
• “I have serious or recent conditions.” → Guaranteed acceptance is the safe bet, though an agent may still find a simplified-issue carrier that fits.
• “I’m setting this up for a parent.” → Depends on their health — an agent matches the plan to them. See the parent guide.
• “I want the lowest possible price.” → Simplified issue if you qualify, and compare carriers to find the lowest rate for your exact age and health.

Beyond plan type, you’re choosing how much coverage to buy. More coverage costs more, but not in a straight line — a small fixed policy fee is spread across the premium, so larger policies are often a better value per dollar.

• $5,000–$10,000 — covers a basic funeral or cremation. The national median for a funeral with viewing and burial is $8,300; cremation is about $6,280.
• $10,000–$20,000 — the most common choice: a funeral plus debts and final bills, with a cushion.
• $20,000–$25,000+ — for larger final expenses or leaving a little extra behind.

Most people land at $10,000–$20,000. See sample rates by coverage amount

Here’s what surprises most people: for the same coverage, different carriers can quote very different prices — and ask very different health questions. A condition that’s a decline with one company is a standard approval with another. That means:

• The “best” final expense company isn’t the same for everyone — it’s the one that prices your age and health the lowest and is most likely to approve you.
• Applying to one carrier and taking their offer can leave money on the table, or lead to a needless decline.
• Comparing several carriers at once is the only reliable way to find your best rate and your best odds of approval.

This is exactly where a licensed agent earns their keep — they compare multiple carriers for you in one go, instead of you filling out a dozen applications.

Whichever plan you compare to, that’s the bill you’re making sure your family never has to cover.

You could research carriers, fill out multiple applications, and line up the quotes yourself. But because rates and health questions differ from company to company, the simplest path is to let a licensed agent compare them for you:

• Tell us your age, health basics, and the coverage you want.
• The agent compares multiple carriers — matching your health to the ones most likely to approve you at the best price.
• You see the best fit, side by side, and choose on your terms.

One conversation replaces a dozen applications — and you end up with the lowest rate you actually qualify for, not just the lowest ad.