← Home

Final Expense Insurance FAQ

These are the questions people actually ask us on the phone, grouped so you can skip to the part you care about. The first section is about this site and how it works, including who calls you and what happens to your information. The rest is about the insurance itself: what it covers, what drives the price, who can qualify, and how a claim is paid.

Everything here is general information about how these products usually work. The terms that actually bind you are the ones printed in the policy you are offered, and the only person who can quote you a real premium is a licensed agent who has heard your answers to the health questions. Where the honest answer is no, or not worth it, we have said so.

About this site and how it works

Is FinalExpenseChoice an insurance company?

No. finalexpensechoice.com is not an insurance company or operating company; it connects individuals with insurance providers, and products and services are provided exclusively by those providers. We publish plain-English explanations and free calculators, and when someone asks for a quote we pass that request to a licensed agent. We do not underwrite policies, set premiums, decide who qualifies, or pay claims, and our about page goes through that division of labor in more detail.

Is this site free to use, and how does it make money?

The site is free and a quote costs nothing. We are paid when a visitor chooses to request a quote and is connected with a licensed agent or insurance partner, which is an obvious incentive, so we set it out in detail on our how we make money page rather than burying it. Your premium is not higher because you came through this site, and you are free to buy directly from any insurance company or through your own agent instead.

What happens after I request a quote - will someone call me?

Yes. The form is a request to be contacted, so a licensed insurance agent will call the number you give, normally within Usually quickly — requesting a quote is a request for a licensed agent to call you, and agents generally follow up fast. If you would rather choose the moment yourself, call (888) 415-8284 instead of submitting the form, and you stay in control of the timing.. They ask your date of birth, your state, tobacco use and a short list of health questions, because no honest quote can be produced without them. Nothing is in force until an insurance company issues a policy and the first premium is paid, so the call itself commits you to nothing.

Who will be calling me, and are they licensed?

A licensed insurance agent or insurance partner, not this website. Possibly more than one. Be aware that submitting your details to any insurance comparison site — this one included — can result in contact from more than one licensed agent. If you only want a single call, say so on the first one, and ask to be removed from further contact. You can also review or restrict how your information is shared at any time through our Do Not Sell My Info page and our privacy policy. Ask any caller for their name, the company they represent and their state license number before you answer health questions. A real agent will give all three without hesitating, your state insurance department can confirm a license in a minute, and our page on what to expect when you talk to an agent covers the rest of that conversation.

Do you sell my personal information?

What is collected, who it is shared with and how long it is kept is set out in our privacy policy, and you can limit or stop that sharing on our do not sell or share page. In plain terms, the information you submit is used to connect you with a licensed agent or insurance partner who can quote you. If you want out, use the do not sell page or tell the agent on the call.

Final expense basics

What is final expense insurance?

It is a small whole life policy, usually between $2,000 and $50,000 and most often between $10,000 and $25,000, bought to cover a funeral and the bills that follow a death. It is issued on health questions instead of a medical exam, the premium is level, and the coverage does not expire while premiums are paid. The money goes to the beneficiary you name, as cash, and they can spend it on whatever the family actually needs. Our page on what final expense insurance is goes through it properly.

How is final expense different from term life or a large whole life policy?

Term life covers you for a set number of years and then ends, which is why it is far cheaper per thousand dollars of coverage while it lasts. A healthy person in their fifties who needs $250,000 because of a mortgage or children at home should look at term life insurance first, and we say so. Traditional whole life is normally sold in much larger amounts with fuller underwriting, often including an exam. Final expense sits at the small end: modest coverage, easy qualification, a level premium, and coverage that is still there in your eighties.

How much coverage do people usually buy?

Most final expense policies are written between $10,000 and $25,000, with the full range running from about $2,000 to $50,000. The right number is the funeral and the loose ends you want covered, minus what your family already has: savings, an employer policy, a veteran's burial allowance. Social Security pays a one-time death payment of $255 to an eligible surviving spouse or dependent child, unchanged since 1954, so it does not move the total much. Our guide to how much coverage to buy walks through that subtraction.

Is there a medical exam?

No. Final expense policies are issued on health questions alone: a simplified issue policy asks a short list of them, and a guaranteed issue policy asks none. Many insurers do check a prescription history database, so answer accurately rather than optimistically. A wrong answer that would have changed the decision to issue can be used to contest a claim during the first two years.

Cost and payment

What determines the premium I am quoted?

Age at application does most of the work, followed by the amount of coverage, tobacco use, sex, your state, and which product you qualify for. Two people of the same age can be quoted very differently because one answered the health questions cleanly and the other needs a guaranteed issue policy, which costs more per thousand dollars of coverage. Cost per thousand is the fairest way to compare two offers, and it is the only comparison that survives different coverage amounts.

Will my premium increase as I get older?

No. These are level premium policies, so the rate is set when the policy is issued and does not rise because you have aged or your health has changed. What does rise is the rate you would be offered if you apply later, because that is based on your age on the day you apply. If a policy you are shown does increase with age, it is not a final expense whole life policy, and you should ask what it actually is.

What happens if I miss a payment?

Nothing immediately. The policy stays in force through a grace period, and if you pay inside that window coverage continues as though nothing happened. If the grace period runs out unpaid the policy lapses, and reinstating it can mean back premiums and fresh health questions. If the policy has built cash value, an automatic premium loan or a non-forfeiture provision may keep some coverage alive, but on a young policy there is usually very little there.

How long is the grace period?

Thirty-one days is the common figure, though it varies by state and by contract, so the number printed in your own policy is the one that counts. The grace period is written into the contract, not decided case by case by whoever answers the phone. If money is going to be tight, call the insurance company before the due date rather than after: changing the draft date or paying monthly instead of quarterly is usually simple.

Who can qualify

What ages can apply?

Most final expense products are written between roughly age 50 and age 85, with some insurers starting at 45 and a few going to 89. Outside that band your options genuinely narrow, and a licensed agent can tell you within a minute whether anything is available in your state. Applying earlier locks a lower rate, because the rate follows your age on the application and never resets.

Can I qualify with diabetes, heart disease, or another health condition?

Usually yes. Controlled diabetes, high blood pressure, past cancer that is several years behind you and many other conditions are routinely accepted on simplified issue policies, sometimes at a higher rate. What tends to push someone off simplified issue is recent and serious: oxygen use, dialysis, a terminal diagnosis, a recent stroke or heart attack, or nursing home care. In those cases a guaranteed issue policy asks no health questions at all, at a higher price and with a waiting period.

Does using tobacco matter?

Yes, and on a small policy it is one of the larger price differences there is. Cigarettes almost always mean tobacco rates; occasional cigars, chewing tobacco, pipes and vaping are treated differently by different insurers, and one company can be far kinder than another on exactly the same habit. Answer honestly. Nicotine is easy to detect, and a false answer is precisely the sort of misstatement that gets a claim contested in the first two years.

What is the difference between guaranteed issue and simplified issue?

Simplified issue asks health questions and can decline you, but it costs less and pays the full amount from the first day. Guaranteed issue asks no health questions and cannot decline anyone inside the age range, but it costs more and carries a graded or limited benefit period, usually the first two to three years, during which death from natural causes returns your premiums plus a modest percentage rather than the face amount. Accidental death is normally covered in full immediately. If you can pass the health questions, simplified issue is almost always the better deal.

Can I be turned down?

Yes, for a simplified issue policy. That is what the health questions are for, and a decline is a normal outcome rather than a verdict on you. You cannot be turned down for a true guaranteed issue policy if you are inside the age range, which is the reason that product exists. Being declined once usually means the wrong product was applied for, not that you are uninsurable.

Claims and payout

How long does it take for a claim to be paid?

Straightforward claims are usually settled within a few weeks of the insurance company receiving a completed claim form and a certified death certificate. Delays come from missing paperwork, an unclear or pending cause of death, or a death inside the two-year contestability period, when the insurer may review the original application. Order several certified death certificates at the start, because banks and insurers each want their own original and they cost roughly $10 to $30 each.

Who receives the money?

The beneficiary named on the policy, paid directly to them. It does not go to the funeral home, and it does not pass through the estate unless the estate is what you named. That is why the beneficiary designation on file with the insurer matters more than anything written in a will. Name a contingent beneficiary as well, and check the designation after a divorce, a remarriage, or a death in the family.

Is the payout taxable?

Life insurance death benefits are generally received income tax free by the beneficiary. Interest paid on top of the benefit can be taxable, and a large enough estate raises separate estate tax questions, so confirm your own situation with a tax professional. This is general information, not tax advice.

What is a graded death benefit?

It is the limited benefit period on a guaranteed issue policy. For roughly the first two to three years, death from natural causes pays back the premiums you paid plus a modest percentage instead of the full face amount, and after that the full amount is payable. Accidental death is normally covered in full from the first day. The exact percentage and the exact length are in your policy schedule, so read that page rather than a brochure, and our graded death benefit calculator will show you the shape of it.

Getting started

What do I need on hand to get a quote?

Your date of birth, the state you live in, whether you use tobacco, a rough coverage amount, and a general idea of your prescriptions and medical history. Nothing is due at the quote stage and no coverage exists until an insurer issues a policy and the first premium is paid. If you want to walk into the call prepared, read our list of questions to ask before buying first, and our coverage calculator will give you a figure to bring to the conversation.

Can I talk to a person without filling out a form?

Yes. Call (888) 415-8284 or email [email protected] and ask whatever you like without submitting anything. You can also read the site, take the numbers with you, and buy directly from any insurance company or through your own agent. Nothing here requires you to use our form.

Anything we have not answered

Call (888) 415-8284 or email [email protected]. If your question is about a policy you already own, call the insurance company printed on the policy instead, because we cannot see your account or take a claim. This site is an advertisement for life insurance, and not all plans are available in all states: Not every state, and not every plan in every state. Final expense products are approved state by state, so availability depends on where you live. The fastest way to find out what is available to you is to ask on the call — a licensed agent can only offer you products approved in your state.. Our phone line is answered Call (888) 415-8284. If you reach us outside staffed hours, leave a number and a good time to call back. If you would rather not use the phone at all, email [email protected] — you are under no obligation to take a call to get an answer to a question..

For definitions of the words an agent or a funeral director will use, see the glossary. For how these pages are researched and dated, see our editorial policy. For the commercial arrangement behind the site, see how we make money. When you are ready, the calculators will let you put your own numbers in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is FinalExpenseChoice an insurance company?

No. finalexpensechoice.com is not an insurance company or operating company; it connects individuals with insurance providers, and products and services are provided exclusively by those providers. We publish plain-English explanations and free calculators, and when someone asks for a quote we pass that request to a licensed agent. We do not underwrite policies, set premiums, decide who qualifies, or pay claims, and our about page goes through that division of labor in more detail.

Is this site free to use, and how does it make money?

The site is free and a quote costs nothing. We are paid when a visitor chooses to request a quote and is connected with a licensed agent or insurance partner, which is an obvious incentive, so we set it out in detail on our how we make money page rather than burying it. Your premium is not higher because you came through this site, and you are free to buy directly from any insurance company or through your own agent instead.

What happens after I request a quote - will someone call me?

Yes. The form is a request to be contacted, so a licensed insurance agent will call the number you give, normally within Usually quickly — requesting a quote is a request for a licensed agent to call you, and agents generally follow up fast. If you would rather choose the moment yourself, call (888) 415-8284 instead of submitting the form, and you stay in control of the timing.. They ask your date of birth, your state, tobacco use and a short list of health questions, because no honest quote can be produced without them. Nothing is in force until an insurance company issues a policy and the first premium is paid, so the call itself commits you to nothing.

Who will be calling me, and are they licensed?

A licensed insurance agent or insurance partner, not this website. Possibly more than one. Be aware that submitting your details to any insurance comparison site — this one included — can result in contact from more than one licensed agent. If you only want a single call, say so on the first one, and ask to be removed from further contact. You can also review or restrict how your information is shared at any time through our Do Not Sell My Info page and our privacy policy. Ask any caller for their name, the company they represent and their state license number before you answer health questions. A real agent will give all three without hesitating, your state insurance department can confirm a license in a minute, and our page on what to expect when you talk to an agent covers the rest of that conversation.

Do you sell my personal information?

What is collected, who it is shared with and how long it is kept is set out in our privacy policy, and you can limit or stop that sharing on our do not sell or share page. In plain terms, the information you submit is used to connect you with a licensed agent or insurance partner who can quote you. If you want out, use the do not sell page or tell the agent on the call.

What is final expense insurance?

It is a small whole life policy, usually between $2,000 and $50,000 and most often between $10,000 and $25,000, bought to cover a funeral and the bills that follow a death. It is issued on health questions instead of a medical exam, the premium is level, and the coverage does not expire while premiums are paid. The money goes to the beneficiary you name, as cash, and they can spend it on whatever the family actually needs. Our page on what final expense insurance is goes through it properly.

How is final expense different from term life or a large whole life policy?

Term life covers you for a set number of years and then ends, which is why it is far cheaper per thousand dollars of coverage while it lasts. A healthy person in their fifties who needs $250,000 because of a mortgage or children at home should look at term life insurance first, and we say so. Traditional whole life is normally sold in much larger amounts with fuller underwriting, often including an exam. Final expense sits at the small end: modest coverage, easy qualification, a level premium, and coverage that is still there in your eighties.

How much coverage do people usually buy?

Most final expense policies are written between $10,000 and $25,000, with the full range running from about $2,000 to $50,000. The right number is the funeral and the loose ends you want covered, minus what your family already has: savings, an employer policy, a veteran's burial allowance. Social Security pays a one-time death payment of $255 to an eligible surviving spouse or dependent child, unchanged since 1954, so it does not move the total much. Our guide to how much coverage to buy walks through that subtraction.

Is there a medical exam?

No. Final expense policies are issued on health questions alone: a simplified issue policy asks a short list of them, and a guaranteed issue policy asks none. Many insurers do check a prescription history database, so answer accurately rather than optimistically. A wrong answer that would have changed the decision to issue can be used to contest a claim during the first two years.

What determines the premium I am quoted?

Age at application does most of the work, followed by the amount of coverage, tobacco use, sex, your state, and which product you qualify for. Two people of the same age can be quoted very differently because one answered the health questions cleanly and the other needs a guaranteed issue policy, which costs more per thousand dollars of coverage. Cost per thousand is the fairest way to compare two offers, and it is the only comparison that survives different coverage amounts.

Will my premium increase as I get older?

No. These are level premium policies, so the rate is set when the policy is issued and does not rise because you have aged or your health has changed. What does rise is the rate you would be offered if you apply later, because that is based on your age on the day you apply. If a policy you are shown does increase with age, it is not a final expense whole life policy, and you should ask what it actually is.

What happens if I miss a payment?

Nothing immediately. The policy stays in force through a grace period, and if you pay inside that window coverage continues as though nothing happened. If the grace period runs out unpaid the policy lapses, and reinstating it can mean back premiums and fresh health questions. If the policy has built cash value, an automatic premium loan or a non-forfeiture provision may keep some coverage alive, but on a young policy there is usually very little there.

How long is the grace period?

Thirty-one days is the common figure, though it varies by state and by contract, so the number printed in your own policy is the one that counts. The grace period is written into the contract, not decided case by case by whoever answers the phone. If money is going to be tight, call the insurance company before the due date rather than after: changing the draft date or paying monthly instead of quarterly is usually simple.

What ages can apply?

Most final expense products are written between roughly age 50 and age 85, with some insurers starting at 45 and a few going to 89. Outside that band your options genuinely narrow, and a licensed agent can tell you within a minute whether anything is available in your state. Applying earlier locks a lower rate, because the rate follows your age on the application and never resets.

Can I qualify with diabetes, heart disease, or another health condition?

Usually yes. Controlled diabetes, high blood pressure, past cancer that is several years behind you and many other conditions are routinely accepted on simplified issue policies, sometimes at a higher rate. What tends to push someone off simplified issue is recent and serious: oxygen use, dialysis, a terminal diagnosis, a recent stroke or heart attack, or nursing home care. In those cases a guaranteed issue policy asks no health questions at all, at a higher price and with a waiting period.

Does using tobacco matter?

Yes, and on a small policy it is one of the larger price differences there is. Cigarettes almost always mean tobacco rates; occasional cigars, chewing tobacco, pipes and vaping are treated differently by different insurers, and one company can be far kinder than another on exactly the same habit. Answer honestly. Nicotine is easy to detect, and a false answer is precisely the sort of misstatement that gets a claim contested in the first two years.

What is the difference between guaranteed issue and simplified issue?

Simplified issue asks health questions and can decline you, but it costs less and pays the full amount from the first day. Guaranteed issue asks no health questions and cannot decline anyone inside the age range, but it costs more and carries a graded or limited benefit period, usually the first two to three years, during which death from natural causes returns your premiums plus a modest percentage rather than the face amount. Accidental death is normally covered in full immediately. If you can pass the health questions, simplified issue is almost always the better deal.

Can I be turned down?

Yes, for a simplified issue policy. That is what the health questions are for, and a decline is a normal outcome rather than a verdict on you. You cannot be turned down for a true guaranteed issue policy if you are inside the age range, which is the reason that product exists. Being declined once usually means the wrong product was applied for, not that you are uninsurable.

How long does it take for a claim to be paid?

Straightforward claims are usually settled within a few weeks of the insurance company receiving a completed claim form and a certified death certificate. Delays come from missing paperwork, an unclear or pending cause of death, or a death inside the two-year contestability period, when the insurer may review the original application. Order several certified death certificates at the start, because banks and insurers each want their own original and they cost roughly $10 to $30 each.

Who receives the money?

The beneficiary named on the policy, paid directly to them. It does not go to the funeral home, and it does not pass through the estate unless the estate is what you named. That is why the beneficiary designation on file with the insurer matters more than anything written in a will. Name a contingent beneficiary as well, and check the designation after a divorce, a remarriage, or a death in the family.

Is the payout taxable?

Life insurance death benefits are generally received income tax free by the beneficiary. Interest paid on top of the benefit can be taxable, and a large enough estate raises separate estate tax questions, so confirm your own situation with a tax professional. This is general information, not tax advice.

What is a graded death benefit?

It is the limited benefit period on a guaranteed issue policy. For roughly the first two to three years, death from natural causes pays back the premiums you paid plus a modest percentage instead of the full face amount, and after that the full amount is payable. Accidental death is normally covered in full from the first day. The exact percentage and the exact length are in your policy schedule, so read that page rather than a brochure, and our graded death benefit calculator will show you the shape of it.

What do I need on hand to get a quote?

Your date of birth, the state you live in, whether you use tobacco, a rough coverage amount, and a general idea of your prescriptions and medical history. Nothing is due at the quote stage and no coverage exists until an insurer issues a policy and the first premium is paid. If you want to walk into the call prepared, read our list of questions to ask before buying first, and our coverage calculator will give you a figure to bring to the conversation.

Can I talk to a person without filling out a form?

Yes. Call (888) 415-8284 or email [email protected] and ask whatever you like without submitting anything. You can also read the site, take the numbers with you, and buy directly from any insurance company or through your own agent. Nothing here requires you to use our form.