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5 Best Burial Insurance Companies of September 2025

Pay for your own funeral and burial costs with a final expense policy from one of our top-rated insurers.
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Aug 29, 2025
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The best burial insurance companies at a glance

If you want to buy life insurance purely to cover your funeral costs, medical bills and other end-of-life expenses, look into burial insurance. Also known as final expense insurance, these policies are designed for seniors who need only a small amount of coverage, and not all insurers offer them.

To narrow down the list of the best burial insurance policies, our experts analyzed policy features, age and state availability, and added value — such as free life insurance riders. We also looked at payment options and the amount of coverage you can buy, which typically starts at $1,000 and maxes out at $50,000 for this type of life insurance.

NerdWallet's life insurance content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in life insurance. We follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure the content on our site is accurate and fair so you can make financial decisions with confidence and choose the products that work best for you.

Insurer

NerdWallet rating

Age eligibility

State Farm

Issue age: 45 to 80 (50 to 75 in NY).

AARP/New York Life

Issue age: 50 to 85 in most states (50 to 75 in NY).

American Family

Issue age: 50 to 80.

Mutual of Omaha

Issue age: 45 to 85 (50 to 75 in NY).

Ethos

Issue age: 45 to 80.

NerdWallet rates insurers at the company level, not the policy level. This means our star rating reflects the company as a whole, and not its burial insurance policy specifically.


Best for customer satisfaction: State Farm

Best for customer satisfaction

State Farm Life Insurance

State Farm

Bottom line: If reliable support is a top priority for you, State Farm has an excellent reputation for customer service.
Financial strength rating Exceptional
Online purchase No
NAIC complaints Fewer than expected
Policies offered Term, permanent & no-exam

Pros

  • Low number of complaints from consumers.
  • Ranked first in J.D. Power’s latest customer satisfaction study for life insurance.

Cons

  • Life insurance policies not available in Massachusetts or Rhode Island.
  • Some app restrictions for Android smartphones.

Company overview: State Farm consistently ranks No. 1 in J.D. Power’s annual customer satisfaction study for individual life insurance.

State Farm’s burial insurance policy earns cash value over time, and once you’ve accumulated enough, you can take out loans or withdraw money from that fund during your lifetime. Since State Farm is a mutual company, your policy might also pay out life insurance dividends based on financial performance.

  • Policy name: Guaranteed Issue Final Expense Life Insurance (known as $10,000 Whole Life in New York).

    Eligibility age range: 45 to 80 (50 to 75 in New York).

    Coverage amount: $10,000 ($15,000 in some states).

    Availability: All states. Note: State Farm isn’t offering policies to new customers in Massachusetts or Rhode Island.

» Read the full review: State Farm life insurance review


Best for low consumer complaints: AARP

Best for low consumer complaints

AARP Life Insurance

AARP

Bottom line: AARP’s policy is available to its members and their spouses, and the insurer has a relatively low complaint volume for a company of its size.
Financial strength rating Exceptional
Online purchase No
NAIC complaints Fewer than expected
Policies offered Term, permanent & no-exam

Pros

  • No medical exams required.
  • Fewer than the expected number of complaints to state regulators.
  • Anyone age 50 and up can get access through AARP membership.

Cons

  • Term life insurance premiums rise every five years.

Company overview: Open to AARP members as part of a partnership with New York Life, this policy is a type of group life insurance. You’re guaranteed to be accepted as long as you’re an AARP member who meets the age requirements, and coverage typically lasts your entire life. In most states, AARP also allows members’ spouses who are 45 to 85 (or 80 in some states) to apply for a policy. In New York, the age eligibility for spouses is slightly different: 50 to 75.

  • Policy name: Guaranteed Acceptance Life Insurance.

    Eligibility age range: 50 to 85 (50 to 80 in some states; 50 to 75 in NY)

    Coverage amount: Up to $30,000 ($25,000 in some states). You may be able to request a higher coverage amount by calling New York Life on 1-800-607-6957.

    Availability: Not available in New Jersey. Non-members in Arkansas, Louisiana and Oregon may not be eligible.

» Read the full review: AARP/New York Life insurance review


Best for bundling: American Family

Best for bundling

American Family Life Insurance

American Family Life Insurance

Bottom line: American Family allows you to bundle life insurance with other insurance products and possibly save money on the latter.
Financial strength rating Strong
Online purchase No
NAIC complaints Fewer than expected
Policies offered Term, permanent & no-exam

Pros

  • Fewer customer complaints than expected for a company its size.
  • Offers a variety of term and whole life options.

Cons

  • Not available in all states.

Company overview: American Family received fewer complaints to state regulators for a company of its size, making it a trustworthy choice. The company sells a range of insurance products, including vehicle insurance, property insurance and business insurance. In some cases, you can bundle your policies and save money. 

  • Policy name: DreamSecure Senior Whole Life Insurance.

    Eligibility age range: 50 to 80.

    Coverage amount: $10,000 or $15,000.

    Availability: Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

» Read the full review: American Family insurance review


Best for instant coverage: Ethos

Best for instant coverage

Ethos Life Insurance - Direct
on Ethos

Ethos

Bottom line: You can be approved within minutes of applying and coverage starts as soon as you make your first payment.
on Ethos
Financial strength rating Strong
Online purchase Yes
NAIC complaints Fewer than expected
Policies offered Term, permanent & no-exam

Pros

  • No medical exam required.
  • Fully digital application.
  • Offers both term and whole life insurance online.

Cons

  • No live chat feature, which is unusual for insurtechs.
  • Can't customize coverage with riders.

Company overview: Ethos’ whole life application takes five minutes to complete and coverage goes into effect once you pay the first premium, making this policy ideal for those who need a policy quickly. You don't need to take a life insurance medical exam. You stop paying premiums at age 100, and the coverage stays intact.

  • Policy name: Guaranteed Issue Whole Life.

    Eligibility age range: 45 to 80.

    Coverage amount: $2,000 to $25,000.

    Availability: Not available in New York.

» Read the full review: Ethos life insurance review


Best for accessibility: Mutual of Omaha

Best for accessibility

Mutual of Omaha Life Insurance

Mutual of Omaha

Bottom line: Most burial insurance policies are open only to seniors 50 and older, but Mutual of Omaha allows 45-year-olds to buy coverage.
Financial strength rating Exceptional
Online purchase No
NAIC complaints Close to expected
Policies offered Term, permanent & no-exam

Pros

  • Whole life insurance available without a medical exam.
  • Ranks highly in J.D. Power’s latest consumer satisfaction study.

Cons

  • No online quotes for term life insurance.

Company overview: Mutual of Omaha’s broad issue age range means people can get a policy at a younger age, when rates are likely to be cheaper. You can buy as little as $2,000 in coverage — making this option good for those who don’t need too much life insurance.

The insurer says it pays most claims within 24 hours, which can help your loved ones cover your funeral costs and any other immediate expenses when you die.

  • Policy name: Guaranteed Whole Life Insurance.

    Eligibility age range: 45 to 85 (50 to 75 in New York).

    Coverage amount: $2,000 to $25,000 ($5,000 to $25,000 in Washington).

    Availability: All states.

» Read the full review: Mutual of Omaha life insurance review

How we rate the best life insurance companies

✅ 441 life insurers reviewed

📝 185 policies assessed

🔢 1,315 data points analyzed

📊 Star rating categories

When NerdWallet evaluates life insurance companies, our editorial team considers the insurer's strengths and weaknesses, as well as the things that matter most to customers buying a long-term financial product. We then weigh these factors carefully:

💰 Financial strength (40%). We use AM Best ratings to confirm an insurer’s financial stability and ability to pay claims far into the future. The top life insurance companies have an exceptional financial strength rating of A+ or A++ (Superior).

🗣️ Consumer complaints (40%). Our top-rated life insurance companies have fewer than the expected number of complaints to state regulators over a three-year period, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners — so you can expect a smoother customer experience.

👀 Policy detail availability (10%). Our methodology gives higher scores to transparent insurers who clearly display information about their policy options, coverage amounts and term lengths (if applicable) on their site.

☎️ Ease of communication (10%). Insurers who allow consumers to contact them by email, phone and live chat earn the highest scores.

What our star ratings mean

Companies with 5 stars are exceptional, with strong financials, diverse policy lineups and great reputations for customer service.

Companies with 4.5 stars are excellent, with solid financials and policy offerings, and good customer service track records.

Companies with 4.0 stars are good, and potentially great for people looking for niche coverage options.

Companies with 3.5 stars or fewer could do better in certain categories, like financial strength and customer complaints.

NerdWallet does not receive compensation for our star ratings or our reviews. Read more about our life insurance ratings methodology and editorial guidelines.

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Alternatives to the best burial insurance

Final expense policies are designed to help you cover the costs of your own funeral and burial, but they’re expensive and capped at small amounts so they don’t suit everyone. If you crunch the numbers and decide you need more life insurance, you can apply for a traditional term life insurance or permanent life insurance policy.

More about top-rated life insurance companies

Looking for a specific type of life insurance policy? Check out NerdWallet’s top picks across these categories:

Frequently asked questions

Burial policies cover end-of-life expenses, like funerals or lingering medical bills. These policies are relatively small, usually in the $1,000 to $50,000 range, which means they have limited application beyond those final expense needs.

Burial insurance that doesn’t require a medical exam can be more expensive per dollar of coverage than many other life insurance policies. For instance, a healthy 50-year-old woman might pay about $360 a year for $10,000 in guaranteed issue life insurance, according to data from Choice Mutual, a brokerage specializing in burial insurance coverage. To compare, a $250,000 whole life policy would cost her about $4,740 — more than 10 times as much per year but for 25 times as much coverage.

The cheapest burial insurance will depend on your needs and health. While many policies can be issued with no medical questions or exams, they're usually much more expensive. The best way to get cheap life insurance coverage for any type of policy is to shop around.