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“I am well pleased with the knowledge and treatment we received from Dave and Lehigh Partners Senior Benefits. He helped with health, auto, and home insurance for my family.”
Paul Szymczak Google reviewThat's the average cost of a funeral today — and Medicare pays $0 of it. Right now, that bill defaults to your spouse or your kids, out of savings or a credit card. Final expense insurance is a small, locked-in policy built to cover that exact number instead. Most seniors qualify with no medical exam. Use the free calculator below to see your number in under 60 seconds.
The lowest-cost version of this is usually the one you qualify for at your current age and health — not later. No pressure, ever.
Covers
The $8,300 bill Medicare leaves behind — funeral, burial or cremation, headstone, outstanding debts
Typical Coverage
$5,000 – $25,000 in whole life coverage
Medical Exam?
Usually not required — simplified or guaranteed acceptance
Premium
Locked for life the day you're approved — it can never go up
Medicare does not cover funeral or burial costs. Final expense insurance is a separate product designed specifically for this purpose.
What Happens When You Ask For Help
In one short conversation, we calculate the coverage amount your family may actually need, compare final expense options from multiple carriers, and show you the monthly cost before you decide. No medical exam for most plans. No pressure, no obligation, ever.
No Medical Exam for Most Plans
Most plans use a short health questionnaire — no blood draw, no doctor visit.
Premiums Stay Level
For most whole life final expense policies, your premium is locked in and your coverage does not decrease as long as premiums are paid.
Coverage Does Not Expire
Whole life policy — it doesn't expire at age 80 or after a set term.
Benefit Paid to Your Beneficiary
Benefit is generally paid directly to your named beneficiary and typically avoids probate, subject to claim review and policy terms.
Most people buy final expense coverage two wrong ways: too little, leaving a gap their family has to cover — or too much, overpaying every month for the rest of their life. Answer four quick questions below. We'll show you the number that actually fits, built on real 2023 National Funeral Directors Association data — not a sales script.
“I didn't want my kids making these decisions with a credit card.” — a client, on why she got covered
Your Recommended Coverage
$8,300
This is an educational estimate based on 2023 NFDA national median costs — not a quote. Your actual premium depends on age, health, coverage amount, state, and carrier.
Get My Exact Quote — No ObligationHere's the truth: you're not here because you love shopping for insurance. You're here because something made this feel real — a funeral you just sat through, a health scare, retirement paperwork, or just the thought of your spouse or kids having to figure out how to pay for yours while they're still grieving.
That's exactly why this exists. Not to sell you a bigger policy than you need. To close one specific gap — the $8,300 one — so nobody in your family has to open a credit card at the worst possible moment.
What is final expense insurance?
Final expense insurance is a small whole life policy, often $5,000 to $25,000, designed to help pay for funeral, burial, cremation, cemetery costs, and other final bills. The money goes to your beneficiary, not Medicare, and they can use it where it is needed most.
Strip away the industry jargon and it's a simple stack of four things working together:
"Burial insurance" and "final expense insurance" are the same product — just two names insurers and agents use interchangeably. The key difference from traditional life insurance is the purpose and size: these are smaller policies built specifically for end-of-life costs, not to replace decades of income.
Medicare does not pay for the funeral — period
Medicare helps with medical care while you are living. It stops the day you die. It does not pay the funeral home, cemetery, cremation provider, headstone company, or obituary bill — and neither does a Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage plan. The average funeral with burial costs $8,300 today.2 Without a plan in place, that bill lands on whoever's left to sign for it.
Not a rounded-off industry guess — the actual, itemized median cost of a funeral in the United States, according to the National Funeral Directors Association's 2023 Member General Price List Study. Funeral costs with burial rose 5.8% from 2021 to 2023. Cremation costs rose 8.1% over the same period.2 They are not getting cheaper.
$8,300
$6,280
Neither total includes a cemetery plot, headstone, or grave opening/closing fees — those typically add another $2,000–$5,000 on top. And the trend line matters: cremation is projected to account for 63.4% of arrangements by 2025, and 82.3% by 2045, up from 31.6% choosing burial in the same window.1 Whichever direction your family goes, the number needs to be sitting in a policy before it's needed — not after.
31.6%
Projected to choose burial in 2025
63.4%
Projected to choose cremation in 2025
82.3%
Projected to choose cremation by 2045
Premium costs vary by age, health status, coverage amount, and carrier. As a general benchmark, a healthy 65-year-old might pay $35–$65 per month for $10,000 in coverage. Rates increase with age, so acting earlier typically means a lower locked-in premium for life.
See What Your Exact Number CostsWe compare multiple carriers. There is no cost to ask and no obligation to enroll.
Get My Free Final Expense QuoteSources: [1] Industry cremation vs. burial rate projections. [2] National Funeral Directors Association, 2023 Member General Price List Study.
Most likely, yes — the right plan type just depends on your health situation. Here are the three ways seniors typically qualify:
Full death benefit available from day one. Requires answering health questions — typically no exam, but some health conditions may disqualify you. Lowest premiums of the three types. If you're in reasonably good health, this is usually the best value.
For those with moderate health issues who don't qualify for level benefit. Full death benefit kicks in after 2–3 years. In the first years, the policy typically pays a percentage of the face value or returns premiums plus interest if death occurs. Premiums are higher than level benefit plans.
No health questions and no medical exam. Guaranteed issue plans are designed for people who may not qualify for other coverage, but they usually cost more and include a waiting period. Available to most seniors ages 50–80. A 2-year waiting period applies before the full benefit is paid for natural causes. Best for those with serious health conditions who can't qualify otherwise.
Many seniors assume Medicare or their Medicare Supplement plan will handle end-of-life costs. It doesn't. This table shows the difference clearly.
| Expense | Medicare / Supplement | Final Expense Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital stays & surgery | ✓ Covered | Not the purpose |
| Doctor visits & outpatient care | ✓ Covered | Not the purpose |
| Funeral home expenses | ✗ Not covered | ✓ Covered |
| Burial or cremation | ✗ Not covered | ✓ Covered |
| Cemetery plot & headstone | ✗ Not covered | ✓ Covered |
| Outstanding medical bills | ✗ Not covered | ✓ Benefit can be used for this |
| Legal & estate costs | ✗ Not covered | ✓ Benefit can be used for this |
The benefit is flexible
Your beneficiary receives the payout as a tax-free lump sum and can use it however the family needs — there are no restrictions on how the money is spent. Some families use part for the funeral and part to pay off remaining medical bills or credit cards.
Getting coverage is simpler than most people expect — especially compared to traditional life insurance. Here's how the process typically works when you work with a licensed agent.
Lehigh Partners Senior Benefits works with seniors across Pennsylvania and Texas on Medicare and related coverage. We can compare final expense and burial insurance options at no cost to you — no pressure, no obligation.
No pressure. No obligation. We compare options before you decide.
Our Guarantee
We're not going to promise you a number we can't back up. Here's precisely what you get when you talk to Lehigh Partners — nothing vaguer, nothing less.
Once you're approved, your rate is locked in for as long as premiums are paid — it does not increase with age or health changes. That's a carrier-backed contract term, not a sales line.
We're independent. We shop your situation across multiple top-rated carriers instead of pitching you one company's price because it's the only one we sell.
You get real numbers and a real conversation. If it's not a fit, you walk away — no follow-up calls, no guilt trip, no obligation to enroll in anything.
If nothing fits your health situation or budget right now, we'll tell you that directly instead of pushing a policy that doesn't actually serve you.
Final expense insurance is a good fit for seniors who want to protect their family from the cost of a funeral without paying for more coverage than they need. It makes the most sense when:
Compared to what — $0? That's what you're paying right now, which is exactly why the bill defaults to your family. Most people pay less for lifetime coverage than they'd guess. Let's find your real number before you decide it's out of reach.
Later is more expensive, not less. Rates go up with age, and if your health changes you may qualify for less coverage — not more. The version of this that costs the least is the one you get today.
Good — the calculator above accounts for that. Most people are still short by a few thousand dollars once they actually add it up. Two minutes tells you if you're actually covered or just think you are.
That's exactly why this is worth doing now, not a reason to skip it. Guaranteed issue plans exist specifically for this — no health questions, no exam. The longer you wait, the fewer options you have.
No. We compare real options and explain what they mean in plain English. You decide whether anything fits — and if nothing does, that's a fine outcome too.
We're a licensed agency, not a call center. We only work with top-rated, A.M. Best-rated carriers, and your premium and death benefit are locked in a written contract — not a verbal promise.
A local agency, not a call center
Lehigh Partners Senior Benefits helps seniors compare Medicare-related coverage and final expense options with clear, no-pressure guidance. We explain the differences, compare available options, and let you decide what fits your family and budget — licensed insurance agency, local guidance, multiple carriers compared, no cost to ask questions. Your information stays with Lehigh Partners. Learn how we protect it.
“I am well pleased with the knowledge and treatment we received from Dave and Lehigh Partners Senior Benefits. He helped with health, auto, and home insurance for my family.”
Paul Szymczak Google review“Dave was very helpful in finding me the best product to meet my needs at the lowest cost. He was very efficient, thoughtful and available. The process was painless.”
Susan Peck Google review“I needed information and advice for both myself and my mother on how to assess our medical insurance and its rising costs. I got both questions fully answered and used their advice to change our providers with lower costs and comparable coverages. It was easy to understand and process. I'm so thankful I contacted Mr. Scallion and I highly recommend his service.”
Dan Fornataro Google reviewFinal expense insurance is a small whole life policy designed to help pay for funeral, burial, cremation, and other end-of-life expenses. Coverage typically ranges from $5,000 to $25,000. Most plans require no medical exam, and the benefit is paid directly to your named beneficiary.
Yes — they are two names for the same product. Both refer to a small whole life insurance policy designed to cover funeral, burial or cremation, and related end-of-life costs. Some companies use one term and some use the other, but the product structure is the same.
No. Medicare covers medical care during your lifetime but does not cover funeral costs, burial, cremation, cemetery expenses, or headstones. Neither does Medicare Supplement (Medigap) or Medicare Advantage. Final expense insurance is a separate product specifically designed to cover these costs.
It depends on what you want covered. $5,000 may help with cremation or smaller final expenses. $10,000–$15,000 is a common starting point for funeral and burial costs. $20,000–$25,000 may help cover funeral costs plus remaining bills. We can help you figure out a number that fits your situation.
Premiums depend on age, health, coverage amount, state, and carrier. As a general benchmark, a healthy 65-year-old woman might pay $30–$50 per month for $10,000 in coverage; a man of the same age might pay $40–$65. Rates increase with age, so a 70- or 75-year-old can expect somewhat higher premiums for the same coverage. Getting quotes from multiple carriers is the best way to find the most competitive rate — that's something we can help with at no cost.
In most cases, yes. Most final expense policies use simplified underwriting — a short health questionnaire rather than a medical exam. Depending on your health history, you may qualify for a level benefit plan (full coverage from day one) or a graded benefit plan (coverage increases over 2–3 years). If you have serious health conditions, guaranteed issue plans are available with no health questions at all, though premiums are higher and a waiting period typically applies.
It depends on the plan type. Level benefit plans typically pay the full death benefit from day one. Graded benefit plans phase in the full benefit over two to three years. Guaranteed issue plans, which require no health questions, usually have a waiting period of about two years for natural causes of death.
The death benefit is paid directly to the beneficiary you name on the policy — typically a spouse, adult child, or other family member. It's a tax-free lump sum that goes to them directly, not through probate, and they can use it for funeral costs, final bills, or whatever the family needs.
No. Pre-paying a funeral home (pre-need funeral planning) locks funds into a specific funeral home for specific services. Final expense insurance is a life insurance policy — the benefit goes to your beneficiary as cash, which they can use at any funeral home, for cremation, or for other expenses. Insurance is generally more flexible, and the funds are not tied to one provider if circumstances change.
Yes. We work with seniors on Medicare and related coverage needs, including final expense and burial insurance. We can compare options from multiple carriers, explain the differences between plan types, and help you find coverage that fits your budget. There is no cost for a consultation and no obligation to enroll. Call 833-265-9655 or schedule a free review online and we'll take care of the comparison for you.
It starts with 2023 National Funeral Directors Association median cost data — $8,300 for burial, $6,280 for cremation — then adds cemetery extras and outstanding debts you want covered, and subtracts any existing coverage or savings you've already set aside. The result is an educational estimate to help you pick a coverage amount, not a formal quote. Your actual premium depends on your age, health, coverage amount, state, and carrier.
No pressure. No obligation. We compare options before you decide.
You've seen the real numbers. You've seen your number. One short conversation is all it takes — we'll compare options from multiple carriers, explain the differences in plain English, and help you find coverage that fits your budget. No cost to ask. No obligation to enroll.
No pressure. No obligation. Just clear guidance. · Medicare Starts Here™
Lehigh Partners Senior Benefits is a licensed insurance agency. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent a number of organizations which offer products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. Most plans require no medical exam; some plans ask health questions. Guaranteed issue plans may have higher premiums and a waiting period. Premiums depend on age, health, coverage amount, state, and carrier. Final expense and life insurance products are offered through separate licensed insurance carriers. This page is for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for licensed insurance or financial advice. Not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.