Questions about burial insurance

Burial insurance is a small whole life insurance policy that pays your family in days. Coverage is usually $5,000 to $25,000, and the money is paid directly to the person you choose. Most people use it for the funeral or cremation, but it can go toward anything. There is no medical exam, just a few health questions on the phone. On the whole life policies we offer, your rate stays the same and the policy lasts your whole life. Read the full explanation.

Yes. Burial insurance, funeral insurance and final expense life insurance are different names for the same thing: a small whole life insurance policy meant to cover costs when the time comes. Insurance companies and agents tend to say "final expense." Most families say "burial insurance." You may also hear "cremation insurance." The product works the same way no matter what it's called, so compare the coverage amount, the monthly premium and the type of benefit rather than the name.

Start with what you'd want the money to handle. In Georgia, a funeral with burial commonly runs $8,000 to $12,000, and a cremation with a service often runs $6,000 or more. Some people add a little for medical bills or small debts. Most people choose between $5,000 and $25,000. Your agent will help you pick an amount that fits your plans and your monthly budget, and will tell you if you need less than you thought. See what a funeral costs in Georgia.

It depends on your age, health, tobacco use and how much coverage you choose. As typical ranges only: many people in their 60s pay roughly $30 to $70 a month for $10,000 of coverage, and many people in their 70s pay roughly $45 to $110. These aren't quotes. A licensed Georgia agent will give you exact prices on the call, based on the carriers available to you. See typical costs.

No. There's no medical exam, no needles and no nurse visit, just a few health questions your agent asks on the phone. Your answers decide which type of policy you qualify for. If you don't qualify for a policy with full coverage from day one, there are other options, including guaranteed acceptance policies with no health questions. Those always come with a waiting period of usually two to three years before the full benefit is payable, and they cost more per dollar of coverage.

Often, yes. Many people with conditions that are under control, like diabetes managed with pills or insulin, high blood pressure or past heart issues, qualify for level coverage that pays the full benefit from day one. A recent serious diagnosis or treatment may mean a graded policy, where the full benefit starts after two to three years. Your agent asks a few health questions on the call to find the right fit. We never ask health questions on the request-a-call form.

A waiting period means the full benefit isn't payable right away. Level policies have none: the full benefit applies from day one. Graded policies pay the full benefit after two to three years; if you pass before then, your family usually gets the premiums back plus interest, and accidental death is usually covered from day one. Guaranteed acceptance policies ask no health questions and always have a waiting period. Whether you'll have one depends on your health answers, and your agent will tell you before you apply.

On the whole life policies we offer, yes. Your monthly premium is set when the policy is issued and doesn't go up as you get older or if your health changes. That's one of the main differences from term life insurance, which gets more expensive at renewal. Not every policy on the market works this way, so your agent will confirm that the rate is level for the specific policy before you apply.

Not on the whole life policies we offer. As long as premiums are paid, the coverage lasts your whole life, no matter how long you live. That's different from term life insurance, which ends after a set number of years, and from group life insurance through work, which often ends when you retire. Your agent will confirm how this works for the specific policy you're looking at. See burial insurance vs. life insurance.

The person you choose, called your beneficiary. It can be a spouse, a child, another relative or a friend you trust to handle things. The money is paid directly to that person, not to a funeral home, so they decide how to use it. You can usually name a backup beneficiary too, and you can change your beneficiary later by contacting the insurance carrier. Your agent will walk you through it when you apply.

No. The benefit is cash paid to your beneficiary, and they can use it however they need. Most families put it toward the funeral or cremation, but it can also cover medical bills, a final utility bill, credit card balances, travel for family or anything else. Keep in mind that the benefit is a fixed amount. It may not match the exact price of a particular funeral, so choose a coverage amount with that in mind.

Claims are often paid within days, though it can take up to a couple of weeks after the carrier receives the death certificate and a completed claim form. Timing depends on the carrier and on whether paperwork is complete. Claims within the first two years may take longer because the carrier can review the application. Your beneficiary contacts the carrier directly to file. If your family is working with Leaf Cremation or any other funeral home, the staff can often help with the paperwork.

Maybe not. Check three things. Is it a term policy that could end before you do? Is it group life insurance through an employer that may stop when you retire? Is it already earmarked for a mortgage, a spouse or other needs? If your coverage is permanent and nothing else is counting on it, you may not need more, and your agent will tell you so. See burial insurance vs. the life insurance you already have.

Yes, with their agreement. Your parent has to know about the policy, answer the health questions and sign the application. Depending on the carrier, you can be the owner, pay the premiums and be the beneficiary. Many adult children start the conversation with us first and then get a parent on the phone with the agent. Use the request-a-call form and choose "A parent or family member." Read our guide to life insurance for parents.

A preneed contract with a funeral home locks in specific goods and services at that one funeral home. Burial insurance pays cash to a person you choose, and it goes wherever your family goes: any funeral home, any city, any purpose. Both are reasonable ways to plan ahead. If you already know exactly what you want and where, a prepaid plan may suit you better, and Leaf Cremation offers prepaid cremation. Learn more about how burial insurance works.

Leaf Planning's licensed Georgia life insurance agents are affiliated with Leaf Cremation of Georgia. The people behind both have served more than 5,000 Georgia families. But you are never required to use Leaf Cremation's services to buy a policy. The money goes to your beneficiary, who can use any funeral home or cremation provider they choose, anywhere. Learn more about us.

Policies are issued by established third-party life insurance carriers, not by Leaf Planning or Leaf Cremation. [CARRIER NAMES — to be added.] Your agent will tell you which carrier would issue your policy before you apply, and you can look up any carrier's license with the Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire. The carrier is responsible for paying claims. See our licensing and disclosures.

Yes, and it varies by carrier. Many carriers issue burial insurance to people up to about age 85, and some go to 89. The youngest age is usually around 50, though some carriers start earlier. Prices rise with age, so applying sooner usually means a lower monthly premium for the same coverage. If you or your parent are in your 80s, it's still worth a call; your agent will tell you what's available.

Most policies have a grace period, typically about 31 days, when you can make the payment and your coverage stays in force. If the payment isn't made by the end of the grace period, the policy can lapse, which means coverage stops. Some policies can be reinstated after a lapse, sometimes with health questions. Many people set up automatic monthly payments timed to when their Social Security or pension arrives, so payments aren't missed.

Fill out the request-a-call form. It takes about two minutes, and there are no health questions on it. Or call us at the number at the top of this page. A licensed Georgia agent will call you within one business day, answer your questions in plain English and tell you what you'd qualify for and what it costs. If it's not a fit, we'll say so. See how it works.

The Assist Program is Leaf's estate-readiness help for families planning ahead. Before a loss, we sit down with you to locate and organize your will, power of attorney, deeds, titles and policies, confirm your beneficiary designations are current, and inventory your accounts and benefits. After a loss, a dedicated Family Care Advisor helps your family claim Social Security, VA, pension and life insurance benefits, close or transfer accounts, and stop the junk mail and calls. Burial insurance answers how it gets paid for. The Assist Program handles everything else. See what it covers.

[PRICING — to be confirmed.] The Assist Program works alongside Leaf Cremation pre-planning and burial insurance, but you don't need either one to use it. Your advisor will tell you exactly what, if anything, it costs before you start, so there are no surprises. If you'd like to talk it through first, request a call and check the Assist Program box, or read what the Assist Program covers.

No. You can use the Assist Program whether or not you buy burial insurance, and whether or not you use Leaf Cremation. The two are designed to work together. Burial insurance, a small whole life insurance policy that pays your family in days, makes sure the money is there. The Assist Program makes sure the documents, beneficiaries and accounts are in order. But each one stands on its own. Learn more about burial insurance or the Assist Program.

No. We organize and coordinate. We help you find what you already have, see what's missing or out of date, and get it done with an attorney. Wills, trusts and powers of attorney are prepared by an independent Georgia-licensed attorney, and the attorney is the one who advises you on which documents fit and prepares them. Once they're signed, we keep copies in your Assist Program file so your family can find them. Read wills, trusts and power of attorney.

Your Family Care Advisor is a dedicated Leaf team member assigned to your family. When the time comes, the advisor contacts your family, so nobody has to figure out who to call. From there, the advisor works through the checklist with them: claiming Social Security, VA, pension and life insurance benefits, closing or transferring accounts, retitling vehicles and property, and stopping the junk mail and calls. The advisor stays with your family until every item on the checklist is done. See what happens after a loss.

Your file stays yours. If you move, change your plans or decide the program isn't for you, you can ask for copies or for your original documents back, or ask us to close your file, at any time. There's no pressure either way. [Confirm retention practice: how long records are kept after a file is closed, and how they are disposed of.] If you move but still want our help, much of the work can be done by phone. Get organized.

Yes, and we encourage it. The sit-down works best when the people who will handle things later hear it firsthand: where the documents are, who's named on what, and what they'll need to do when the time comes. Your children can join in person in Acworth or by phone. It's still your meeting and your decisions; they're there to listen and ask questions. Many families find it's the easiest way to start a conversation nobody knew how to begin. Get organized.

Call us. You don't need to have planned ahead for us to help. A Family Care Advisor can work through the same checklist with you now: benefit claims, including Social Security, VA, pension and life insurance; closing or transferring accounts; retitling vehicles and property; and stopping the mail and calls. Leaf Aftercare, part of the Leaf family, also helps families in exactly this situation. See what happens after a loss, or request a call and check "I've already lost someone."

We take it seriously, and we'll be plain about how it works. The request-a-call form on this website asks for nothing sensitive: no Social Security numbers, no account numbers and no documents. Your documents are reviewed in person or through a secure upload your advisor provides, never by email and never through the website form. [DESCRIBE STORAGE PRACTICE — to be confirmed.] If you have a question about how your file is handled, ask your advisor before you share anything. Request a call.

Dennis Breier, our Assist Program Director, holds two designations. CEP® stands for Certified Estate Planner, a designation from the National Institute of Certified Estate Planners. CLTC® stands for Certified in Long-Term Care. These are professional designations, not law licenses. They reflect training in estate-planning and long-term care topics. Dennis organizes and coordinates; legal documents are prepared by an independent Georgia-licensed attorney. Read wills, trusts and power of attorney.