Final Expense and Burial Insurance in Montana
In the past five years, the price of final expenses has risen by 6.6%. In 2021, the median price of a funeral with burial and a vault was $9,420, and the median price of a funeral with cremation was $6,971. This is according to data compiled by the National Funeral Directors Association.
Let’s focus on current funeral prices in Montana.
How to Get Burial Insurance in Montana
Looking for a life insurance policy that will cover your burial expenses can be confusing. You have a lot of choices, and you’ll have to decide which one is best for you. For instance, do you want to leave your loved ones a large cash benefit, or are you simply trying to protect them from the high cost of a funeral?
You need information, and the best place to get it is from a life insurance company. But you will need to choose the company carefully to ensure that you’re dealing with a reputable insurer. For instance, if you want to cover your funeral costs, Lincoln Heritage is a proven final expenses insurer that has been servicing customers for a long time. They have built a reputation that you can trust.
To get a free quote based on your sex, age, and health, contact them directly.
Funeral and Burial Expectations in Montana
The median cost of a funeral in Montana is $6,361. That cost includes a casket with a local average price tag of $1,500 and a vault with a national average price of $1,572. The other things that make up the cost are:
- A non-declinable basic services fee
- Removal and/or transfer of remains to the funeral home
- Embalming
- Other preparation of the body
- Use of the facilities and staff for the viewing
- Use of the facilities and staff for the funeral ceremony
- Use of the service car or van
- Printed materials such as the memorial package
- Cremation fee (if the funeral home uses a third party)
- Cremation casket
- Urn
You do not have to hire a funeral director in Montana if you don’t want to. The family can legally carry out the funeral arrangements for their loved one. But if you do not hire a funeral director, you will have to file the death certificate yourself.
Death Certificate
Montana uses an electronic filing system for death certificates, but if you choose to file it yourself, you can still file a paper copy. To get the paper copy, request one from the local register or vital records office. Then, within three days after the death, you must present the death certificate to the coroner or medical personnel of the deceased so they can fill in the medical portion. Once they return it to you, you must file it within ten days of the death at the local registrar’s office.
Embalming
In Montana, you must embalm a body if:
- It will be moved in a private vehicle and will not reach its destination within 48 hours after the death; or
- It will be transported via common carrier and will be on it for more than 8 hours or will not reach the final destination within 35 hours.
Burial Requirements
There is no law in Montana that prohibits families from burying loved ones on private land, but each county may have laws that you need to be aware of. So, before carrying out a home funeral, be sure to contact the local authorities to ensure that there are no special requirements you need to follow.
Cremation Services
You must wait 24 hours after a death in Montana before you are allowed to cremate a body. The coroner will sign a dead-body removal authorization to move the body after death, and this form also serves as authorization to cremate a body.
While there are no laws in Montana that require you to hire a funeral director to cremate a body, some crematories will require one. So, if you do not plan to hire a funeral director, be sure to seek out a crematory that will work directly with loved ones of the deceased.
Average Funeral Costs in Montana
Depending on the city where the funeral will take place, you will pay different prices for a funeral in Montana. Some example costs, below, of two cities in Montana will give you an idea of what kind of prices you can expect to pay.
The average cost of a funeral in Billings is $6,178. The price breakdown looks like this:
| Service | Average Cost |
| Basic services | $1,313 |
| Visitation and viewing | $223 |
| Ceremony | $499 |
| Graveside service | $78 |
| Remains transportation | $307 |
| Direct burial | $315 |
| Direct cremation | $1,467 |
| Embalming | $404 |
| Vault (national average) | $1,572 |
The average price for a funeral in Lockwood is $5,728. The price breakdown looks like this:
| Service | Average Cost |
| Basic services | $1,427 |
| Visitation and viewing | $235 |
| Ceremony | $547 |
| Remains transportation | $285 |
| Direct cremation | $1,317 |
| Embalming | $345 |
| Vault (national average) | $1,572 |
The prices quoted above are specifically for the referenced cities, just for you to use as a benchmark. You will have to do some research to find the prices in your area. Speak to several funeral homes to get an idea of what you will pay in your town or city.
A Note About Vaults
When burying someone, people typically think of a casket placed in the ground, but they forget that most cemeteries also require a vault to prevent the ground from collapsing under the weight of the soil and heavy machinery. A vault is an outer grave liner that the casket is placed in. You will find many types of vaults – all with different price points.
Here is an overview of what you can expect when searching for one:
- Basic, unlined concrete grave liner: $400 - $1,500
- Basic plastic- or steel-reinforced sealed concrete vault: $600 - $2,000
- Double-reinforced vault of heavy concrete lined with plastic, porcelain enamel, or metal: $2,000 - $4,000
- Premium metal burial vaults or vaults covered with a veneer of fake marble or granite: $2,000 - $16,000+
- Protective urn vaults for cremains: $125 - $900+
Help With Funeral Costs in Montana
If you are looking for ways to cover your final expenses, it’s good to know that you have options. You won’t have to leave your loved ones an expensive funeral bill after you pass. Here are some ways that you can plan for your final expenses and eliminate your loved ones’ financial risk.
Term Insurance
Term life insurance is known as the least expensive type of life insurance, and if you are thinking about this type of policy, there are some downsides of it that you need to know. Yes, you can get life insurance with a term policy and provide for your loved ones, but the policy will only last a certain amount of time.
For instance, if you are 40 years old when you take out the policy, you will get premium rates for a 40-year-old. But the policy will only last 10-20 years in most instances, and when it expires, you will have to get a new policy.
The problem is that you will be 50-60 years old at that time and will have to pay premium rates for that age. What’s more, your health may have deteriorated when you go to renew your policy and that will increase your premium rates even more.
Final Expense Insurance
If you want to purchase a life insurance policy where the premium rates never go up, you will need a whole life insurance policy. A final expense policy is a type of whole life insurance. When you are quoted a premium rate, that rate will stay the same the entire time you have the policy.
These policies are meant to cover burial and funeral costs as well as final expenses such as utility bills. The average face value of these policies is $20,000 or less.
Pre-need Insurance
Another way to help pay for your funeral expenses in advance is to purchase a pre-need insurance policy through a local funeral home. These policies are ideal for people who want to plan their own funeral and pay for it in advance. When taking out this type of policy, you will have to choose between a guaranteed policy and a non-guaranteed policy.
A guaranteed policy is just like it sounds: You will be guaranteed that the funeral you plan is the funeral you will get. This is true whether you pass one year after purchasing the policy or 20 years after. How does it work? When purchasing the plan, the funeral director will estimate the cost based on future prices instead of today’s prices. They will use the anticipated rate of inflation to quote you a price.
A non-guaranteed policy works a little differently. You will still plan your funeral, but you will pay today’s price for it. That means that if the cost of the funeral is higher when you pass, you may not get the funeral you wanted. Your loved ones will have to make a choice: They can add the difference between what you paid and the cost of the funeral, or they can change your funeral to fit the budget.
Regardless of which type of plan you choose, it’s important to speak with several funeral homes before making a decision. Be sure to ask them important questions such as where your money will be kept, what happens if the funeral home goes out of business, and how the funeral home will handle things if you pass in another state or country.
Government Assistance
Both the federal government and local governments often help people with funeral expenses. For instance, the federal government via the Social Security Administration pays eligible spouses and children of the deceased a one-time payment of $255 to help cover the expenses of a funeral.
The state of Montana also does its part in reducing funeral expenses. The state has a special revenue account set up for this purpose that is administered through county coroner offices. The funds can be used to help with the burial expenses of an indigent person. Learn more about this program and the eligibility requirements in your county by contacting the local coroner’s office.
Average Overall Rates for Final Expense Insurance in Montana
Final expense insurance, also called burial insurance or funeral insurance, is the right answer for many people trying to reduce the burden on their loved ones. If you have decided that this type of policy is right for you, your next step is learning what kind of premium you can expect to pay.
Premiums are based on your sex, age, and health. While the figures below are not the exact premium you will pay, they will give you an idea of average premiums based on sex and age.
Monthly Premium Rates for Men*
| $5,000 Death Benefit | ||
| Age | Determined 'In Good Health' by Insurer | No Health Questions Asked |
| 50 | $16 | $20 |
| 55 | $19 | $24 |
| 60 | $23 | $29 |
| 65 | $29 | $35 |
| 70 | $38 | $44 |
| 75 | $51 | $63 |
| 80 | $65 | $82 |
* Estimated rates do not reflect the rates of any particular life insurance company.
| $10,000 Death Benefit | ||
| Age | Determined 'In Good Health' by Insurer | No Health Questions Asked |
| 50 | $30 | $40 |
| 55 | $35 | $46 |
| 60 | $43 | $57 |
| 65 | $56 | $68 |
| 70 | $74 | $88 |
| 75 | $100 | $125 |
| 80 | $126 | $162 |
* Estimated rates do not reflect the rates of any particular life insurance company.
Monthly Premium Rates for Women*
| $5,000 Death Benefit | ||
| Age | Determined 'In Good Health' by Insurer | No Health Questions Asked |
| 50 | $14 | $15 |
| 55 | $16 | $18 |
| 60 | $18 | $24 |
| 65 | $22 | $28 |
| 70 | $28 | $35 |
| 75 | $38 | $46 |
| 80 | $48 | $64 |
* Estimated rates do not reflect the rates of any particular life insurance company.
| $10,000 Death Benefit | ||
| Age | Determined 'In Good Health' by Insurer | No Health Questions Asked |
| 50 | $25 | $28 |
| 55 | $28 | $36 |
| 60 | $33 | $45 |
| 65 | $41 | $55 |
| 70 | $53 | $69 |
| 75 | $72 | $90 |
| 80 | $93 | $126 |
* Estimated rates do not reflect the rates of any particular life insurance company.
Leading Causes of Death in Montana
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the leading causes of death in Montana are:
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- COVID
- Accidents
- Chronic lower respiratory diseases
- Stroke
- Suicide
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Diabetes
- Chronic Liver Disease/cirrhosis
No Exam in Montana
Not everyone wants to sit for a medical exam when applying for an insurance policy. If you fall into this group, you will be glad to know that you can apply for no-exam life insurance. With this type of policy, you will be required to answer some questions about your health rather than undergoing a medical exam.
Keep in mind that it is important to answer the questions truthfully. If you don’t, the insurance company could deny your claim if it discovers that you weren’t truthful.
Free Look Period
When you purchase an insurance policy in Montana and receive a buyer’s guide and disclosure document, you will have 15 days after you receive your policy documents to change your mind. If you decide you no longer want the insurance policy, the insurance company must refund to you any premium payments that you made.